The Shophound

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Marc Jacobs Mall edition

This week, Jon Caramanica hits six birds with one stone as he takes on the West Village's colony of Marc Jacobs boutiques in today's Thursday Styles. Despite the designer's obvious accomplishment of expanding from one to six stores in a single neighborhood of medium level shopping traffic (when compared with shopping superhighways like Fifth Avenue and Lower Broadway), our shopper is not especially impressed, and makes a convincing case that while popular, the stores as a group are far from perfect.

On the plus side, he finds the women's accessory store pleasant, though he fails to notice that it is no longer a Marc by Marc Jacobs store, but was recently converted to the only one among the six devoted solely to the designer's top luxury label.

At this point we were thinking that Cintra Wilson might have been better suited to deal with this topic, but then Caramanica's critical instincts kicked in a he zeroes in on the common flaw plaguing Jacobs' men's and women's shops,

...where all sorts of styles are crammed into crannies, with little regard for rhythm or hanger appeal — a byproduct of limited West Village square footage and the belief that much of it is best devoted to impulse buys. A women’s post-Pendleton, post-Santa Fe knit cardigan ($358), one of the store’s highlights, had to be fished out from among print dresses and slacks and more. In a walk-in closet at the back of the store, a pack of military coats ($498) looked dour, though not as dour as the weathered pink leather bench in the middle of the room, probably worn down from the derrières of those who sat to try on the signature Jacobs Wellingtons. In the back of the store, earthy sweaters with rows of jaunty sequins ($248) were slipped into a small cutout shelf on the wall, impossible to admire.

Like Ralph Lauren, Jacobs has become proficient at selling his brand at a variety of price points. At this stage, he produces (or licenses) enough collections under his name to easily fill one of Lauren's twin mansions on Madison Avenue, and that's not even counting the additional lines that are inevitably coming in the future. Marc Jacobs Home can't be too far off, can it?. We're not saying Jacobs should have a glitzy uptown flagship of his own, though it would probably be a success if he did, but after a decade of opening a little boutique every time he adds a new line (or has a whim to sell books), it may be time to start thinking a lot bigger.

Critical Shopper: Monopoly by Marc Jacobs By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)

BEAUTY BOUTIQUE: NARS Set To Bow On Bleecker This Spring

Proving that no space on Bleecker Street stays empty for long, makeup artist François Nars is announcing that the first flagship boutique for his hugely successful NARS cosmetics brand will open for Spring 2011 at 413 Bleecker Street, the former home of Leo Design.

At the very least, it trumps expectations, slightly. We would have put money on the space going to yet another clothing boutique. Though there are fragrance shops nearby from Bond No. 9 and Dyptique, aside from Fresh, there is much less in the way of cosmetics on the still coveted stretch, so the shop will round out the selection in its own way. Nars fans should getting excited for that, and also because the shop promises exclusive merchandise to be found only at the boutique. We have no further details, but the folks at Nars promise more information to come, so stay tuned.

(Shophound Inbox)
Previously:
Upcoming Relocations: Leo Design Gets Booted Off Bleecker

TODAY IN BRAND EXTENSIONS: Hilfiger Completes Transformation To TOMMY

Over the weekend The Shophound discovered that Tommy Hilfiger has completed converting his Bleecker Street boutique to showcase his new TOMMY concept  which is primarily being launched in Canada. We were anxious to see the "bright and shining mishmash of past, present and future" and the "the tiniest undercurrent of exquisite danger" that the window promised us a couple of weeks ago, and we found... jeans.

Well, nothing could possibly live up to the grandiloquent teaser Hilfiger posted in the window, but the new store interior has been favorably shifted from dark and self consciously fusty to bright, airy and self consciously funky with peg boards, vintage metal office desks and yarn. Part of the decor includes multicolored stacks of Post-its and drawers full of binder clips and rubber bands, which suggests that whoever is in charge of store design over at Hilfiger HQ has a thing for the Office Depot. It's not as bad as it sounds, just, a little... weird.

