The Shophound

SAMPLE SALE FLASH: The Saint Laurent Sample Sale Lives

When Hedi Slimane began transforming the Yves Saint Laurent brand, many of New York's sample sale shoppers wondered if it would mean the end of the hyper-popular YSL sample sale that put so many Tribute pumps and Muse bags on the feet and in the hands of bargain hunters. The folks at Mizhattan have alerted us that there will indeed be a YSL sample sale once again at Soiffer-Haskin for three days at the end of this month. it will offer Women's clothing, shoes, handbags, small leather goods and jewelry and a "limited selection of Men's clothing" according to Soiffer Haskin's website listing. This sale has been noted for its epic lines and extra aggressive shoppers once inside as it is one of the few bona fide Parisian couture houses that offers a regular sample sale in New York that is freely promoted to the public.

A few caveats:
The sale is listed as "Yves Saint Laurent" on Soiffer Haskin's website rather than using the updated "Saint Laurent, Paris" moniker and logo now on the labels. Skeptics may wonder if this means that what will be offered is leftover merchandise from the Pre-Slimane era. The house's new designer has kept production tighter, and added "permanent" merchandise to the label's offerings to avoid having to turn over basic styles season after season. In addition, he has heightened the brand's sense of exclusivity, which would seem to preclude this kind of high-profile clearance, but we shall see what is being offered next weekend. Either this is your opportunity to get ahold of some new era Saint Laurent, or one last chance to grab your favorite YSL handbag before they are completely unavailable and you have to resort to eBay. See our SALE ROLL at left for more details.

Yves Saint Laurent Sample Sale (Soiffer Haskin)

ALEXANDRA JACOBS GOES SHOPPING: Designer Prom Edition

Perhaps no American designer name has been more battered on its path to revival than that of Halston. After decade and a half during which an endless parade of designers and managers have tried and failed to make the label relevant, it has finally landed as Halston Heritage, which was originally intended to be a secondary dress line for the brand and now has its own Madison Avenue boutique. This week's Critical Shopper Alexandra Jacobs damns the store and the line from the outset by calling them full of "prom possibilities by the armload". If Halston's glittery heydey was doubly doomed by the designer's impending illness and his misfortune in being about 20 years ahead of his time by famously bringing his brand to the masses at JCPenney, then the new Halston seems to suffer from both the lack of a designer as visionary as its namesake, and, in more practical terms, a good store manager.

Downstairs, the seams of the store seem regrettably exposed... One on occasion a tape dispenser was lying out; on another, a hammer. I was shooed away from a rack of clothes because someone had accidentally shattered a glass vase containing Halston’s favorite flower, the white orchid.

Perhaps the Halston name would have been better served by leaving it dormant.

Critical Shopper: Prom Memories at Halston Heritage by Alexandra Jacobs (NYTimes)
Halston Heritage 1122 Madison Avenue between 83rd & 84th Streets, Upper East Side

SAMPLE SALE CIRCUIT: This Week's J.Crew Sample Sale Preview + Frette, Earnest Sewn, Shoshanna & Rachel Zoe

This afternoon, The Shophound got a preview of the J.Crew Sample Sale that begins tomorrow at 260 Fifth Avenue. We all know this as one of those sales that, in the past, has generated jaw dropping lines down the block and around the corner to get in, so brace yourselves. Inside, the big news is that even more than in past seasons, this is mostly a women's sale. There is a small bit of men's apparel and accessories, but we would estimate that it is only about 25% of the entire offering. As in the past, what's available is also much more sample-y than overstock-y, so sizes in general tend toward the middle for both men and women, and you may not find much in the way of multiple items —but then you may, which makes the J.Crew always sort of random. Items are also priced as marked, as opposed to by category, and on average, are about 60% off retail. yes, this is often more expensive than J.Crew's frequent "take an extra 30% off the sale price" sales (and we actually saw a few thing on the racks that we already bought for less on sale in the stores) but there are also plenty of great things at great prices if you aren't all hung up over how big of a discount you got. The sale runs for a whopping 6 days through this Sunday, so you will have plenty of time to shop, and naturally, expect extra discounts by the time the weekend rolls around. See our gallery below for a glimpse of what's inside and the few price lists that were posted.

