The Shophound

THIS WEEK ONLINE: MARNI, Trina Turk, Rick Owens, Audemars Piguet, New Balance, Converse, Brioni, Catherine Malandrino, YSL, Miu Miu, Giorgio Armani

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

Kathryn Amberleigh, MARNI, Tibi/Adam, Corey Lynn Calter, Via Spiga, Carlos Falchi, Caudalie, Swarovski, Kooba, Moncollet, Gunmetal, Imitation, Banana Republic x Trina Turk, MARC by Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Steffe, Boy by Band of Outsiders/Rick Owens, Delman —join HERE

GILT MAN

Martin Greenfield, Antonio Maurizi, Vintage Watches, Trafalgar, Jan Leslie, Alexander Olch, J.W. Hulme, Audemars Piguet, Joseph Abboud, Pantherella, New Balance, Rumba Time, eShave, Psycho Bunny, Pierrepont Hicks, Mateo Bijoux, Tsovet Watches, Converse, Eastland Soe Co., Vilebrequin, Tucker Blair Belts, Matuse —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Brioni, Furla, Yoana Baraschi, Liora Manne, Kork-Ease, Calvin Klein, Catherine Malandrino, Anatex Toys, Lilla P, Cuddledown, 7 For All Mankind, Cynthia Rowley, Anne Cole Swim, Elaine Tirner, Carmen Marc Valvo —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Yves Saint Laurent, ABS, Charles David, Car Shoe, Puma, Miu Miu, Ash, Gucci, Christian Dior, Paul Smith Ben Minkoff, Vince Camuto, Hickey Freeman, Fendi, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss —join HERE

IDEELI

CARMEN Carmen Marc Valvo, Missoni, Hurley Girls, René Rofé, Seychelles, Yoon, Claeson, David Khan, Giorgio Armani, Hickey Freeman, Nicole Miller, Waechtersbach, Yuka, English Laundry, Nambé —join HERE

ONE KINGS LANE

Couleur Nature Table Linens, Koverton, Siena Silver Frames, Rizzoli Boks, Nandini Bedding, Noir, Barbara Cosgrove Lamps & Accents, William Stafford Photographs, Beach Towels, Tony Duquette, Picnic at Ascot —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Ella Moss/Splendid Swim, Betsey Johnson, Florsheim, Chaiken & Capone, Orla Kiely, Loveappella Scarves, New Balance, Modern Amusement, Max Studio, Incase, TART, Amrita Singh, Bjorn Borg, Cosabella —join HERE

MY HABIT

General Idea Shoes, B:Scott, Pinkyotto, Dr. Hauschka, FACTORY by Erik Hart, Nanette Lepore, D&G by Dolce & Gabbana, Olivia Harris by Joy Gryson, Ash Shoes, Trina Turk Rugs, Barclay Butera Art, Aquascutum, Kevia Jewelry, Andrew Marc Collection Handbags, French Sole, Lunares, John Varvatos Shoes, Ritmo Mundo, Catherine Angiel, Melissa & Doug, Rogaska —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Levi's Vintage Clothing, Nike Eyewear, Edox Watches, Linde Werdelin Watches —join HERE

FAB.com

nuLoom, Selamat Designs, Vers Audio, Braun, Yedi Houseware, Shrine Rack, Schmidt Brothers Cutlery, Areaware, Waring Pro, Anderson Design Group, Sprayground, Issey Miyake Watches —join HERE

JEWELRY INTRIGUE: Is Elsa Peretti Fixing To Split With Tiffany?

Today's WWD is floating a rumor that Elsa Peretti, a mainstay of Tiffany & Co.'s stable of designers, is considering leaving the famous jeweler which has manufactured and sold her work exclusively since 1974. This information comes after SEC filings revealed that Tiffany has offered to purchase the designer's intellectual property outright for an undisclosed sum. Peretti reportedly responded by suggesting that she was considering "retiring" their longtime licensing agreement and severing her relationship with the retailer.

If Peretti left exited the jeweler, Tiffany would left with Paloma Picasso, Jean Schlumberger who died in 1987 and Frank Gehry who is primarily an architect in its portfolio of proprietary branded jewelry. The last high profile split from Tiffany was Angela Cummings' departure in 1984. She launched her own fine jewelry company with in in-store shop at Bergdorf Goodman, but closed her business in 2003.

