COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: GQ's Best New Menswear Designers Have Arrived At The Gap

The Shophound has to admit that this one snuck up on us.
Usually, we are hyper aware of when the Gap's annual collaboration lines with GQ's Best New Menswear Designers will appear in stores, but we were preoccupied, and while we were walking down Broadway this afternoon we spied a display in the window of the Gap men's store at 8th Street and Broadway featuring the collections from M.Nii, Brooklyn Tailors, En Noir and John Elliott + Co (pictured above). Happily, a salesperson reassured us that we are not all that out of it. The goods arrived in stores today, but, we were told that some items had already sold out. In fact, the John Elliott sweats were particularly hard hit by eager shoppers. What we did see looked great. it will be tough to see if Brooklyn Tailors was able to replicate their meticulous fit at Gap prices, but there was a great red field jacket and some nicely detailed navy chinos as well. M.Nii's tees and ribbon-trimmed khakis had the right degree of surfer cool, and we had to go online to see exactly what was available from Elliott's luxury sweats. The standout here, however, was En Noir's capsule, much of which was also sold out. There were still a few pieces left of the whole project's standout piece: The sleek hooded leather jacket for $400. It's a pretty whopping price for the Gap, but considering En Noir's usual four figure prices, it seems like a steal. It's not as supple as expensive Napa leather, but for $400, it's pretty soft and makes for an irresistible, streetwise hoodie (pictured below). The engineered biker jeans looked great too, along with a blacked out denim, leather and sweatshirt material jacket. The whole En Noir style is pretty diametrically opposed to Gap's sunny basics, but they managed to make the collaboration work. We haven't been to any of the other stores that typically carry the lines but there may be more at some of the other locations like Midtown and Lower Fifth Avenue or Herald Square. There's always online shopping as well, but they seem to be selling out as well, so act fast. The Shophound might not have been on top of things this week, but the anxious collaboration shoppers clearly were. See the full lookbook HERE

GQ's Best New Menswear Designers x GAP available at Gap Stores at Elmhurst Queens Center, 8th & Broadway, 17th & Fifth, 34th & Broadway, 48th & Sixth, 54th & Fifth, 59th & Lexington, 85th & Third, 42nd & Broadway, 24nd & Third and Lincoln Square
Previously:
This Year's Crop: GQ Announces This Year's Best New Menswear Designers With Gap Capsule Collections In The Works

WATCH WATCH: Apple WATCH Makes Its First Public Appearance In Paris At Colette

You would think that it would be here in New York at the 24-hour Cube on Fifth Avenue, or at least in San Francisco, closer to the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, but the much anticipated Apple Watch or, WATCH, if we are to make the most of our keyboard, made its public debut this morning for one day only at Colette in Paris (window pictured above). While the coveted item will still not be available to purchase until early next year, unveiling it at an event coinciding with Paris Fashion Week signals Apple's interest in positioning the Apple Watch as a fashion item. It also suggests that the more exclusive 18 karat gold "Edition" model, expected to retail for thousands of  dollars, will find its way into leading luxury retailers to sit in cases alongside more rarefied timepieces.

Aside from giving the fashion flock its first look in person at the Apple Watch, the event allowed the company to show off its new senior vice president of design, renowned industrial designer Marc Newson who was instrumental in designing the Apple Watch. He celebrated alongside his good friend, longtime Apple designer Jony Ive as well as fashion luminaries like Anna Wintour, Suzy Menkes and Karl Lagerfeld (have a look at the image from Menkes' Instagram below). Why Colette? It remains one of the most influential stores in Paris and, possibly, the world, and it also was among the first non-electronics retailers to offer an odd little mp3 music player in 2001 called the iPod.

When the watch will appear in New York for us to have a look at it remains to be seen. The Colette event was only rumored in the past few days. When it does finally appear here, it may not show up at the Fifth Avenue Cube, but rather across the street at Bergdorf's, around the corner at Barneys or maybe even at Dover Street Market. After all, Apple stores are still pretty busy with the iPhone 6 launch right now, and the Apple Watch is apparently looking for a more exclusive environment. We will be on the lookout.

Apple Unveils Watch at Colette (WWD)

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: Affordable Abundance At Hugo Boss —Less So At Loro Piana

The Sample Sale Season is once again revving up slowly, and though there aren't a ton of major sales happening at the moment, there are two big ones that keep fans in anticipation happening right now.