As for the clothes, the selection looked a little thin (more coming?), and this being a Hilfiger production, we wouldn't expect anything too earth shattering. There are jeans for around $100 as well as henley knits and shetland cardigans in bright colors. Prices appear to hover at a J.Crew-ish level with a women's faux-thrift shop looking dress clocking in under $200, but much of the merchandise had no actual price tags. Instead they bore instructions to ask a salesperson for more information, which is, of course, annoying.

Overall, the store is oddly more pleasant than what it replaced, but we couldn't help thinking that the whole project seemed skimpy and mild. Perhaps there are more finishing touches yet to ba added to the TOMMY store, like a restaurant that is not quite ready to be reviewed, but our impression was disappointing for a designer who has been crowing loudly this season about the 25^th anniversary of his brand. We don't expect much originality from Tommy Hilfiger (or any at all, really) but after a quarter of a century, we expect more finesse.

TOMMY 375 Bleecker Street between Charles & Perry Streets, West Village
Previously:
Hilfiger Switching Bleecker Street Store to New Tommy Concept

THE LATEST IMPORT: Monsoon To Bring High Street To Bleecker Street

Is Bleecker Street ready to add fast fashion to the mix?

Perhaps following the lead of its celebrated competitor Topshop, Crain's tells us that British retailer Monsoon has taken the bright corner store at Christopher and Bleecker Streets that most recently housed Dylan & Harry, the luxury children's store that started out as L.T.J. Arthur (Before that it was a pizza place).

While Bleecker's evolution has been mostly in the Luxury direction, it has mostly been ignored by big, international budget-minded retailers like Zara and H&M who generally prefer spaces larger than the modestly sized parcels offered in the West Village. Monsoon's Accessorize division apparently has no such requirements. The 400 square foot store is presumably ideal for the jewelry, handbag and cosmetics-based offshoot that currently dots the UK with shops.

Just a few weeks ago, the company also secured the lease for 500 square feet at 1 Union Square West at the corner of University Place, so it looks like we are in the early stages of Monsoon's entry into New York. While Topshop is taking the U.S. with splashy, long gestating flagships, Monsoon appears to be taking the opposite (and probably much less expensive) tack by grabbing small, easily converted spaces in highly trafficked neighborhoods. The chain already has two stores in the D.C. area, with plans for at least two more somewhere in the Northeast.

We don't have an opening date yet, but given the small size of the location, renovations shouldn't take too long, so look for the new stores to be open soon and we'll be interested to hear your responses.

Monsoon strikes again in Village, Monsoon hits Union Square (Crain's)

BLEECKER STREET MOVES: Marc Jacobs' Bookmarc Opens While Collection Accessories Returns

Click all images for a larger view in a new window

When The Shophound heard that Marc Jacobs was taking over the Biography Bookshop's space we weren't particularly surprised, but when we heard that the designer was going to keep the space as a bookshop, our eyebrows did go up a bit.

After all, if the precious tenant couldn't handle the rent increase, how could Jacobs make it profitable by selling the same product? Make no mistake, no designer, no matter how successful, is out to invest in whimsically prestigious loss leaders at this particular economic moment.

Our understanding was illuminated yesterday morning when we passed by to see that that Bookmarc, the new store, would be selling not paperbacks and bestsellers but the beautiful —and expensive— art and coffee table books that had been mixed in with the goods in his other stores. Well, now it all makes more sense. Company President Robert Duffy promises that there was never any intention that the store should be anything other than a bookstore, but it will also include some clever and affordable desk and writing accessories to round out the assortments. As for the company's concentration of shops and their controversial effect on the area, Duffy remains on the defensive,  telling WWD,

Is it good for the neighborhood, bad for the neighborhood? I don’t know. My original store there was a dentist office that was in terrible disrepair.…I did my research. I found the original pictures of that store from 18-whatever, and I put in big plateglass windows, which were there in 18-whatever. Did it revitalize the street in a way? Did it make it a shopping street in a way? I didn’t ask everybody else to follow me there.…I think that having the men’s stores on West Fourth is much better than having two empty storefronts.