If Peretti did split with Tiffany, the separation would be a year and a half process during which rights to manufacture and sell the designs would transfer back to the designer in stages. At that point she would have the option to make her own arrangements for selling products under her own name. Should she choose to do so, there is likely no shortage of retailers who would be ready to offer Peretti's sleek, minimal and timeless designs under their own roofs. Her work ranges from relatively inexpensive silver jewelry to pieces in precious metals and gemstones as well as accessories and home furnishings, suggesting a broad market for an independent Elsa Peretti brand. The question implied by WWD's article is whether or not the 72 year old designer is ready to end what has always seemed like a mutually beneficial 36-year relationship with Tiffany in favor of striking out on her own. The classic, iconic qualities of many of her most famous designs (Diamonds by the Yard, Alphabet, the signature Open Heart, the Bone Cuff, etc.) indicate that her archive of designs will continue to have a commercial appeal long after she might choose to retire, and there would also be opportunities to expand her brand into other design categories like furniture or other home furnishings not carried by Tiffany. Is this her plan, or if it is simply a negotiating tactic to adjust her current agreement with Tiffany? The result could be a huge opportunity not only for Peretti but for any number of retailers who might be eager to be in the Peretti business.

Tiffany, Elsa Peretti Licensing Deal May End (WWD)

MASS EFFECT: TARGET Adds Gay Pride Tees To Online Mix

What does it mean when a huge, mass-market retailer like Target adds ten Gay Pride t-shirts to its online offerings? In a year when same-sex marriage continues to be a lightning rod-issue in Presidential and state politics, it says something about progress and attitudes. In fact, voters in target's home state of Minnesota will vote this fall on a state contitutional amendment prohibiting same-se marriage. Are the new product offerings a result of Target's troubles with gay activists a couple of years ago when the retailer was discovered to have donated $150,000 to the MN Forward PAC  supporting Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who was known to hold some anti-gay views? Boycotts were threatened. A music deal with Lady Gaga was torpedoed, and the company's generally exemplary reputation for supporting its gay employees with fair and equal benefits was tarnished by the bad publicity.

Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder tells Minneapolis' Star Tribune that the decision to offer the shirts came not from that embarrassing episode, but was generated by the company's 1,200 employee strong LGBTA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allies) Business Council. "Over the past year, we heard from our team members and guests that they'd like to see an assortment of Pride merchandise available at Target."

The shirts which became available this week, sell for $12.99 each, and the entire purchase price will be donated to the Boston-based Family Equality Council which is dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents and their families. The assortment includes 10 different styles including one by singer Gwen Stefani, who also sells an exclusive line for children called Harajuku Juniors at the chain. As far as we can tell, the shirts are available only online, not at Target stores, so...baby steps.

Line of Target T-shirts to support gay pride (Star-Tribune via Towleroad)

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Get Ready For Lots Of Dots From Louis Vuitton & Artist Yayoi Kusama

It's been a couple of years since the last time Louis Vuitton created a frenzy for its artist collaboration collections, but all that will change in mid-July when the huge but still coveted brand will release a line designed with Japanese artist Yaoi Kusama, a longtime favorite of Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs. The collection, to be sold in 461 Vuitton stores, will be released to coincide with a retrospective exhibition of the artist's work slated to open at The Whitney Museum of American Art on July 12. Apparel and shoes as well as handbags and accessories will be included, featuring dotted patterns reflecting the artist's signature motifs, and will be accompanied by a tremendous marketing push that includes an iPhone app (featuring a picture of the artist, above) that will transform photos with Kusama's patterns and motifs. Major window displays will also appear at LV stores that pointedly will feature no actual merchandise. In addition, elaborate installations are planned are planned at select department and specialty stores that have Louis Vuitton leased departments. In New York City, that could mean at Macy's Herald Square Flagship, Saks Fifth Avenue or Bloomingdale's at 59th Street —or maybe at all three as they feature especially large LV departments.

It's safe to assume that the collection, to be produced in limited quantities, will create the kind of demand that had customers lining up at Vuitton for bags designed with Takashi Murakami and Stephen Sprouse, but this Summer's lines will be but a precursor for a second Kusama collection to hit stores in October. Get ready for the lind of hype blitz that Vuitton has perfected over the years, and watch as the counterfeiters scramble to replicate the most popular items.