If you are full-up on classic, preppy sportswear, there are sre plenty of other sales to hit. Frette's popular sale on luxurious Italian linens started yesterday at Soiffer Haskin. Earnest Sewn will have great deals on their denim for men and women starting tomorrow at Clothingline in the Garment District. Shoshanna's contemporary collections go on sale on Wednesday, and Celebrity Stylist/Reality Star/Designer Rachel Zoe will  offer her wares at Chelsea Market on Thursday.
See our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for more details and breaking sales. 

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THIS WEEK ONLINE: Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta, John Varvatos, Luca Roda, Ivanka Trump, French Connection, Prada, Pringle, Missoni, Cole Haan

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

Vera Wang, Tucker, House of Harlow, Chloe + Isabel, Calvin Klein Underwear, Earnest Sewn, Tracy Reese, Bottega Veneta, Ettika Jewelry, Luca Roda, Giorgio Armani, John Varvatos Collection, Garbstore, A. Testoni, Neige for Girls & Boys, PilyQ Barcelona, Ingrid & Isabel Maternity, Matteo Bedding & Bath, Bodum —join HERE

RUE LA LA

French Connection, DV by Dolce Vita, Hale Bob, Ergobaby, Cuisinart, Balenciaga/YSL, Calvin Klein, Michael Stars, Belle Epoque, Isola, Briggs & Riley, Velodyne, Wacoal, Z Spoke by Zac Posen, Missoni, Ivanka Trump, Da Nang, Junk Food, Cuddledown, Cole Haan, Trina Turk, Nat Nast —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Aaraa Jewelry, Prada Sport, RD Styles, Retwined Candles, Kalorik, Core Bamboo, Dolce & Gabbana, Pour La Victoire, TOD's, Fendi, Joseph Abboud, Paul Smith, Gucci, Hugo Boss —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Joe's Jeans, NYX Cosmetics, C&C California, Vince Camuto, Donna Ricco, Botkier, Howe, C-IN2, Chan Luu, 14th & Union, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Mario Badescu, Rachel Zoe, Shay Todd, Candela, Elle Macpherson, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Steve Madden, Robert Rodriguez, Mystique, Superga, John Varvatos Collection, Frankie B., Cosabella, CARGO Cosmetics —join HERE

MY HABIT

World of Armani, Pringle of Scotland, Yves Saint Laurent: Bags & Ties, Ann Demeulemeester, Byblos, Breda Watches, Ted Baker, Brooklyn Motors Tees, SOLD Design Lab, CZ by Kenneth Jay Lane Pearls, Rosegold, Beverly Feldman, Kanupriya Jewelry, Cuisinart, Trina Turk, J. Campbell Los Angeles, TailorByrd, Ike Behar, House of Harlow 1960, Charles Jourdan, Akiko, STEVEN by Steve Madden, Keith Haring, Peacock Alley, Calvin Klein Collection, Phillips Collection —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Mepra, Puma, Air-O-Swiss, Valrhona, Genevive, Red Carter —join HERE

ALL APOLOGIES: John Galliano Dresses Down As His Mea Culpa Tour Hits Full Swing

You may have already read the big Vanity Fair interview, but now disgraced couturier John Galliano has done his big TV interview about the highly public breakdown that got him booted from his job as creative director at both Christian Dior and the label that bears his own name. In the absence of Oprah's vast platform, Galliano taped an interview with Charlie Rose which aired last night on PBS stations. You could be forgiven for missing it, as the entire taping and airing happened within a couple of days, but along with clips on YouTube, the entire show is steaming on Rose's website HERE.

Galliano rehashes much of what he went over with Ingrid Sischy in Vanity Fair, but the most striking aspect may be that, for the first time in the decades since he has become a well-known designer, he made a public appearance unencumbered by the flamboyant personal style that helped to make him an unmistakable figure in the fashion world. He was sober, not only physically, but sartorially as well. Gone were the hair extensions, the sculpted facial hair and elaborately embellished garments he is known for wearing. Galliano sat clean shaved, with his hair tidily pulled back in a low ponytail and wearing the most mundane navy blue jacket and simple light blue dress shirt without so much as a pocket square to recall his usual flair. If you ever wondered what this guy really looked like under all that costume, then here you are.  Is this the debut of a new, stripped down Galliano style? Maybe, but it is more likely that he is trying to make as favorable an impression as possible on the public at large not only in America, but worldwide, where this interview will inevitably be seen in one format or another. It's hard to imagine that he would give up his dramatic personal style permanently, but you can't blame him for wanting people to see him as a normal human being instead of the scarf-swathed weirdo who spewed drunken, hateful statements in the much circulated videos that led to his downfall —an excerpt of which Rose showed just in case anyone had missed them the first time around. 