The HUGO BOSS sale (pictured above and below) began yesterday, so The Shophound trekked over to the vast Starrett Lehigh building in West Chelsea to see what this season's version had to offer. We can't remember if we have always visited it on the first day, but even by midday, there was still a ton of stuff on the racks waiting for eager crowds even though we heard there was a huge, hungry line of shoppers waiting to get in in the morning. The first thing to know about this sale is that, like Gant's and some others, it is a real sample sale, meaning that it does not offer overstock or a range of sizes, but the actual showroom samples in sample sizes only. Because Boss is a huge brand, however, there are tons of them, including some duplicates, but there are also many different suit models, so one 40 regular jacket (the only size available) does not necessarily fit like every other one. Trying on is crucial, and, unless you are exceedingly familiar with the line's various design specs, buying for another person is particularly risky. What we saw appeared to come from the past Spring 2014 collection or before, but there was a lot of stuff. With suits going for a flat price of $350 each, it is a substantial savings over retail prices of $900 to $1,500. Aside from the racks of tailored clothing, there were a lot of shoes, but as they were going for $70 to $85 per pair, they were selling fast. For women, the pickings were slimmer. Though this season marks the beginning of Jason Wu's tenure as the brand's women's creative director, what little we could see offered looked like it came from Spring 2014, which is just before his collections began. Wu fans can sit tight until next season for his designs.

Next, we took a short stroll up the highline on our way to Soiffer Haskin on 33rd Street for LORO PIANA's sale. There, we also saw tons of merchandise even though the sale was already in its second day. Tables were overflowing with plush cashmere sweaters, and there an unusually large offering of Men's outerwear including down jackets and vests featuring the brand's signature refinement and elegance. One would think that this would be a bonanza, but the discounts were only 40% to 60% off original retail prices —though some more interim markdowns were reportedly taken today. these are more like in-store clearance prices. Though any savings is always welcome, Loro Piana's prices have become so staggeringly high that even with a steeper discount, the final tally at checkout will still be a major chunk of cash. While the basic cashmere mufflers which are now Loro Piana's opening price point items were little in evidence, there were many fancier (and much more expensive) scarves available. When a simple pair of cashmere lined gloves starts at around $700 retail, you are still looking at a sale price of around $300 or so at best. With the famous cashmere sweaters retailing anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500, this is not one of those sale where you can load your arms with stuff —unless you can. In that case, direct your driver to a point just west of Penn Station where there's a ton of classic but elegant goods waiting for you to scoop them up. Both sales run through this Thursday the 2nd of October.

Also this week, you should prepare to fight a big crowd looking for gently used designer dresses at Rent The Runway's seasonal clearance at 260 Fifth Avenue through the weekend, and keep an eye out for luxurious women's outerwear at Cinzia Rocca on Central Park South through Friday. Next week, look for contemporary sportswear from Elizabeth and James and more Italian luxury from Pratesi. Stay tuned to our SALE ROLL at left for more late breaking sale news.

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Vionnet, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta, Giuseppe Zanotti, Persol, Ramy Brook, Valentino, Elizabeth and James, Haute Hippie, Stephen Webster, Burberry<

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

Vionnet, Magaschoni, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta Apparel, Jewelry, Shoes & Accessories, Sandro, Yves Saint Laurent Scarves, White + Warren, Dolce & Gabbana, Punto Socks, Eastland, Gloverall, Versace & Ferragamo Watches, Elie Tahari, Mosmann Australia, Amsterdam Shoe Co., Lenox, Luxor Linens, Alixx Candles —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Giuseppe Zanotti, Rebecca Minkoff, Robert Graham, Rivkah Friedman, Citizen Watches, Persol, CHI, Steiner Sports, Vera Bradley, PLENTY by Tracy Reese, Shoshanna, NIC+ZOE —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Fendi, Prada, Immod Furniture, Maison Rugs, SUSU Handbags, Taylor, Andrew Marc/Marc New York, Natori, Amrapali Jewelry, TOD's, Robert Graham, Cartier Fragrance, Christian Dior, Lanvin, Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Three Dots, House of Harlow, Lucien Piccard, Maurice Lacroix Watches —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

AG Jeans, Stila, C&C California, M Missoni Shoes, Ramy Brook, Via Spiga, Philosophy Csahmere, Robert Rodriguez, Report Shoes, ALEXIS, Sportique, Cullen Men, Franco Vanucci Drivers, Ben Sherman, RVCA, Level 7, Nat Nast, Columbia —join HERE

MY HABIT

Valentino, Persol, Alexander McQueen Accessories, Charles by Charles David, Clarins, Vince Camuto, Emporio Armani Watches, Elizabeth and James, BVLGARI Fragrance, Haute HIppie, Emilio Pucci Scarves, Muk Luks, Mavi Jeans, Hawke & Co., Donald J. Pliner, Tommy Hilfiger, John Stephen, Zanetti  —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Cushe Footwear,Natori, Savora, LOVE Moschino, Eterna Watches, Adrienne Vittadini, Stephen Webster, Marc Joseph, Brioni —join HERE