Louis Vuitton to Unveil Kusama Collaboration (WWD)

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Circle Of Friends Edition

Critical Shopper Jon Caramanica seems to have gotten all emotional after his visit to SoHo's eclectic boutique/gallery/coffee bar/general hangout American Two-Shot. In this week's Thursday Styles, he begins by declaring the city to be made up not of neighborhoods or demographic segments, but of groups of friends whose interactions shape its history. So clearly he's in kind of a different mood this week.

It is the unique, relaxed ambiance of American Two-Shot that has put him in this frame of mind. The store is apparently less a business endeavor, than a depository for a the results of friends' hobbies. There is repurposed vintage wear (using vintage in the loosest way that really just means "used"), and whimsical, handmade items that sound like they may not seem as witty and clever once removed from the confines of the store.

To shop the store properly, you have to treat it more like a clubhouse, with layers you can’t see at first glance. That’s because, as much as this is a retail environment, it’s the expression of the will of a group of intimates, who speak one another’s language, and for which immersion is required.

We actually started wondering how this place would ever survive in a bustling retail hub like SoHo with its aggressively priced rents. It sounds more like something you might find on a side street in a Brooklyn neighborhood transitioning from blight to hipster, and then he lets on that the women's offerings include actual fashion collections from young designers like Porter Grey and Timo Weiland. So it's a real store after all, but one that may make you want to chuck it all to make hand-screened t-shirts and run a two-seat coffee bar.

Critical Shopper: Gaining Entry to That Stomping Ground By Jon Caramanica (NYTimes)
American Two-Shot 135 Grand Street at Crosby Street, SoHo

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: Burkman Bros Tourist Lands At Urban Outfitters

When The Shophound was invited to Ben and Doug Burkman's launch party for their new, exclusive capsule collection at Urban Outfitters called The Tourist by Burkman Bros., we had to decline because we were actually out of town being a tourist ourself.

We finally got a chance to stop by the chain's Fifth Avenue flagship where the line is on prominent display on the second floor (pictured above), and we must say we were impressed by the way the brothers managed to reproduce the feeling of their main collection at about a third of the price. Named for the brothers' acknowleged obsession with travelling from one far-flung location to another, gathering inspiration for their collections, the line is a welcome new arrival for anyone who has coveted their bohemian yet somewhat pricey main label. Fans of their distinctive jacquard jersey knits, and eclectic printed fabrics won't be disappointed by the new line which tops out at $59 and goes down to $12 for their signature handwoven bracelets, all in stock just in time for Memorial day and the kind of Summer barbecues thay were clearly designed for. See a couple of our favorite looks below.

The Tourist by Burkman Bros is available at select Urban Outfitters locations and at UrbanOutfitters.com

NON-PREVIEWS: Hedi Slimane's YSL To Stay Under Wraps For Now

Any members of the press looking forward to the YSL Men's Show in Paris this Summer for a great, long awaited Hedi Slimane moment is going to be disappointed. There isn't going to be one.

The designer's triumphant return to the house that first made him famous is set for the Fall, when Slimane debuts the Spring 2013 Women's collection for Yves Saint Laurent. Though Slimane is currently working away on the Women's Resort and Men's Spring collections (in Los Angeles, reportedly), those "transitional" lines will be shown in June or July to buyers only so they can make orders, and there will be no press previews. It's hard to imagine that someone like Anna Wintour will be shut out of seeing the new YSL collections if she wants to, but it seems clear that there will be no publicity for the collections or images released to the public before the fall, when Slimane's new tenure will be fully launched. That's too bad for hungry fans of the designer who have been anxious to see him back in action, but, in a practical sense, actual customers won't be waiting any longer than they otherwise would have to buy the clothes when they start appearing in stores. And those looking for general fashion excitement over the Summer should be consoled that the next round of Haute Couture shows will presumably feature Raf Simons' debut at Christian Dior, which should cause enough chatter to fill the void left by a missing YSL show or two.