Will it all work? In transforming his appearance, Galliano seems to be signalling that he will go well out of his way to show that he is not some fashion feak, but a real person who is capable of personal growth. While many Jewish leaders have emphasized an obligation to accept sincere apologies and efforts to improve oneself, others have been less forgiving, and students at Parsons School of Design recently made it clear that he was not welcome there to teach a master class similar to one that had been well received at Central St. Martins College of Art & design in London. The designer seems ready to get back to work, but ultimately it will be up to the retailers who will carry the products he will eventually offer and their customers to decide if they are ready to have him back.

John Galliano Interview (The Charlie Rose Show)

After the jump, see John Galliano apologize again

JON CARAMANICA GOES SHOPPING: Urban Alpha Male Edition

In this week's Thursday Styles, Critical Shopper John Caramanica makes his way to the heavily publicized Best Made Co. in Tribeca. What can you say about a store that opens in Tribeca in 2013 to sell $300 axes? Who needs an axe, anyway? Caramanica decides to embrace the store, even though he notes that this sort of hyper rugged lumberjack-chic peaked a couple of years ago when Sweden's Fjällräven opened its gear-filled shop in NoLiTa. Our shopper is ultimately seduced by the surprising, primal appeal of holding a finely made, chopping implement.

Some people dress a certain way to feel more like a man, and some people buy an ax. Or at least think about it, dream about it, while their better halves are curled up in the bed, facing the wall, like in Hopper’s “Excursions into Philosophy.”

Is there really a customer for such high-end ruggedness here in Manhattan? It turns out that the urban metropolis has its share of folks who long to camp under the stars away form the city swirl, but only in a particular, high-quality-minded style. We don't know any of them, but we'll take Caramanica's word for it.

Critical Shopper: Brick and Mortar and Cold Steel By Jon Caramanica (NTimes)
Best Made Co. 36 White Street between Broadway & Church Street, Tribeca

SAMPLE SALE PREVIEW: Here Are The Price Lists For Today's Rag & Bone Sale

Rag & Bone's epic seasonal sample sale officially begins today, though, to be precise, we really should have referred to yesterday's Rag & Bone sale, because, as we suggested earlier this week, the door policy at the VIP preview yesterday was pretty lax, or basically nonexistent.  As usual with this particular event, the question is not "what do they have?" —because they seem to have just about everything— but "what does it cost?", so we have transcribed the extremely specific price lists for both the Men's and the Women's sections. There are, as usual, heaps of merchandise, literally. How much of it is from the most recent season depends on how familiar you are with the latest collections, but we did notice some lightweight down jackets and digital camo-print jeans that are definitely from the most recent Pre-Spring and Spring lines.

As for the prices, well, they are pretty high. Jeans are still $95, and it goes from there, but the savings really depends on the category. Savings might not seem all that on denim, but since every dress is $195, you could be getting as much as 80% off or more depending on what the particular item's original price was. You could drive yourself nuts trying to figure out if you are getting a good enough deal, so our advice is to simply buy what you like and can afford, or wait until Sunday, the last day, when there will inevitably be some reduction.

After the jump, have a look at the price lists and start tallying.

Rag & Bone Sample Sale 410 West 16th Street at 9th Avenue -No Entrance through Chelsea Market.
See SALE ROLL at left for more details

COLLABORATION ANTICIPATION: H&M Returns To Designer Collaborations With Isabel Marant

After a season-long break H&M has signaled that it is not quite ready to give up on its famous designer collaborations by anouncing a line with popular Parisian designer Isabel Marant for this Fall (pictured at right). The Swedish fast-fashion giant took a break on the program after an elaborately expanded collection with Maison Martin Margiela failed to catch fire with customers last season. The misstep may have taught the chain to keep the collaboration events more exclusive. The Marant collection will bow on November 14th in only 250 stores worldwide as well as through H&M's website where online shopping is available (meaning not here yet).

