FAST RETURN: New Look Moschino Boutique To Arrive In SoHo This Summer

Italian designer label Moschino has taken a little breather from New York's retail scene for about a year or so as its Meatpacking district boutique was taken over by The Kooples and the brand itself refreshed itself under new creative director Jeremy Scott.
Well, Scott has engineered a successful resurgence, and it looks like Moschino is wasting no time returning to the city in a more favorable neighborhood to show off its updated look. In reporting on the brand's first Scott-designed boutique opening today in Los Angeles (pictured above), WWD reports that the next revamped Moschino store is set for the brand's home, Milan in May of this year to be followed closely by another in SoHo. No specific location has been identified publicly, but wherever it is, we can reasonably expect it to have big windows to show off the label's witty, signature displays (West Broadway maybe? In the just shuttered O.K. Harris space next to RRL? Just spitballing here). The L.A. store on Beverly Boulevard features clean white space —not unlike the archetypical SoHo gallery— to set off the label's graphic aesthetic and Scott's famously campy point of view. Look for a similar style to show up in New York, and we'll keep an eye out for telltale plywood in SoHo that will tell us exactly where Moschino plans to land this Summer.

Moschino Opens First U.S. Boutique in Los Angeles (WWD)

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Moncler, Anna Sui, J Brand, Band of Outsiders, Christian Dior, Gucci, Baldwin Denim, LAGOS, Brunello Cucinelli, Alexander McQueen

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

MARC by Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Amrita Singh, J Brand, Corso Como, Marni, Cosabella, Avaleigh, Magaschoni, Moncler, Movado, La Roche- Posay, Brooks Brothers, Band of Outsiders, Hickey Freeman, Portolano, Umbro, PRPS, J.A.C.H.S., Del Toro, Corneliani —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Kenneth Cole, Vince Camuto Signature, Konstantino Men's Jewelry, 7 For All Mankind, Gucci Watches, LAGOS, Michael Kors Accessories, Dior Beauté, Christian Louboutin, Mia Belle Couture, Lafayette 148 New York, OndadeMar Swimwear, Samsonite, Lilla P, Argento Vivo, Charriol, Pour La Victoire, Kumon, ThomasDean, PUMA, Waterford Bed & Bath, Serena & Lily —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Koolaburra, nuLOOM, Vanhi, Christian Dior, Maurice Lacroix Watches, Fendi, Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Prada, Swiss Legend, Yves Saint Laurent, Hugo Boss, Jan Leslie, Puma —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Three Dots, Big Star, UGG Australia, 2(x)ist, Laura Geller Beauty, 3X1, TUMI, Trina Turk, Franco Sarto, Doma, Velvet by Graham & Spencer, Philip Gavriel Fine Jewelry, Koh Gen Doh, New Balance, Vince Camuto —join HERE

MY HABIT

Sigerson Morrison, Alexander McQueen Handbags, Joe's Jeans, Columbia Sportswear, Guerlain, Calvin Klein Footwear, Prada, Band of Outsiders, Baldwin Denim, 3X1, Rogue, Lanvin, Fendi, Bruno Magli, Brunello Cucinelli, Ike Behar, Lubiam, Gucci Watches, John Varvatos ★ USA, Forte, Steve Madden, New Balance —join HERE

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Ironic Pop In SoHo Edition

It turns out that Critical Shopper Jon Caramanica is not quite through with the column just yet. He returns in today's Thursday Styles with a visit to the new DSquared2 boutique on West Broadway in SoHo.
Over the time that Caramanica has been shopping critically for the Times, we have been able to get a handle on what piques his style interest, which seem to run along the #menswear ultra-cool fashion blogger axis with the occasional detours into Japanese heritage arcana and tried and true classics. DSquared2's campy, occasionally cartoonish sensibility doesn't really land in that neighborhood, and he seems to have approached the assignment holding his nose firmly.

"These are clothes that wear you, that require a neon personality for a person to even compete.
That’s not the whole of the company’s mission, but it’s a significant enough one to put the other parts in peril."