Upcoming YSL Lines for Buyers’ Eyes Only (WWD)

THE SHOPHOUND ON THE ROAD: Final L.A. Report with Church, Union & Nudie (Almost)

Since it is going to be a particularly gloomy couple of days in New York, we are taking a final look back at our recent visit to sunny Los Angeles in hopes that pictures of blue skies will distract us from the gray outside the window here at Shophound HQ. Here's a few more things we noted on our West Coast  jaunt:

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: Proving that destinations trump neighborhoods when it comes to shopping in Los Angeles, there's an innocuous vine-covered corner on a nondescript block of Santa Monica Boulevard across the street from a particularly unimpressive Trader Joe's that holds the much more interesting men's and women's boutique CHURCH (7277 Santa Monica Blvd. at Greenacre Avenue, pictured above)  Started by a couple of refugees from the famous West Hollywood luxury emporium Maxfield, it is not in a place where anyone would expect to find dramatic, avant-garde boutiques. We hate to use the term "goth" because the style here is more sophisticated than image of grubby teens with shoe-polish dyed hair it suggests, but you will find the kind of rough edged, romantic, rock & roll tinged fashion. If preppy classicists and Hollywood babes walk, or more likely drive, right by the well camouflaged storefront, it will probably be just as well for them, but edgier customers will appreciate it.

NEW YORK EXPORT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BACK: People who have been in New York for a while might remember UNION (110 S.La Brea, pictured at right), the small but influential SoHo sportswear store that opened a West Coast branch some years ago and then moved there full-time. Well, it's thriving in Los Angeles, even cooler than we remembered, lined up in a row with Stüssy and the superior sneaker store Undefeated. Full of coveted labels like Visvim, Sacai and Mark McNairy along with some others more famous and some less, Union curates everything with an expert eye for casual style. We don't know what sent them across the country permanently, but we don't hold a grudge. Come back anytime.

A NOT SO FOND FAREWELL: The last time we were in L.A., the popularity of Ed Hardy (pictured at left) was at an unfortunate peak, including two large stores along Melrose Avenue. Those stores are still there, for now, but they were running such heavy storewide discounts that we can't imagine that they will be for too much longer. Here in New York, Ed Hardy is down to one shop from a peak of two, or three if you include its owner Christian Audigier's eponymous, shuttered boutique. We don't like to actively wish for any brand's demise, but that one feels more like a bad cold that fashion couldn't shake. If it goes away, we can just pretend it never happened, right?

MOST FRUSTRATING HOURS: L.A. is full of denim stores, but The Shophound was looking forward to having a look at THE NUDIE JEANS HOUSE (710 N. Edinburgh Ave just off Melrose Avenue, pictured at right), a store dedicated to the innovative Swedish company that convinced us to never again buy a pair of prewashed jeans. And there it was right at Melrose and Edinburgh. The charming little bungalow looked promising, until we discovered that it was only open four days a week, from Wednesdays through Sunday. We can't imagine why they don't think they could make a go of it full-time. Maybe it's a Swedish thing. We'll have to schedule it better next time.

BEST FREE ENTERTAINMENT for FASHION FOLK: There is more than Shopping, of course, in L.A., and it's worth flying across the country if you haven't seen the incredible campus at the GETTY CENTER (1200 Getty Center Drive). Admission is free, though you'll have to pay for parking, and there is an excellent café whose prices are subsidised by the museum. If the masterpieces inside aren't enough of an attraction, there is a stunning HERB RITTS exhibition that runs through August 26th. We recommend springing for the audio tour if only to hear models Cindy Crawford and Tony Ward tell you exactly what it was like to be on a Ritts shoot. On a slightly more convenient and smaller scale, the MUSEUM of CONTEMPORARY ART (MoCA) (8687 Melrose Avenue at San Vicente) has a small but free outpost in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood that is currently home to THE TOTAL LOOK: THE CREATIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN RUDI GERNREICH, PEGGY MOFFITT, AND WILLIAM CLAXTON (pictured below). Sadly, it only runs through Sunday, but it is a remarkable collection of clothes that belonged to Gernreich's cheif model and muse, Moffitt, who just happened to be married to his chief photographer, Claxton. Along with the late Vidal Sassoon (who is featured in some of the exhibition's video) they helped create the look of the 1960s. If we're lucky, the show will make its way to New York. Perhaps FIT or maybe even the Met can find some space for it? Just a suggestion.