Like other H&M collaborators, Marant is using the opportunity to broaden her scope, offering, for the first time ever, about 25 clothing and accessory designs for men and around 30 for children aged 10-18. The retailer is taking few chances by choosing Marant, following in a tradition of mixing iconic names like Versace, Lagerfeld and Lanvin with up-and-comers or more esoteric brands like Marni and Stella McCartney, who at the time of her collaboration had just restarted her signature label. This time they have chosen a designer known for casual, trendy women's sportswear that is more wearable and accessible than what Haute Couture houses or more avant-garde designers like Margiela are known for. As the designer herself says,

“I am flattered by this collaboration. H&M works with the best designers, and this invitation is an exciting honor. I aim at creating something real – something women want to wear in their everyday lives – with a certain carefree style. I think this is very Parisian: You dress up, but don’t pay too much attention to it, and you still look sexy. The collection is infused with this kind of easiness and attitude. Everything can be combined following one’s own instincts, and my take on fashion is all about personality,”

The line should position Marant for a publicity explosion, particularly in the U.S. where her popularity is growing rapidly and she has two recently opened stores in New York and Los Angeles. If successful, which seems likely, should put H&M back in the designer collaboration game that it helped create and that fueled its early growth in the U.S. Look for information about the collection to be strategically leaked throughout the Summer. Stay tuned.

 After the jump, see a video about the collection
 

BREAKING UPGRADE UPDATE: Hugo Boss Taps Jason Wu To Lead Women's Collection

Oh what a couple of Inaugural gowns can do for a career. 
Today, Hugo Boss announced that FLOTUS fave Jason Wu will assume the German brand's newly created post of Artistic Director for Boss Womenswear. Wu will essentially be responsible for all fashion aspects of the brand's women's division. He will work with the Boss Headquarters in Metzingen, Germany, but will set up a design studio for the label in New York while he will continue to lead his own signature brand of read-to-wear and accessories. In addition, A Hugo Boss women's runway show will join the New York Fashion Week schedule in February 2014.

This marks the first time that the company has engaged a name designer for any of its collections who continues to maintain his own brands, and suggests that Boss is looking to raise its profile as a women's brand to another level in terms of attention and design. It's an interesting new direction for the brand whose women's business is a relatively new addition. Wu's first collection for Boss will be for Pre-Fall 2014, typically shown to buyers and press around November or December, and available to customers in about a year. Could Boss be thinking of a similar direction for it's men's collections? Perhaps someone like Simon Spurr could be tempted to jump from behind the scenes at Tommy Hilfiger to give the company a little fashion boost on the other side?

Jason Wu Named Boss Women's Artistic Director (WWD)

 

SAMPLE SALE CIRCUIT: Rag & Bone, Alice + Olivia & Tory Burch Take The Week UPDATED

After a lull, the Sample Sale schedule has heated up again at least for one more week. Alice + Olivia has joined Theory in the multi-location club today with two sales starting today in Midtown at 260 Fifth Avenue, and Downtown in SoHo on Greene Street (click on the image at right). Wednesday brings another popular draw, the Rag & Bone sale at Chelsea Market (although their door policy for the Tuesday VIP preview is notoriously lax). This one is a bonanza for both men and women and traditionally includes everything from the ready-to-wear collections to shoes, hats and accessories. Organizers are careful to note that the entrance to the sale is on 16th street and not through the market arcade, probably to accommodate the inevitable lines. More lines can be expected outside Clothingline's Garment District location for Tory Burch's sale. *UPDATE: Tory Burch has opened early today at 2, so skip the lines and go now!

That's not all. Tocca, Mara Hoffman, Nanette Lepore, Pas de Calais and LaPerla should keep shoppers as well, so choose wisely.
Next week: J.CREW!

UPDATE II:
Save some extra $ for the Opening Ceremony sale starting on Friday in SoHo. Again, there will be lines, but fans of indie (and formerly indie) designers have been known to find all sorts of great stuff there. 

See our SALE ROLL sidebar at left for all the details and spontaneous new additions.

