THIS WEEK ONLINE: Anna Sui, Oscar de la Renta, Eva Franco, Rebecca Taylor, Escada, Jonathan Adler, Peter Som, Rachel Roy, John Varvatos, LnA, Jay Godfrey,

Here is your weekly sampling of some of the brands you can expect to find on the bigger online Flash Sale Sites this week. You should click over to the sites themselves for a full schedule of events, and be sure to check for the correct start time for each sale. Happy clicking!

GILT GROUPE

René Caovilla, Jill Stuart/Emerson, Badgley Mischka, Peter Som, Kelsi Dagger, French Connection, DiModolo, Avaleigh, Charles David, Oscar de la Renta Accessories, Piazza Sempione, Versace Scarves, Jonathan Adler, Versace Jeans, Elie Tahari, Stitch's, Spurr NY, Farah Vintage, Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, Etiquette Socks, G-Star Shoes, Serena & Lily, Frette, 808 Home, Capri Blue Candles, Kitchen Aid —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Puma, Shoshanna, Whitney Stern, 88 Rue Du Rhone, Escada, Julie Brown Designs, Velvet by Graham & Spancer, FLEXX Shoes, Elaine Turner, Stitch's, CASS Luxury Shapewear, Diesel, Gorjana, Sweet Pea by Sracy Frati —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Ivanka Trump, Rebecca Taylor, Colette Nicolai Jewelry, Ted Lapidus Watches, Single, Christian Louboutin, Tom Ford Sunglasses, Taylor, LnA, Burberry, TOD's, Jorg Gray Watches, Nike Sunglasses, Oakley —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Umbro, MiH Jeans, Velvet by Graham & Spencer, Anna Sui, Ivanka Trump, Rachel Roy, Mystique, Too Faced, Chan Luu, John Varvatos Collection, Dansk, New Balance, Toscano —join HERE

MY HABIT

Trina Turk, Lanvin, Julie Brown Accessories, Missoni Accessories, Jay Godfrey, Saachi, Isabella Fiore, Eva Franco, Theodora & Callum, M Missoni, David Lerner, Lubiam, Antonio Maurizi, Andrew Marc, Mr. Swim, Eastland, EcoAlf, New Balance, Errebiacasa, Tommy Bahama Home, Victorinox Cutlery —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Bodhi Handbags, Oakley Golf, Cuisinart, Loro Piana, Badgley Mischka Couture Jewelry, Ben Sherman, Santoni, I. Reiss, Sachin & Babi —join HERE

HUMAN RESOURCES: Zac Posen To Direct Brooks Brothers Women's Design

If you can't help thinking of Brooks Brothers as a great men's store, then that may change in a few years. The venerable retailer has announced that Zac Posen (pictured at left) will become the creative director for the retailer's main women's apparel and accessory collections. “We want to better ourselves and have another point of view,” Brooks Brothers' chairman and chief executive officer Claudio Del Vecchio tells WWD. “We already have a team in place, so he’s not going to be a designer, but a creative director. He’s someone we trust and admire for what he does, and he can add to what we’re already doing.” Brooks Brothers has been upgrading and refining its women's offerings over the past few years, and the appointment will help bring attention as well as a new fashion image to a part of the company that has traditionally been overshadowed by its iconic male counterpart. Posen's responsibilities will be restricted to the main label women's lines and won't affect either the younger Red Fleece collection or the Black Fleece collection which will remain the purview of designer Thom Browne. The first collections under Posen's direction won't appear until Spring 2016, giving the designer plenty of time to adapt his own glamorous point of view to Brooks Brothers' traditional but evolving image. Posen will continue to design his own collection as well as other projects such as participating as a judge on "Project Runway" and said he was “honored and excited to be embarking on this incredible opportunity to take the Brooks Brothers women’s brand into the future while respecting its deep, rich American heritage as an institutional company.”