There will, of course, be no shortage of neighborhood kvetching about how Jacobs has ruined the West Village (old news at this point) but keep in mind that if it wasn't him, it could have been another Juicy Couture-type store that would have taken the highly desirable corner store. Not looking so bad anymore.

In fact, as if in response to the legitimate gripes about the endless crowds and lines outside the Marc by Marc Jacobs Accessories store for its inexpensive baubles and gifts, Jacobs has announced that that particular part of his local emperor will be returning to its original form as a luxe Collection accessories store, featuring his top line of handbags. The cheap trinkets that the kids love will now be distributed among his other boutiques.

Bookmarc by Marc Jacobs 400 Bleecker Street at West 11th Street, West Village
Marc Jacobs 'Bookmarc' Store Opens on Bleecker Street (WWD)

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Meta-Classic Edition

Today's Critical Shopper Jon Caramanica takes on Bleecker Street's Jack Spade shop, and yet it seems like he is taking on the entire West Village.

We're not sure if he sees the brand as appealing to the upscale or the aspirational or the upscale who want to appear merely aspirational. Her he describes the variety of bags,

They’re almost perfect, and deliberately so: Jack Spade is a brand for would-be would-be’s, which you wear to let others know that while you don’t come from privilege, and you don’t wish to appear as if you do, you wish to let people know that you could play the role if you wanted, which you do not,

Huh? Well, whatever. It's worth noting that Jack Spade' consistently functional and stripped down design has retained prestige better than the Kate Spade mothership brand. After all, Jack can still be found at picky-minded retailers like Barneys, where Kate no longer makes the cut.

As for the neighborhood, it seems that Caramanica can no longer fully enjoy the prosaic diversions of the West Village,

Bag in hand, I left the shop and bought an egg cream from the Chocolate Bar up the block, then sat on the bench out front to listen to the neighborhood. A gentleman in a seersucker suit with unlaced saddle shoes (and no socks) stomped by, gripping a folded newspaper. He looked stern. Some guys in boot-cut jeans who looked as if they’d just gotten off the JetBlue from Burbank looked around, eyes wide. It was proving easy to slip into neighborhood cliché. I walked to the train and got out of there.

The best way to avoid slipping into cliché? Not worrying if you do.

Critical Shopper: At Jack Spade, Carefully Appearing Not to Care by Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)
Jack Spade 400 Bleecker Street between Perry and 11th Streets, West Village

A.P.C. Joins Kors On Bleecker Corner

The only surprise about A.P.C.'s upcoming store at the corner of Perry and Bleecker Streets is why it took so long.

Late last week, the French sportswear cult label announced plans for its second Manhattan store opening in the West Village by the end of September via its own website (including a floor plan!) and Interview Magazine. It would seem to be the logical move for the brand which during the past decade has gone from a best kept secret among classic minded fashion folk to a burgeoning megabrand that now sells to Bloomingdale's, Scoop and Barneys among other stores. It's mainly surprising that it hasn't expanded from its longtime SoHo home before now (aside from its Williamsburg surplus clearance shop). Of course, Bleecker Street really isn't terribly far from SoHo at all, but that doesn't seem to matter to A.P.C. who will likely do well with a foothold in both neighborhoods.

Upon hearing the store's address, 92 Perry Street, many assumed that A.P.C. was taking the soon to be vacated Olive & Bette's space, the building's actual corner store. Of course, that particular parcel is most definitely going to Michael Kors. In fact, it is a different space just around the corner that will house the new boutique, an Interview Magazine conversation with Jean Touitou, A.P.C.'s founder, suggests that the label has its eye on another Perry Street spot as well, to have complementary Denim and Sportswear boutiques, although the second location has not been disclosed. WWD must be annoyed at missing out on all of these scoops.