The Caten brothers' signature mash-up items are referred to as "Frankenstein" pieces, which gives you an idea of how much our shopper is charmed by the store which has opened between seasons, which means that there is barely a smattering of the label's day-glo Stephen Sprouse/Andy Warhol inspired Spring  2015 runway line on hand. Still, in the few early Spring looks there, he finds more sophistication than he had given the brand credit for. Still, we get the idea that though his respect for DSquared2 may have risen just a notch or two, he wasn't won over enough to make a return visit anytime soon.

Critical Shopper: Whispers Amid the Shouts at the New DSquared Store By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)
DSquared2 402 West Broadway at Spring Street, SoHo

STORE SWITCHEROOS: Tomas Maier and James Perse Fill In Some Blanks On Bleecker

A stroll down Bleecker Street brought some news to The Shophound's eye this afternoon. We had been wondering who was going to wind up in the highly desirable and spacious corner store that Juicy Couture left vacant at no. 368 early last year, and it turns out that longtime Bleecker Street denizen James Perse is moving in (pictured above). Perse has maintained two separate men's and women's stores on Bleecker for several years now, and it is currently unclear whether he will be moving one or both stores into the bigger space, or if he will be using it for another concept entirely. We won't have to wait for long to find out. The windows are promising a February opening.

A few steps uptown, we discovered that Jimmy Choo has abandoned the West Village, for now at least. In its place, however designer Tomas Maier is bringing his second Manhattan store to No. 407 (pictured below). While his first, which opened just a few months ago on Madison Avenue, is well located to serve tourists and stylish East Siders, this new one will be perfectly positioned to bring Maier's laid-back chic to the downtowners who won't travel north of 23rd Street. No opening date has been announce, but it's not a huge store, and we are guessing it will be ready for shoppers sometime in the spring.

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: The Sales Start Reappearing With Fivestory & Scoop

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Well, shoppers, we have all had a nice break from the sample sales to pick through the department store clearance, but now it's time for the post-Holiday sale phase to begin. It may not be quite as hectic as last month's sale schedule, but we all know that there are a few designers who have yet to throw open their warehouses for our shopping pleasure. In the meantime, though, two prominent retailers are offering final clearances that are always worth making time for:

On the more rarefied side, FIVESTORY, the elegant, Upper East Side jewel box of a boutique is kicking off its seasonal off-site Warehouse Sale at the Bowery Hotel this Friday. We'll preview it later this week, but the lovely proprietress Claire Distenfeld has sent us a bunch of promising preview images with prices that you can see in the gallery above. It is one of the best sales for fans of sexy shoes and the more advanced pieces from the most directional designers like Mary Katranzou, Roland Mouret, Giambattista Valli, Thakoon and many more. There's also great stuff for men where we have typically seen labels like Michael Bastian, Wings + Horns, Mark McNairy, Sacai and Visvim to name a few. It is something of a hunt-through-the-racks-and-bins kind of sale in a particularly unglamorous space, but those with patience and perseverance are generally rewarded with discounts of 60% to 80% off some really special items that you won't see yourself coming and going in. You have until Wednesday the 21st to catch it.

Also launching on Friday is SCOOP NYC's final CLOSET CLEAN-UP Sale with discounts that generally add up to about 75% to 80% off original prices. This time, the clearance is consolidated at Scoop's SoHo store (usually in the back section) so if you have been scoping something at Scoop and waiting for the final price break, this is your chance to pounce. The labels include Scoop's usual lineup of designers including IRO, Missoni, Rag & Bone, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alice + Olivia, Burberry, Clover Canyon, Diane Von Furstenberg, Helmut Lang, Michael Kors, MSGM, Roberto Cavalli, Sea, Stuart Weitzman, T by Alexander Wang, and Zac Posen for women and AG, Billy Reid, CLOSED, DSquared2, Etro, GANT, Hartford, J. Brand, John Varvatos, Just Cavalli, Maison Martin Margiela, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Paul Smith for men. This one draws a crowd, so the store is opening early at 9 AM this Friday, and it's well worth going as early as possible.

Those are the weekend's big events, but there are also promising sales from KATHERINE HOOKER, MAGASCHONI and COCLICO happening this week as well. Keep an eye on our SALE ROLL at left for locations, hours and other details as well as late breaking events.