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Marchesa, Theyskens Theory, D&G, Bally, Nina Ricci, Kate Spade, Rolex, Prada, Kooba, Jimmy Choo, Fendi, Paul Smith, DVF, Bill Blass

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

NOTTE by Marchesa, Piranesi Jewelry, Juicy Couture, Cynthia Vincent, Three Dots, Kate Spade Takeover, Catherine Malandrino, Theyskens Theory, D&G, Plenty by Tracy Reese, Tacori Fine Jewelry, Nina Ricci, Ali Ro, Lafayette 148 —join HERE

GILT MAN

Gilded Age, Onia Swim, Levi's Vintage Clothing, J.Fold, Bally, AG Adriano Goldschmeid, Jack Spade, Smooth Co., WILL Leather Goods, Corneliani/Isaia, Esquivel/Fratelli Rosetti, Rudy Project —join HERE

GILT HOME & CHILDREN

Kate Spade Home, David Kirsch Wellness, Home Blowout Sales, Alice + Olivia Girls, Juicy Couture, Wild Mango Kids, Shure Toys, Michael Stars Maternity, Kico Kids —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Vintage Rolex Watches, Charles David, Tolani, Original Penguin, Dansk, Linea Pelle, Ben Sherman, French Connection, Hickey Freeman, Brookstone, Yummie Tummie, Bernhardt, Omaha Steaks, Ann Gish, Roberto Cavalli Sunglasses, James Jeans —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Prada, Kooba, Drifter, Jimmy Choo, Jeffrey Campbell, Fendi, Gitman Bros., Ash, Gucci, Isabel Lu, Paul Smith, Canali, Judith Ripka —join HERE

IDEELI

Adesso Lighting, BCBGeneration, Claudia Ciuti, Nine West, Prada, Tart, BB Dakota, Betsey Johnson, Ray-Ban, Seven For All Mankind, Godinger, JILL Jill Stuart, R.J. Graziano —join HERE

ONE KINGS LANE

Diane von Furstenberg Home, New Moon Rugs, Creative Co-op, Gray Malin Photographs, Aidan Gray Furniture, Surya Poufs, Sedgefield by Adams Lighting, Phaidon Books, Down Etc., Belle Meade Furniture, McGraw Graphics, Archipelago, Core Bamboo, The Rug Bazaar, Hartmann Luggage —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Big Star Denim, Jeremiah Brent, LORAC, Willow & Clay, Psycho Bunny, Royal Elastics, Donna Morgan, Mario Badescu Skincare, Hilary Radley, Dolce Vita, Jessica Simpson, Tommy Hilfiger, Cuisinart, Magaschoni, Segolene Paris, Voda Swim, Dr. Brandt, Bed|Stu, Bruno Magli, Elizabeth and James, Via Spiga, American Apparel, Max & Cleo —join HERE

MY HABIT

Bill Blass, Cerruti, Tretorn, Hogan, Giorgio Armani Sunglasses, Cartier Scarves, Kelsi Dagger, Guillaume Hinfray, C'N'C CoSTUME NATIONAL, StriVectin, Billy Reid, Timberland Boot Company, Rotenier, Marni, Calypso St. Barths, Jack Rogers, Rachel Roy, Nicholas K, onia Swimwear, Florsheim by Duckie Brown, General Idea, Emilio Pucci, Valentino, GANT —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

L'Agence, Be&D, Natori, Rotenier, Emilio Pucci —join HERE

FAB.com

Pheromone, Safavieh, Thom Filicia Rugs, Wood Shock, Meander Jewelry, Capsul Wallet, SimpleHuman, DK Brand, Amitrani, FSMNYC Jewelry, Lookmatic, F&W Design Books, Casamania —join HERE

THE SHOPHOUND ON THE ROAD: Workwear And Heritage Stores Take Root In L.A. At The Stronghold, Union Made, Civilianaire & RRL

Click all images for a larger view in a new window

Over the past few years, The Shophound, like everyone else, has seen a curiosity and interest in classic, American workwear and heritage brands blossom into a full-blown mania as once sleepy labels like Red Wing Shoes, Alden, Carhartt and Woolrich have become prized status brands among a certain set. We were interested to see how laid-back Los Angeles with its Goth-y, Rock & Roll tendencies had taken to the trend. It turns out that L.A. is looking more like a city that might be anxiously awaiting its own branches of Hickoree's Floor Two or Freeman's Sporting Club. In the meantime, the West Coast has grown its own practitioners of the trend which are scattered liberally across the sprawling city.