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Alexander Wang Mixes Athletes With Models In His Campaign For H&M

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Alexander Wang's collaboration line with H&M doesn't drop until November 6th, but the advertising campaign has just been unveiled. Rather than collecting together "Greatest Hits", Wang's line has been designed specifically for the chain with an athletic inspiration, so the designer cast soccer player Andy Carroll and kickboxer Rivaldino dos Santos alongside supermodels Joan Smalls, Isabeli Fontana, Natasha Poly and Raquel Zimmerman to be photographed by Mikael Jansson. “We wanted to take certain elements of each sport and portray the ultimate warrior,” Wang tells WWD. “The girls had to feel big and heroic, and Mikael used sunlight glares to heighten that effect against a stark white backdrop.”Have a look at the campaign in the gallery above.

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Man In Fashion Edition

Today's Thursday Styles brings a bit of an unexpected twist as the Critical Shopper sends its menswear guy, Jon Caramanica, to the new 3.1 Phillip Lim store in NoHo. Even though Lim has made menswear for several seasons now, we would typically have expected this review to come from Lady Critical Shopper Alexandra Jacobs, but she is presumably busy in Paris covering the Spring Collections. Rather than reviewing the store itself, our shopper stays on his side of the aisle and focuses on the clothes, which he finds rather intoxicating —especially a $1,200 blanket coat found presiding "high on a platform, like the Christ the Redeemer statue that gazes out over Rio" over the men's section

So I wore it for a few minutes — in my size, which was preposterously large, and the size down, which was almost preposterously large. I looked like the Fisher King. I looked like Vincent (The Chin) Gigante. I looked a little ridiculous. I loved it.

And here lies the endless challenge of Men's Fashion: finding the balance between what is new and interesting without descending into clown costume territory. And then one has to contend with silly bloggers who will snark about any men's apparel item that diverges from the norm (or often even complies with it) by using condescending words like "mandals", "meggings" or "mankles" —not really helpful to anyone trying to propel men's style forward through the 21st Century. Thankfully, we have Mr. Caramanica, a guy who is undeterred by the snickering skeptics, happy to explore in search of the new, and even have his long-held beliefs about trompe-l'oeil design effects challenged. Every store needs more like him.

Critical Shopper: Trying on a Persona By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)
3.1 Phillip Lim 48 Great Jones Street between Lafayette Street & The Bowery, NoHo

TOY TOWN: LEGO To Open Its Doors Tomorrow

It has taken a while, but the building formerly know as the International Toy Center will finally have an actual toy store in it. The LEGO Store that has been under construction for much of this year is reported to be preparing for a soft opening tomorrow at 11 AM at 200 Fifth Avenue. When The Shophound peeked inside last week (pictured above), it seemed clear that an opening was not too far off. While there has been a small Lego store in Rockefeller Center for several years, this location is designed to be more of a flagship, and the 7,703 square foot store will offer a fuller range of Lego products as well as the popular Pick-A-Brick feature that lets shoppers purchase that exact piece they need. Weary grown-ups will also have a lounge to relax in while their younger charges run rampant through the store. As with every Lego store, the decor will consist mostly of great big Lego sculptures which you can see being assembled in the picture above, including interpretations of many famous New York City sights with the company mascot, Brickley the Dragon, snaking his way around the displays. The store is flanked by Marimekko's flagship and Eataly's two entrances, making this corner one of the city's tastiest and most colorful. A more official Grand Opening celebration will take place in a couple of weeks over Columbus Day weekend, so prepare for some special events and celebrations at the corner where 23rd Street, Fifth Avenue and Broadway intersect.

Lego’s Flagship Store to Soft Open This Week (Commercial Observer)

RUMORS CONFIRMED: Saks Fifth Avenue & Off-5th Both Confirmed For Downtown

Not to be upstaged by the retail game-changing announcement that Neiman Marcus will be coming to Manhattan, Hudson's Bay Company today confirmed the simmering rumors that Saks Fifth Avenue and its outlet offshoot Off-5th would indeed be coming to the Financial District. The luxury unit will be the first out of the gate less than two years from today. The city's second full line Saks store is set to open in Spring of 2016 in 85,000 square feet at Brookfield Place, serving as a valuable, traffic-generating anchor for the luxury mall that is slated to open there next year. While it will be dwarfed by the massive Saks flagship uptown, it will be much closer to the size of a typical Saks branch store, and will certainly be one of the largest retailers in the neighborhood. Next, in 2017, Off-5th will open a 55,000 square foot store at One Liberty Plaza, currently home to a Brooks Brothers branch, safely on the other side of the World Trade Center complex and right across Cortlandt street from what is bound to be its chief competitor in the area, Century 21.