Brooks Bros. Taps Zac Posen to Oversee Women's (WWD)

YOUR WEEKEND PLANS: See Photographer Garry Winogrand's Chronicle Of Mid-Century America

Are you all shopped out now?
Have you been to every possible sample sale at this point?
Tired of looking at all that Spring merchandise in the stores and not ready to see Pre-Fall this ealry in the Summer?
This would be an excellent weekend to catch the new photography exhibition, Garry Winogrand at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Opening today, the show collects more than 175 of the prolific photographer’s works including famous images you will recognize as well as new prints pulled from proof sheets that the photographer himself was never able to fully realize, and even over 6,000 rolls of film that he never got a chance to develop before his untimely death at age 56. While Winogrand is recognized as one of the major figures of 20th Century photography, his early death turned attention toward some of his more famous contemporaries, and vast portions of his work have remained relatively unexplored —even by close associates— until now. The show’s curators sifted through troves of his archives, developing that film and re-editing proof sheets, to select and in several cases present for the first time works that give a richer understanding of his body of work. Fashion fans will easily notice the strong influence the Winogrand's spontaneous method has had on contemporary fashion photographers (Bruce Weber and Arthur Elgort immediately came to The Shophound's mind)

If that all sounds too highfalutin, don’t be discouraged. Rather than working in a studio, the Bronx-born Winogrand made a point of photographing real people wherever he might find them, which means everywhere, all the time. Every one of Winogrand’s prints catches an arresting moment in real life, whether it’s a couple motoring down Park Avenue in a convertible with a monkey in the back seat, or some particularly festive revelers at the Metropolitan Museum’s Centennial Ball in 1969 (pictured above). The zoo, the beach, a bus, a protest rally or a rodeo were all fertile ground for material. Still, his photos still center more on people and whatever their experiences may have been at the moment he caught them rather than their surroundings, however historically significant they may be. New Yorkers in particular will appreciate an abundance of images taken in the city between 1950 and 1971, giving us glimpses of life in a familiar place at very different times.

Of course, that’s not all that’s going on at the Met. If you haven’t yet seen the Charles James exhibition at the Costume Institute, then it’s a good opportunity to catch a double header of two great shows, as well as an impressive Wall Drawing by Sol LeWitt currently being installed for a formal unveiling this Monday.
So take a day off from the shops. Your wallet will probably thank you, although there is that Museum Store....

Garry Winogrand starts today and runs through September 21 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street Upper East Side
See a few more selections from the exhibition in the gallery below

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MEATPACKING RUMOR MILL: Is Restoration Hardware Planning A Megastore In The Pastis Building?

Restaurant bloggers were abuzz earlier this year when Keith McNally announced that his scene-making Meatpacking District bistro Pastis would be closing earlier this year to accommodate renovations to the 19th Century stable building it has lived in since 1999. He has promised that it will reopen in the same place once the renovations are complete, but the city's foodies have been skeptical amid rumors that the restaurant would move to other possible locations including the Beekman Hotel or the space which P.J.Clarke's currently occupies in Brookfield Place (which comes with its own contentious story of tenant-landlord discord). McNally has remained steadfast, but DNAinfo is now reporting that Restoration Hardware has filed a 'Memorandum of Lease' document with the city indicating that it plans to take over the entire building at 9-19 Ninth Avenue once a modern steel and glass two-story addition on the roof is completed (pictured in the rendering above). Normally, this would be a lot of space for Restoration Hardware, but the home furnishings chain has recently disclosed plans for big flagship stores in major cities that include more of a lifestyle point of view that could include its own restaurants or even a hotel. The long standing Flatiron district location has just added two more floors and redubbed itself RH New York, The Gallery in the Historic Flatiron District featuring a broader assortment and expanded decorating services. Could the same thing be headed across town to the Meatpacking District? The building's landlord is not confirming that any tenant has been signed for the renovated building throwing both McNally's and Restoration Hardware's plans into question. Considering that the rooftop addition could take a while, we might not know what the full plans are for the building anytime soon, but we will be watching for more developments.

Restoration Hardware May Be Coming to Pastis Building, Records Show (DNAinfo)

NEW CHAPTERS: Demolition Begins For Barneys' Chelsea Comeback

Since Loehmann's shuttered a few months ago, its Seventh Avenue flagship store has been silent as we await the construction activity that will return the site to its previous tenant, Barneys New York —until yesterday that is.
As The Shophound happened to be strolling past the building we saw, for the first time, construction workers finally dismantling what was left of the interior when Loehmann's vacated as the debris was hauled out through the front door. Soon, the façade will likely be covered in plywood, but for now, you can peer in past the metal gates in the windows to see the store stripped for what we expect will be a gut renovation. You can still see the escalator in the same place where it was in the days of Barneys I. It will likely remain there when Barneys II opens, mainly because escalators are incredibly expensive to construct and move. We can't help seeing the store as it once was in the 80s and 90s when what you can see in the picture above was part of the men's furnishings and shoe departments, as if that Loehmann's interlude was all just a bad dream.
We know that when Barneys II opens in 2017 it will bear little resemblance to its progenitor at Seventh and 17th, and we are prepared for an approximation of the marble, steel and glass design scheme that now pervades the Madison Avenue flagship, but we can't deny that we are still anticipating the rare occasion of seeing a once beloved store return to the home it never really should have left.