CHAIN GANG: Bed Bath & Beyond Mega-Complex Coming To Brooklyn's Sunset Park

We still don't know if a Bed Bath & Beyond store is coming to Columbus Avenue and 93rd Street, but we do have official word that the company is planning an enormous store for Brooklyn's rapidly redeveloping Sunset Park. The Wall Street Journal reports that the big-box retailer has leased over 100,000 square feet of space at the Liberty View Industrial Plaza (pictured above) which will combine all four of the brand's chains —Bed Bath & Beyond, buybuy BABY, Cost Plus World Market, and Harmon Face Values— all together on a single floor. While aspects of some of these chains have been incorporated into various Bed Bath & Beyond locations around the city, this will be the first time each retail concept will be presented in a single location that also presents the complete format. The store is expected to draw customers from all over the borough and is connected to a block-sized parking lot. It's a major deal for the continuing efforts to rehabilitate the vacant industrial buildings in the Sunset Park neighborhood and suggests what kind of other retailers are expected to follow Bed Bath & Beyond to the area. There's no projected opening date yet, but you should have plenty of time to make sure that you are getting all those coupons by mail, email and SMS to take full advantage of the mega-store when it opens.

Bed Bath & Beyond Takes Sunset Park (WSJ)
Previously:
Big Box Rumors: Is This The Entrance To A New Bed Bath & Beyond On Columbus Avenue?

 

NEAPOLITAN SUNRISE: Isaia Claims Donna Karan's Digs

Now we can finally report about something that's going to open rather than close. The sign in the window of Donna Karan's former home at 819 Madison Avenue tells us that it is in the process of becoming the new home of Neapolitan luxury menswear label Isaia. As the sign says:

Stamm' purtann' 'o sole 'e Napule.
nun jate 'e pressa!
We are bringing you the sun of Naples.
Be patient please!

So far, little other information is available about the upcoming store other than it appears to be the label's first North American standalone boutique, so we should probably expect a showplace. Over the past decade or so, Isaia has grown its U.S. business substantially, and its little red coral logo can now be found in Barneys, Bergdorf's, Saks, Neiman Marcus and about 30 or so of the country's best specialty stores. Known for its impeccable hand tailored men's clothing and shirts, the new store will form a luxe menswear mini-district of sorts with Lanvin's and Bottega Veneta's men's shops as well as fellow Neapolitan Cesare Attolini all within a couple of blocks of each other. Sadly that other esteemed import from Naples, Luigi Borrelli has closed his shop at nearby 790 Madison, so fans will have to look elsewhere for those handmade shirts, but, for now Isaia and Attolini will have to represent southern Italy's renowned sartoria on Madison Avenue's most luxurious stretch.

MORE NEW YEAR'S CLOSING: Retail Icon Louis Boston To Close

While The Shophound normally stays focused on New York City's retail scene, it would be hard for us to ignore the news which broke over the weekend that Louis Boston (always pronounced Loo-eee) would close at the end of the Spring season. The 90-year-old store, family owned over four generations, is reportedly not closing as a result of business challenges, but it is a casualty of the current real estate boom, a situation not foreign to New York retailers. A few years ago, Louis owner Debi Greenberg made the daring decision to move the store from its elegant home on tony Newbury Street to Fan Pier, a newly developing shopping area on Boston's southern waterfront. As it happened, the neighborhood took off, and now Louis is in the way of a new condo development. Though the developers promised a new store for her, Greenberg decided to retire early and shutter the business rather than move again. In a blog post on the store's website, Greenberg calls the closing the end of an era, and re-iterates to WWD that she couldn't imagine selling the store to someone outside the family since her daughter doesn't appear to be interested in carrying on the often grueling career of running a large, independent luxury store. “I don’t think I could bear it,” she says of the thought of someone else running the company, so the possibility of someone swooping in to save the store, like, for instance the folks at Connecticut's Mitchell's did to save San Francisco's similarly beloved Wilkes Bashford a few years ago, seems slim —at least for now.