In addition to the two new stores, HBC has also taken 400,000 square feet of office space in Brookfield Place for its New York corporate including space for both Saks Fifth Avenue and the also HBC-owned Lord & Taylor associates who will be relocating from midtown.

With the official announcement of an new Saks Store that makes a total of four major department store openings by the end of the next four years. Saks comes in 2016, Barneys will return to Chelsea in 2017 and both Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus are scheduled to open in 2018. Over the past few decades, the city has lost more department stores than it has gained staring with the demise of Gimbel's in the late 1980s, and then the closures of Bonwit Teller, B.Altman and A&S in the 90s. The new stores coming could potentially reshape Manhattan's shopping landscape. Let's hope there's as much business to go around as they are counting on.

Saks Confirms Downtown Opening (WWD)
Previously:
Rumor Confirmed: Neiman Marcus Plans A 2018 Arrival In Manhattan

SAVE THE DATE: Housing Works' Fashion For Action Returns Next Month With Zac Posen & John Varvatos

You should definitely plan in advance for this one.
HOUSING WORKS has long been one of New York City's favorite sources for stylish thrift shopping, and, among its many fundraising events, the most popular is probably its annual Fashion For Action benefit in which its Chelsea Thrift Shop is emptied of its usual donated, gently used merchandise, and packed with new, unworn goods from nearly every designer of note in the City and beyond. While the public sale is always good, the best shopping is invariably found at the gala party the night before. Early tickets are already available for this year's gala on November 20, exactly one week before Thanksgiving which gives everyone a great opportunity to get a jump on the Holiday shopping season. Designers and occasional TV Stars John Varvatos and Zac Posen will be the co-chairs for the event which will take place at the Rubin Museum of Art that, fittingly many still remember as Barneys' original Chelsea women's store. Expect to see a lot of new un-used items from John and Zac and more than 200 other designers priced like thrift shop goods which means they will be selling for as much as 80% and more off their original tags. Believe us when tell you that the best things get swept up almost immediately after the doors open. While the earliest entry tickets are the most expensive, $100 General Admission tickets are available for a limited time, which you can more than make up for in savings on just a few items. Click HERE to choose how you want to participate, and remember that all proceeds from both the opening party and the free public sale running through the 23rd go to support Housing Works' mission to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS.
That's an extra added bonus you typically won't find at your average sample sale.

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: A Short Notice DKNY Sale + Andrew Marc, 3.1 Phillip Lim & Loro Piana

The Sample Sale scene is chugging along this week. If you have anything left to spend after last week's blowout Scoop Warehouse Sale, you may want to set a few dollars aside for the 3.1 PHILLIP LIM sale in SoHo starting on Thursday the 25th (Fall collection looks pictured above). Expect to find all of his collections and a long line that might extend just far enough to meet up with the straw buyers on the Apple Store's iPhone line. Here are a few more sales to keep in mind before next week.

DKNY gave short notice for its Sample Sale starting TODAY at 225 Fifth Avenue. Look for men's and women's collections from the ever-popular brand, but be warned that since this sale is in 260SampleSale's smaller venue, it may, like last week's GANT sale be a little bit lower on inventory than one might hope for.

JOY GRYSON's sales are always a major destination for fashionable handbags and accessories at great prices. The sale includes the designer's signature collection as well as the Gryson, Olivia Harris and IIIBeca labels. Our friends at RACKED found nothing over $150 with prices starting at $25, so it's worth the trip to TriBeCa if you need to refresh your purse.

Nobody should live in New York without at least one leather jacket, and to help everyone fulfill that requirement, ANDREW MARC will be offering up to 70% off its collections for men and women at Chelsea Market starting tomorrow the 24th through Sunday.

Menswear fans have been biding their time for the PATRIK ERVELL sale this weekend starting on Friday the 26th in SoHo. You will also find the designer's shoe and accessory collections.

Finally, the serious luxury chasers have marked their calendars for Sunday's LORO PIANA sale. If we are to have another brutal winter, then there is no more useful accessory than a big, cashmere scarf. Be warned, however, that as Loro Piana's prices have soared in recent years, even at a discount, the merchandise will be something of an investment, but definitely one that will pay off for years.

See our SALE ROLL at left for details and more late-breaking sale news.