FLAGSHIP FINAL: Fendi Expected To Find A Permanent Home On Greene Street

99 Greene Street Photo via Sinvin.com

It has been the retail equivalent of couch surfing for Fendi in SoHo for a while, now. While the brand has found the block it wants, it has been bouncing around from pop-up to pop-up for several seasons. First on the corner of Greene and Prince Streets, a space absorbed by the Louis Vuitton boutique, and then a few doors down in an awkwardly long and narrow store that subverts its visibility almost entirely. Multiple reports, however have the LVMH-owned luxury label in talks for a more appropriate, permanent space just across the street in the former home of Space NK at 99 Greene Street. Pushed aside in favor of bigger siblings Vuitton and Dior no longer, the brand will be able to settle comfortably in its own 6,000 square foot store in the middle of the block between Spring and Prince Streets. Look for a more spacious new store to appear there sometime next year.

JON CARAMANICA & KATHERINE BERNARD GO SHOPPING: Dual Perspective In SoHo Edition

Photo: Danny Ghitis for The New York Times

It's been a minute since we talked about the Thursday Styles' Critical Shopper here at The Shophound because, you know, we've been doing it for a while, but today marks a first for the column: two Critical Shoppers combine forces as Jon Caramanica and Katherine Bernard explore the new Rick Owens boutique in SoHo together. After quite some time of each shopper ignoring the offerings for the opposite gender in the boutiques they have covered, we are finally getting a comprehensive assessment of everything all in one column.
So what have we learned? Not too much about what we didn't already know, though both critics concur that Owen's clothes, freeform-like though they may often seem, disappointingly appear to look their best on the willowy model-esqe type of person so beloved of designers in general. Though only one of our shoppers comes close to fitting that bill —Ms. Bernard is determined to be Tilda Swinton-esque in her angular haircut— they soldier on, noting the significance of Owens' sumptuous fabric innovations that aren't always apparent from afar. Ultimately, they conclude that Owens is more Rick-Owens-y than ever at his new, more accessible location on the corner of Howard and Crosby Streets. This is good for him commercially since the designer has been so pervasively copied in recent years that his signature look, though not exactly classical, now feels much less avant-garde than it once did. It's all still hideously expensive, though, even if the pre-Raf Simons era Jil Sander boutique it took over has been stripped of its polished marble in favor of humbler concrete.

Critical Shopper: Both Sides of a Fashion Eccentric By  Jon Caramanica and Katherine Bernard (NYTimes)
Rick Owens 30 Howard Street at Crosby Street, SoHo

SAMPLE CIRCUIT: David Yurman, OXO, Desigual & Plenty In Between On Sale This Week UPDATED w/ Bespoken

This week's sales run the Gamut from David Yurman's endlessly popular seasonal jewelry sale to OXO's hallway grab-fest of well designed household and kitchen goods, so let's jump into some highlights:

Today, Tuesday the 4th brings some winter-y sales to us including cozy sweaters from KOKUN CASHMERE in the Garment District, Italian luxury ski and sportswear on Greene Street in SoHo from POST CARD along with a plethora of parkas and other sweaters and sportswear from the return of WOOLRICH John Rich & Bros. at 260 Fifth Avenue. You can expect mostly outerwear here, but keep an eye out fore Woolrich's more exclusive lines including the tiny but still going Woolrich Woolen Mills sportswear line designed by Mark McNairy. Shop through Sunday

On Wednesday, the ever popular Spanish sportswear chain DESIGUAL returns to Clothingline in the Garment District for three days offering savings on its cacophonously colorful sportswear for grownups and kids. Also on Wednesday, Chelsea Market presents a duo of contemporary favorites including the recently revamped HAUTE HIPPIE alongside the party-dress favorite HALSTON HERITAGE through Sunday.

Thursday brings a pair of seasonal favorites. Jewelry designer  DAVID YURMAN once again takes up residence for four days through Sunday at the Altman Building. Look for ascending savings on semiprecious and fine jewelry for women and men in gold and Sterling Silver along with watches, eyewear and other accessories. For something easier on the wallet, follow the signs in the Starrrett Lehigh Building to the 10th floor hallway where OXO will array samples and stock from its well-designed collections of household items and gadgets. Prices generally run fro a couple of bucks or less to the mid-teens of dollars. Bring your own bag, it's easy to fill up on useful bargains you may or may not need!

Finally, on Friday, acclaimed designer PAMELA LOVE will be offering savings on her jewelry designs at her only sample sale of the year in her Chelsea/NoMad showroom. It's never too early to think of Holiday gifts.
UPDATE:
We just got word that sleek men's sportswear purveyors BESPOKEN will be holding a rare Warehouse Sale this weekend starting on Friday through Sunday in their showroom atop the Turnbull & Asset building on East 57th Street. Look for 60% off the label's modern men's apparel.

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Belstaff, Jonathan Simkhai, Bottega Veneta, The Kooples & More In This Week's Flash Sales

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. Shop well!

GILT GROUPE

In Cashmere, T3 Hair Tools, Canali, Vince Camuto, Donald J. Pliner, Rawlings Leather Goods, M Missoni, Seychelles, Givenchy, Young Fabulous & Broke, Jonathan Simkhai, Luciano Barbara, Victorinox, Harry's of London, Curatore Footwear, Diesel, Bottega Veneta, Pyrenex, Jack Georges Accessories —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Salvatore Ferragamo, The Art of Shaving, Elaine Turner, Nambé, Le Mystere, Nanette Lepore, Dyson/iRobot, Legacybox, Eyebobs —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Rebecca Minkoff, Nue by Shani, Kenneth Cole, The Squad, Current/Elliott, Joie, English Factory, Cosabella Intimates, English Laundry, Suslo Couture, Gordon Rush, Portolano, The Kooples, Franco Sarto, Majestic, Andrew Marc, John Varvatos, Belstaff, Jared Lang, Nixon Watches —join HERE