One store we were widely encouraged to visit was the new branch of UNIONMADE (225 26th Street
Santa Monica, pictured at left), a San Francisco import that has opened a satellite location in the Brentwood Country Mart.
Brentwood?
Yes, this hipster-inflected store chose one of the city's most suburban-feeling locations for its first foray outside the Bay Area instead of trendier Abbot Kinney in Venice or Third Street. The compact shop is surrounded in quaint shopping center by enough shops familiar to New Yorkers like Calypso, Intermix, Selima and Space NK, that we wouldn't ordinarily go out of our way to stop there, but we have been aware of Unionmade's reputation for a while. Not terribly unlike Steven Alan, the store has a carefully curated roster familiar brands, many of which are either recently revived or about to be. Exclusives are the order of the day including what would come to be the obligatory shelf full of custom styled, limited edition Alden shoes and a special collection by Northern California label Golden Bear. The store's windows betray its fashion insider credibility by being festooned with blown up sketches by Richard Haines, and the air inside is scented with an intoxicating, woodsy, campfire scent from a custom formulated candle by Baxter of California. After our visit, we were ready to take a trip north to San Francisco to check out the original, but we'll have to save that for another trip.

Another store we wouldn't have bothered with in L.A. would be anything from Ralph Lauren, because, after all, don't we have the best of his stores here in New York? He is, not surprisingly, all over L.A., too but it took a couple of walks up and down Melrose Avenue to discover that what we thought was just a disused gas station next to The Improv had been cunningly converted into a RRL store (8150 Melrose Avenue, pictured at right). We have to give the tireless folks at Polo Retail credit for their smart, site specific store design that trades the "Ye Olde Haberdashery" look of the label's SoHo and Bleecker Street flagships for a cooler if no less dusty vintage garage aesthetic.

One of our favorite discoveries on Third Street was the year and a half old CIVILIANAIRE (8312 W. 3rd Street at near Sweetzer Avenue, pictured above, top and at left), a homegrown brand rooted in workwear basics including Japanese selvedge denim jeans and precisely cut khakis in bright, appealing fabrics. There's just enough retro details to make the line appealing without feeling excessively costume-y, and everything is made in California in time tested factories. It is a label that seems conceived for denim specialists, and can be found at Jean Shop and Atrium in New York, but we liked seeing the whole men's men's and women's collections as a retail concept on its own. We could easily see this store replicated in SoHo or the West Village —just sayin'...

Of course, if costume-y is your thing, there's THE STRONGHOLD (1625 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice pictured at right), known for the selvedge denim jeans you might have seen at stores like Odin or Barneys Co-op. This brand, originally started in 1895 had been dormant for 55 years until its meticulous revival in 2004. The nostalgic store now features painstaking reproductions of vintage apparel with ready-made jeans around $295, and made to measure pieces starting at nearly $500. Such dedication doesn't come cheap. The store features other branded apparel and accessories, but will carry no label that wasn't active during during the brand's original early 20th Century run. That still leaves plenty of heritage brands eligible, and the shoe table (pictured at left) is crammed with every possible permutation of workboot and handsewn footwear from the likes of Red Wing, Alden, Wolverine, Russell Moccasin and other, even more obscure brands. Other labels like Filson, Pendleton and Stetson abound. The execution is impressive, even admirable, but, at this point in the heritage craze, it seems like the trend is starting to veer into self-parody (just have a look at The Stronghold's old-time nickelodeon-esque website). Perhaps the style is better taken in smaller doses, with a more eclectic point of view.

LOCAL TRIUMPH: Longtime Indie Retailer Harry's Shoes Expands Threefold On The West Side

The all too common retail story in New York these days is that of the long standing, independent, local store being squeezed out by the behemoth national chain that undercuts its prices and outspends it in rent (See the past decade on Bleecker Street for a concrete example). On Broadway in the West 80s, however, that story is getting a much appreciated reversal as Harry's Shoes, a neighborhood fixture for 37 years since 1931, is set to triple its size by taking the space next door to be vacated by beleaguered chain Talbots.