SCANDAL ROUND-UP: Nobody At American Apparel Is Going To Miss Dov Charney + Other Updates

There is a peculiar sort of schadenfreude surrounding the ongoing saga of American Apparel founder Dov Charney's unceremonious ejection from his company. Information is streaming from multiple sources but, unsurprisingly, little of it conflicts with the conventional assessment that Charney was booted because his legendary sexual misconduct showed no sign of abating and also because he was misusing company funds and, possibly most importantly, failing to reverse the poor performance of his company.

The most interesting bit of commentary (and there is a lot of it) comes from our friends at The Cut, who cleverly chose to interview five unnamed American Apparel employees at the store level, none of whom seem to be sad to see Charney removed. Sexy stories aside, they paint a picture of a shoddily run company suffering the consequences of Charney's micromanagement and whimsical hiring policies. We hear of poorly prepared shipments, pointless transfer orders and a poorly made and merchandised product line that is failing to resonate with customers. "We interact with people in the corporate office pretty frequently, and there are a lot of truly incompetent people," says a backstock associate. Another tells of erratic merchandise deliveries and inefficient transferring of product from store to store to store, also revealing that rather than having an online distribution center, internet orders seem to be fulfilled from the retail stores, creating more inconsistencies and potential for careless mistakes. Store managers complain of poor upkeep. "We didn’t have an alarm system at my store for like three months, which was kind of sketch. I would be worried if I had that much merchandise in a store," says one, and another points out that Charney's micromanaging tendencies kept him from dealing with larger, more pressing, systemic problems. "Whenever he comes to New York, everyone is super-scared because he’ll just stay stuff that’s like, 'Whoa'," says a sales associate, "But I think it will be better, to be honest. It can’t get any worse than this." When the stockpeople are rolling their eyes at the CEO's incompetence, you know that the problems go way beyond his inappropriate behavior.

Meanwhile, this particular story has the unique quality of being relevant in both hard business press outlets and lighter gossip sources, so there's plenty of news to go around. Buzzfeed has a copy of the actual letter delivered to Charney informing him of his termination and explicitly enumerating the reasons including a Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Violation of Company Policy and Misuse of Company Assets specifically, and noting that his behavior has degraded the company's reputation and therefore made it difficult to find adequate financing with him in charge. The Financial Times has the only interview with Charney, so far. “This is the year American Apparel fully recovered. This has to manifest itself to its full conclusion, with me there,” he tells them. “I think I will be back in my office before long. I will make this company happen with me still at the helm.” He is reported to be looking to combine his shares with those of supportive shareholders to subvert the board's decision in addition to pursuing his lawsuit demanding reinstatement. Major investors, however, do not seem interested in taking his side, and the company's stock prices immediately rose upon news of his firing, suggesting that the business world has been waiting to see him ousted. Today's report from WWD has newly appointed cochairman Allan Mayer promising that even without its original creative force, the company would remain true to its familiar aesthetic. “There is something at the core of the American Apparel brand that is slightly transgressive,” He says. “That is not to everybody’s taste — and sometimes it’s not to my personal taste — but it’s what the company is and we’re not going to change.”

Without question, there will be more coming on the 23 or so days until Charney's suspension becomes a termination. Stay tuned for more developments.

5 American Apparel Employees on Dov Charney’s Ousting By Katie Van Syckle (The Cut/NTMag)

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Outer Borough Home Style Edition