New Yorkers may remember Louis somewhat less fondly from its short lived expansion here during the late 1980s when a splashy, much heralded store opened here at the corner of West 57th Street and Lexington Avenue. A combination of bad economic conditions and a somewhat off-base location doomed the lavish store which was filled with the kind of pricey, artisanal, hand tailored clothing from labels like Brioni, Kiton and Ermenegildo Zegna that, ironically are among the most coveted by menswear's current enthusiasts. Then owner Murray Pearlstein's predilection for a sophisticated, earthy color palette of mossy greens and browns also failed to persuade New Yorkers who remained devoted to classic black, navy and gray. Ultimately, many local shoppers took it as something of an affront that a store from Boston of all places would try to offer new styles in a city renowned as a fashion capital. In the end, it was our loss, as the kind of labels that Louis promoted then continue to sprout boutiques around the city today. In the intervening years back home in Boston, Louis has continued to evolve as Pearlstein's daughter Goodman took over, increased the women's business and brought a sharper, high fashion edge to the store, ultimately moving it to the starkly modern location (pictured above) that it is about to close. The store will leave a potent legacy, however. The late Murray Pearlstein is revered among menswear retailers, and credited for helping to introduce designers like Giorgio Armani, Luciano Barbera and other European designers to the American market. Designer Joseph Abboud started his career selling clothes at Louis, and another Pearlstein daughter, Nancy, owns and operates Relish, one of Washington DC's most influential boutiques. In the meantime, Louis fans have about six more months to shop at their favorite store. It may be worth a quick trip up to Boston just for posterity's sake.

Louis Boston to Close (WWD)

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Jimmy Choo, Band of Outsiders, Dannijo, John Varvatos, Tom Ford, Brunello Cucinelli, Bally, Valentino, Rebecca Taylor, Brian Atwood

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

Band of Outsiders, B Brian Atwood, J Brand, Dannijo, Yumi Kim, Clarins, John Varvatos, Rogue, Baume & Mercier, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci Home, Melange Home, BergHOFF —join HERE

RUE LA LA

JImmy Choo, Pink Tartan, J.D. Fisk, Oceanaut Watches, Jean Dubost, Llum Girls, Natori Intimates, Guerlain, Scott Kay, nuLOOM, Prada Fragrance & Sunglasses, Bliss by Damiani, Andrew Marc/MARC New York, Ella Moss, Joan Vass, Freeze 24-7 —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Rebecca Taylor, Jardin, Valentino, Only Hearts, Brunello Cucinelli, Bulova, Giorgio Armani, Prada, Kooba, Olivia Harris, Gucci, Invicta —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Tommy Bahama, DL1961, C&C California, Kinetix, Miz Mooz, NYDJ, Corso Como, SPANX, LOVE Moschino, Stone Rose, Diesel, Superdry, Coach Fragrance, Wüsthof Cutlery, Pangea Home, MINKPINK, Jimmyjane, Zanerobe, Seduka, Robert Wayne, LORAC —join HERE

MY HABIT

Cheap Monday, Donald J Pliner, Emporio Armani, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss Watches, Cole Haan, Canali, John Varvatos, Christopher Fischer, Bally, Von Dutch —join HERE

LOCATION MANAGEMENT: Barneys Shutters SoHo Store

Our friends at Racked tell us that the Barneys New York in SoHo, formerly one of the first Co-op spin-off locations, has been closed permanently. Before Barneys moved in, the store was New York's Comme des Garçons boutique before it moved to its current less prominent (and therefore more appealing to designer Rei Kwakubo) West 22nd Street location. Barneys swiftly moved in and opened a Co-op store for women only, but changed little of the industrial '80s SoHo-style concrete and steel store design (pictured at right). Converting the unconventionally laid out boutique to Barneys' current glass, chrome and marble decor would have been an elaborate and costly undertaking. Then there's the inevitable rent hike that would have come with a lease renewal in a neighborhood that is more desirable than ever. It is likely that the folks at Barneys smartly decided to take their chances and redirect their SoHo customers to the new store being constructed inside the chain's original flagship in Chelsea. That opening has been pushed up to sometime next year, so for now, Barneys' only New York City locations are the Madison Avenue Flagship and the former Co-op stores on Broadway on the Upper West Side and on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn —down two doors from just a couple of years ago.

Manhattan Is Down One Barneys New York Location (Racked)