Harry's a triumph of the humble and prosaic over the slick and flashy. Though the store carries some recently resurgent brands like Sperry Top-Sider, Allen Edmonds, Wolverine and Red Wing, they have been selling them since long before trendier folk rediscovered their charms. Sturdy and serviceable have never been bad words at the busy store full of popular but not especially stylish brands like Merrell, Ecco, Dansko, Teva and Birkenstock. It will never have the folks at Jeffrey or Leffot looking over their shoulders, but in its own, peculiar way, the store on the corner of Broadway and 83rd Street along with a children's annex halfway up the next block, is able to serve nearly all of the diverse demographics of the Upper West Side in some way or other, and it's always crowded on any given weekend. It's not even the only store of its kind. It has competed with the similarly merchandised Tip Top Shoes has thrived on West 72nd Street for almost twice as long for over 70 years. The super-sized version of Harry's Shoes is expected to be completed by Labor Day.
This post has been updated to show some corrections to the ages of the businesses mentioned.

Neighborhood Staple Harry's Shoes To Triple In Size (West Side Rag)

ALEXANDRA JACOBS GOES SHOPPING: East Side Wonderland Edition

This week's Thursday Styles brings Critical Shopper Alexandra Jacobs to the new East Side boutique FIVESTORY where, to her credit, she waited until the paint had dried to make an assessment. Her visit finds her in a sharp-eyed mood, though she does not avoid making a reference to the current Costume Institute exhibition “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations”. That's last week's news.

Back in the boutique, she engages a Tanzanian-born sales associate named Simba who fills her dressing room with all manner of stuff from around the store.
We hope she bought something for Simba's sake.
We are guessing she didn't.

No less interesting than the clothes from unheard-of designer are the snippets of conversation overheard throughout the store. Jacobs plants the seeds of a modern day "The Women", if only Meg Ryan & Co. hadn't totally ruined that concept a few years ago. Overall, she seems to find the store as engaging as it is designed to be,

To browse at Fivestory is to plunge Alice in Wonderland-like into a strange, refreshing mirror world of unfamiliar fashion. Not Altuzarra, but Aquazzura. Not Dolce & Gabbana, but Chianti and Parker.

And bringing it back to museums, "...if Barneys is the Met of this shopping district," she writes, "consider Fivestory more of a Frick Collection."

Critical Shopper: Fivestory: A Boudoir With Stories to Tell By Alexandra Jacobs (NYTimes)
FIVESTORY 18 East 69th Street between Fifth & Madison Avenues, Upper East Side

FAST FASHION MALL MOVES: H&M Officially Set For Columbus Circle

The deal has been long rumored, but yesterday it was officially announced that H&M would be taking over one third of the vacated Border's space and all of the former Samsung Experience store on the second and third floors at the Shops at Columbus Circle in Time Warner Center. The chain's first entry into the Upper West Side neighborhood will cover a sizable 21,000 square feet, and include women's, including lingerie, underwear and accessories; clothing for children ranging from newborns up to kids age eight and men’s which will have a separate, dedicated entrance on the center's third level, as seen in the rendering pictured above. The store is bound to add some excitement to the urban mall, not only helping to resolve the big hole left by the demise of Border's, but also bringing some much needed traffic and attention to the third level where, let's face it, Samsung's non-selling concept product showcase was never exactly a ball of fire.

Kenneth Himmel, chief executive officer of Related Urban, the developer of The Shops at Columbus Circle tells WWD to expect more changes at what has become one of Manhattan's most successful enclosed shopping mall. “Going forward, the ground level will move in much more of a luxury direction,” he says, as 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of space is expected to become available there in the next couple of years. Ultimately, the objective will be to have a mix of luxury and mass brands not unlike what one currently finds on Fifth Avenue in Midtown. Given the location and the well mixed customer base around Columbus Circle, it sounds like a spot-on strategy.

H&M to Join Shops at Columbus (WWD)

OVER AND OUT: Betsey Johnson Schedules A Final Liquidation Sale This Weekend

It's been a rough few months for veteran designer Betsey Johnson whose ongoing business troubles over the past couple of years has ultimately brought her to a liquidation of her business and left her trademarks in the hands of Steve Madden and a group of licensees. Though there is no shortage of good will in the industry for the preternaturally energetic, cartwheeling character whose influential career stretches back to the 1960s, the cheering crowds at her seasonal runway romps haven't been followed up by customers at her stores, lately. In fact, the common refrain when news of her liquidation hit the industry was something along the lines of, "I love Betsey! She's so great ...but I never wear her clothes."