This Week's Thursday Styles sends Critical Shopper Jon Caramanica on a home decor shopping tour of Brooklyn's tonier neighborhoods. Our shopper ascribes the Brooklynian vogue for artisanal, handcrafted home decor to a reaction against the peculiar mix of mid-century modern, thrift shop and camp aesthetics that has typified influential designer Jonathan Adler's style. Now, the whimsy-weary of Kings County have turned to handcrafted, limited edition accouterments, and from what we can tell, they are on their way to turning them into just as much of a hackneyed cliché, proving that there is no trend that New Yorkers cannot hammer until we can no longer bear to look at it.
But, we haven't gotten to the maximum saturation point yet, so Caraminaca hits several hotspots starting at Williamsburg's Joinery, where in addition to the fashion offerings, we find wooden bowls and enamel colanders. Next it's on to Beam, home of brightly colored but kitsch-free options and then to the more sophisticated but somewhat arid Abode, where the offerings lack soul. "...the charm of these pieces is largely digital. Almost certainly, they were designed on a computer, even if it was one with, like, an X-Girl sticker on it," he complains. Then it's on to The Primary Essentials in Boerum Hill, "a calm white space on a thriving strip of Atlantic Avenue now in its second wave of commercial gentrification," that seems to fit his requirements, calling it a "shrine of the small batch". But what will happen when those Clam Lab infinity bowls start looking tired? Time to chase another trend.

Critical Shopper: Spoons for the Picky By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Strong Finish With Rag & Bone, J.Crew & Vente Privee

You know, the Sample Sale season never really ends anymore, but the schedule kind of drops off a cliff after this week, so this may be your last chance to shop all week long with some heavy hitters for a while. One of the reliable favorites, J.CREW, begins today, and though we have often remarked that those patient enough to keep an eye out for the J.Crew retail stores' 30% to 40% off sale prices (which happen with great frequency these days) can often score better prices on fresher goods than you can find at the sample sale, there remains a consistent draw which keeps shoppers lining up every season. We got a preview of the sale yesterday, and it remains much like sales of seasons past. his time, however, there is more room because it has been spread out over both of 260SampleSale's regular venues on Fifth Avenue. The women's, children's and Madewell goods are all at the regular 260 Fifth location through Sunday, while 225 Fifth a couple of blocks south (pictured above) has been commandeered for the men's section while supplies last —and what an imporovement it is, freeing up lots of room for easier shopping for everyone. The set-up is much the same. Each item is individually priced, yet the prices seem pretty consistent by category. For example, most tees are $15. Most sportcoats are $120, etc. Prices looked to be about 60% off the original retail prices, but, as usual, it's always good to familiarize oneself with current offerings in the stores or online so you can get the best gauge of what your savings will be and what is most current among the assortments. As always, this sale is heavy on actual samples, but also sprinkles in goods from current and previous seasons. Everything is sold as is, so check carefully for damages, especially since sometimes samples are not made with the same care as regular production items. anyway, this should keep shoppers busy for a while (have a preview look at some images in the gallery below), but there are a few other highlights to point out before the week ends:

As we posted last week, original flash site VENTE-PRIVEE is entering the live clearance sale game today at Clothingline. This one is billed as mostly women's products with a small selection of men's socks and underwear. We don't know what they have planned for all those leftover Kiton suits or Borelli shirts, but the ladies are promised selections from Vera Wang, Halston Heritage, Elizabeth & James, Catherine Malandrino, Sergio Rossi, Paul & Joe- plus several designers that they can't promote but, knowing the site's usual fare, are probably pretty good. Prices start at $15 for lingerie and top out at $125 for dresses and jackets. Since this is Vente-Privee's debut sale, we can't predict how it will turn out, but it looks promising and runs through Thursday the 26th.

This week's other major player is the always anticipated RAG & BONE sale beginning on Wednesday the 25th at its usual Chelsea Market location. This is another one that generates big lines. Savings usually run around 60% off original prices for men and women including clothing, shoes and accessories. Occasionally, shoppers have been able to enter on the preview day, so you may want to try your luck this afternoon if you want the best selections, though, traditionally, there is TONS of stuff at this sale, so it's usually worth a visit anytime during the run through the weekend.

Of course, that's not all. This week there are also worthwhile sales from, among others, BARBARA BUI, GRYSON, MIGUELINA and MATT BERNSON with a glamorous finale from REEM ACRA on Friday and Monday. Keep an eye on our SALE ROLL at left for details and any late-breaking events. Next week, there's not much to speak of so go to the beach. By now, you must have a thousand things to wear there. 

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ONGOING LEGAL SAGAS: Charney Battling American Apparel Over Firing

You didn't think it would be that simple, did you?
Suspended and soon to be former American Apparel CEO Dov Charney (pictured at right) is reportedly mounting a legal battle to retain his position in the company he founded despite being suspended with the intent of termination last week. Given the choice of remaining as a consultant or being fired, Charney chose to be severed from the company. His attorney immediately sent a letter to the company which board co-chairman Allen Mayer called "...exactly what we’d expect to get from Dov’s lawyer in a situation like this. We continue to believe we did the right thing, for the right reasons, in the right way. We are very confident we are on very strong legal ground."