New A.P.C. Store in NYC September 2010 (A.P.C. Journal via Racked)
Jean Touitou (Interview)

TODAY IN RELOCATIONS: Leo Design's Split Transition

A couple of months ago, we were disappointed to announce that Leo Design, one of The Shophound's favorite antique and gift shops in the city, was being unceremoniously turned out of its longtime Bleecker Street home. They have found a suitable nearby home, and for a little while, both locations appear to be open for business (or at least they were last Sunday). Ultimately, Leo will wind up at 543 Hudson Street between Perry and Charles Streets, and at the moment, the store's merchandise is leisurely migrating over there while its original home at 413 Bleecker empties out. Offsetting the bad news that the much admired store is being forced from a desirable, highly trafficked location is the fact that its new home is substantially bigger. While Leo was too immaculately kept to ever be considered cluttered, the store was tightly packed with goods, however beautifully presented. Its new home is roomy —even sunny— so customers will have an easier time seeing all the beautiful vintage American and French pottery that gives the store its unique character. Come August, Leo should be fully ensconced on Hudson Street, and though a forced move is always cruel, more space may turn out to be a blessing in disguise after all.

Leo Design 543 Hudson Street between Perry and Charles Streets and 413 Bleecker Street through July, West Village
Previously:
Upcoming Relocations: Leo Design Gets Booted Off Bleecker

DESIGNER EXPANSION: Michael Kors On The Move To Bleecker

Those cunning vixens at WWD have teased out this story over two days. The second half of the Olive & Bette's retreat from Bleecker Street story is that the landlord bought out the local chain's lease to make room for mighty Michael Kors who will use the space for his third "Lifestyle" boutique in Manhattan (the other two are on Prince Street and Madison Avenue). No opening date has been annaounced, but reportedly, the designer has no plans to alter the 1920's style building at 384 Bleecker Street. Look for it to appear some time this fall in time for Holiday shopping. The "Lifestyle" boutiques are more accessory driven locations and feature a mix of merchandise from the designer's main, Kors and Michael by Michael Kors lines. Including his soon to be relocated collection flagship on Madison Avenue, this will bring Kors' Manhattan store total to four and counting, suggesting that he is headed towards a kind of Ralph Lauren or even Coach style "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Michael Kors store" ubiquity in New York.

Fashion Scoops: On Kors For Bleecker (WWD)

TODAY IN LOCATION SHIFTING: Olive & Bette's To Bolt From Bleecker

Downtown fans of contemporary retail chain Olive & Bette's have only about a month or so left before they have to truck uptown for their wardrobe needs. It turns out that coveted Bleecker Street may not be the fashion gold mine everyone has been thinking it is. Owner Stacey Pecor has agreed to have her landlord buy out her lease two years early, and the six-year-old store will close on August 10^th. Meanwhile, a new Olive & Bette's opens the very next day in safer territory, at Third Avenue and 72^nd Street, former home of longtime East Side fixture Evergreen Antiques, which will be relocating elsewhere. Apparently, the Upper East Side is demographically far more appealing to a contemporary women's boutique than the West Village which, when you think about it for a minute or two, shouldn't really come as that much of a surprise. Go on, think about it.

What is a surprise is seeing what appears to be the retreat of one of the stores that not so long ago helped push the transformation of Bleecker Street from a charming antiques district to a glitzy corridor of designer boutiques. A contemporary sportswear boutique would have seemed to be the perfect shop for Bleecker, as stores like Intermix, 7 for All Mankind and Juicy Couture to name but a few followed Olive & Bette's to the street. Is it simply case of a small, local chain trading a good location for an even better one, or does Stacey Pecor know something about business on Bleecker that her neighbors don't?

Fashion Scoops: In And Out (WWD)