Well, as such things will do in the industry, her business is closing with big liquidation sales in her stores that began over the weekend, but that's not all. Starting this Friday through Monday, her company will be holding a special Liquidation Sample Sale at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in Times Square which will presumably include whatever apparel and accessories are left in Johnson's warehouses at up to 80% off "and more" as they say. Click for a view of the official flyer after the jump.

It's not completely the end for Betsey, as Madden and licensees will continue to offer products with her label at wholesale, and Johnson and a few design staffers will remain to offer creative direction, but it looks like we have seen the last of her Fashion Week extravaganzas —which, it must be said, haven't changed much in the 20 years or so since The Shophound attended our first one.
Maybe that was the problem.

Betsey Johnson Liquidation Sample Sale
10 AM to 9 PM, Friday, May 18th - Sunday the 21st
Millennium Broadway Hotel, 6th floor
145 West 44th Street between Broadway & Sixth Avenue, Times Square
See flyer after the jump

THE SHOPHOUND ON THE ROAD: L.A. Shopping: Venice Edition featuring Guild, Bazar, Bountiful & Alternative

Last week The Shophound was M.I.A. from New York as we switched coasts for a week in sunn Los Angeles. While we were on vacation, we naturally spent a bit of time checking out L.A.'s retail scene because, well, what would a vacation be without some shopping?

For anyone used to New York's highly concentrated shopping neighborhoods, the thing that is different about L.A. stores is the same as what is different about the city itself. They sprawl, and unlike in our urban metropolis, where a prominent store might anchor a colony of 20 or 30 shopping establishments densely clustered together, in L.A, iconic retailers can sit alone, monolithically with only a parking lot in front and two or three related shops nearby. Everybody drives, and everything is its own destination.

That is not to say that there aren't a few areas with a well developed sidewalk culture. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is the obvious example, but The Shophound limited our attention there to a quick drive through, since all we found was versions of the same designer boutiques we have on Madison and Fifth Avenues. Another area where we found a more dense shopping strip was Venice's ABBOT-KINNEY Boulevard. It has developed a lot since we last visited about two and a half years ago, and felt a little bit like Bleecker Street did about 10 years ago. Does that mean that the bigger chains will start moving in soon? Zoning might have something to say about it, and L.A.'s more abundant real estate keeps rents in most areas from skyrocketing and strangling pioneering, independent stores as severely they can in New York. All the same, Jack Spade has moved in already, and, of course, there's a Steven Alan, but most stores feel home grown, like GUILD (1335 ½ Abbot Kinney at right), which holds up the high fashion end of the neighborhood. The unassuming shop offers an international mix of labels for men and women from Belgium, France, Japan and beyond as well as hometown favorites like Rick Owens all blended to create the kind of luxe casual looks that L.A. can call its own. When we stopped in, we discovered two generations of a family shopping away enthusiastically —and spending freely. Guild is not cheap, but it is where Angelenos will buy harder to find labels like Nicolas Andrea Taralis, Haider Ackerman and Miharayasuhiro alongside stalwarts like Ann Demuelemeester.

A few steps away, we found BAZAR (1108 Abbot Kinney at left), a store that typifies the way L.A. seems almost more obsessed with vintage than New York. Here you will vintage furniture, denim, accessories, boots and whatever other curiosities catch the store's owner's 1930's inspired eye. For those who like their clothes a little bit fresher, the store also carries a selection of vintage reproduction apparel from the local brand Mister Freedom that New Yorkers might recognize from seeing it in J.Crew's curated men's stores.

Sometimes the line between kitsch and vintage in L.A. can get very blurry as we found when we entered under the Hardware Store sign to find ourselves in BOUNTIFUL (1335 Abbot Kinney at right), which is either a wonderland or the result of one highly discerning hoarder. With its counters piled literally to the ceiling with vintage style cake stands most prominently among the other glass and ceramic table and kitchenware, it seems more more like an installation than a workable retail environment, and the prices suggest that some items may not have as much charm when taken home and separated from their fanciful environment. Still, it's a sight to be seen, especially if you like cake stands.

Finally, for a look at the kind of store that would be nearly impossible to replicate in New York, there's the beach bungalow that houses the ALTERNATIVE Flagship Store (1337 Abbot Kinney above top and at left). Inside are the kind of weathered jerseys and knits that make up a huge part of L.A.'s fashion industry, but with sections open to the street, and it's particular architectural setting, it would be a challenge to squeeze the ambiance into a shoebox sized space on, say Bleecker Street.