Charney's firing was specifically with cause, meaning that according to his contract, he will be ineligible for the multi-million dollar "golden parachute" severance package he would otherwise be entitled to. While the board has been vague about exactly which cause led to their actions, new reports suggest that, among other things, Charney independently authorized the release of nude photos of one of the former employees who was suing the company as well as the creation of a fake website that could be considered defamatory of her. This may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back amidst a series of similar lawsuits that the company settled combined with the entire company's poor performance over  the past few years. As predicted, the weekend press has included a detailed recounting of Charney's sordid history of harassment lawsuits and his defiant refusal to admit wrongdoing amid reports of asexually charged workplace atmosphere under his stewardship. In addition, an explicit video of a nude Charney dancing around while talking on a phone surfaced on the internet for the benefit of those who needed to see every (and we mean every) last detail. It couldn't help his case much, but the incessant rehashing reflects poorly on the brand in general just as it may have the opportunity to finally leave its shady behind-the-scenes reputation behind. The board's biggest risk, however is not renewed discussion of corporate scandals, but the fact that Charney's firing may have triggered a default under its credit agreements that could a bankruptcy if lenders do not provide waivers for the brand to proceed with re-organization. This could set the company up for an acquisition which in turn could put in jeopardy the label's core value of exclusively manufacturing its goods in the United States. Wall Street, however, responded favorably to Charney's removal, however with the company's stock rising 6.7% upon the news of his firing. It looks like the business world as has a it more faith in the brand without its controversial mastermind than it dis with him in place. More to come on this story as the 30-day suspension period plays out.

Dov Charney Said Plotting Legal Counterpunch (WWD)
Inside the American Apparel Revolt (Wall Street Journal)

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Orla Kiely, Zac Posen, Paul Smith, Victorinox, Givenchy, Max Mara, Jimmy Choo, Emilio Pucci, Rochambeau, Adidas Y-3, TOM's, M. Patmos

Here is your weekly sampling of some of the brands you can expect to find on the bigger online Flash Sale Sites this week. You should click over to the sites themselves for a full schedule of events, and be sure to check for the correct start time for each sale. Happy clicking!

GILT GROUPE

Orla Kiely, Lucca Couture, MYMU Espadrilles, Paul & Joe Sister, Corso Como/Delman, Zac Posen, Suzanna Dai Jewelry, Yummie by Heather Thompson, Luli Fama Swimwear, Tara Pearls, Paul Smith, Victorinox, Puma Diesel, Brooks Brothers, Clae, British Belt Co., Camper, Waterford, Bashian Rugs, Casa di Francesca, Cunill Silver Frames, Modloft Furniture —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Givenchy, Brooks Brothers, Yoana Baraschi, BØRN, Core Home, Timex, 4.Collective, Izak Totes & Accessories, Tory Burch, Gucci Sunglasses, Meira T, Hervé Chapelier, Jack Rogers, Calvin Klein Home & Bath, Kiwi Crate, Max Mara, Elizabeth and James, Victorinox, Bollé, Ankh Wines, Pandora, McKlein —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Marc Jacobs, Amrapali Fine Jewelry, Chan Luu, Ray-Ban, Jimmy Choo, Botkier, Yves Saint Laurent, Lucien Piccard, Ben Sherman, Christian Dior, DL1961, Giraffe Walk, Colette Nicolai, Nike, Fendi, Lacoste, Michael Kors Sunglasses, Prada —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

TOM's, Lilac Maternity, Lord & Berry, LAmade Kids, Gemelli, S.H.E. Made in NYC, Balmain Sunglasses, Birds of Paradise by Trovata, Stitch's, Kinetix, Dsquared² Underwear, Jared Lang, Tumi, XMI, Louis Raphael, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas Y-3, Color Siete, C.Wonder —join HERE

MY HABIT

Emilio Pucci, Butter, Puma, Foley + Corinna, Technomarine, Gucci Eyewear, Tom Ford Sunglasses, Natori, Prada, Armani Eyewear, Oryani Handbags, M.Patmos, Calvin Klein, Céline Eyewear, Nat Nast/Izod, Kangol, Rochambeau, Maui & Sons —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Elie Tahari, Hudson Jeans, Wedgewood, Calvin Klein Collection, Maje, Asics, Steven Alan, Katherine Kwei, Sperry Top-Sider —join HERE