THIS WEEK ONLINE: Balenciaga, Alice + Olivia, Spanx, Manolo Blahnik, Longchamp, John Varvatos★USA, DKNY, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Hugo Boss, Joie, Gucci

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

Balenciaga, Rachel Zoe, Vena Cava, J Lindeberg, Dockers, John Varvatos ★ USA, Bee Line/Billionaire Boys Club, Corneliani, Tailor Vintage, Tateossian, Sundek, Martin Greenfield, Allegri, Robert Graham, Toobydoo Kids, Llum, Netto Kids Furniture, Cabana Life Kids, Saint Parfum, Donna Karan Home Collection, Candice Olson —join HERE

RUE LA LA

Alice + Olivia, J McLaughlin, Spanx, Rockport, Liora Manne, Elie Tahari, Spenglish, Sophie Catalou Kids, James Jeans, Catherine Malandrino, Amrita Singh, Joie, Judith Lieber, Bruno Magli, Shoshanna, Gurhan Jewelry, Commando, Seiko, Manolo Blahnik, Longchamp, John Varvatos ★ USA, Raymond Weil, DKNY, St. John, Le Mystere, All-Clad —join HERE

BELLE & CLIVE

Fendi, Colette Nicolai Fine Jewelry, Kelsi Dagger, Melange Home, Mica beauty, Michael Kors Sunglasses, Winter Kate, Judith Ripka, Issey Miyake Watches, Bottega Veneta, Salvatore Ferragamo, Miu Miu/Jimmy Choo, Céline, Pour La Victoire, Autumn Cashmere, TOD's, Prada, Hugo Boss, Canali, Oliberté —join HERE

HAUTE LOOK

Genetic Denim, Laura Mercier, Lafayette 148, Scotch & Soda, Steve Madden, Alternative Apparel, D&G Underwear, SKYN Iceland, Onna Erlich, Suart Weitzman, Catherine Malandrino, Viva Vena! by Vena Cava/Kova & T, Pinkyotto, Sugarlips, Vince Camuto, Agave, Victorinox, Nordic Ware, J..d.Fisk, Whitney Eve, ToyWatch, Franco Sarto, JohnVarvatos ★  USA, Ben Sherman, Erica Anenberg —join HERE

MY HABIT

Rochambeau, Eastland, JBW Watches,Common People, Anthony Logistics for Men, Taryn Reed Jewelry, 7 For All Mankind Shoes, Jaipur Rugs, Gola, Tommy Bahama, Skagen, Psycho Bunny, Pour La Victoire, Blush Lingerie, Eva Franco, Hello Kitty, Vera Wang Sunglasses, Darcy Brown London Baby —join HERE

VENTE PRIVEE

Dockers, Via Spiga, Nina Ricci, Samsonite, Gucci Watches, Villeroy & Boch, Parrot Electronics, Ghurka, Giorgio Armani —join HERE

THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM: Sarah Jessica Parker Returns To Fashion With A New Shoe Line

There's no need to encourage her to try, try again. Sarah Jessica Parker seems determined to make her mark on the fashion industry as more than just the style icon role that "Sex And The City" thrust her into. Starting early next year, Nordstrom will exclusively debut the SJP collection of shoes, handbags and a few trench coats for good measure. Parker may have learned to play to her strengths having seen her popularly priced sportswear line Bitten fizzle as retailer Steve & Barrys imploded her her creative director job at Halston come to little after that label once again went in another direction. Now, Parker will be focusing on the item most associated with her and her alter ego, Carrie Bradshaw: Shoes! And to ensure success, she has teamed up with George Malkemus who as CEO at Manolo Blahnik has had years of valuable experience keeping the actress and countless other women well-shod in fanciful footwear. At the very least, she and her future customers can feel confident that she has surrounded herself with people who really know what they are doing.

While not quite as bargain-priced as Bitten, the new line is planned to retail relatively affordably between $200 and $300, with handbags under $700. It will takes its design cues cues from the late 1970s and 80s, a time before shoes and bags became so embellished as to be hazardous for the wearer. Parker tells Vogue.com,

“We’re putting new colors together that people don’t typically do, just beautiful combinations that you wish existed in your closet. And in terms of bags, thinking about that period of the seventies into the eighties, what those women were carrying, taking away the bells and the whistles and hardware and really making it about the bag.”

Leading shoe designers of the time like Maud Frizon and Charles Jourdan serve as inspiration, and Parker promises that everything will be produced in either Europe or New York City —so, no collapsing Bangladesh factories for her, thank you.

Heart and Sole: Sarah Jessica Parker Launches the SJP Collection (Vogue Daily)

FIRST LOOKS: Here Are The Official Photos Of Saint Laurent's Soho Store

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The Saint Laurent boutique on Greene Street in SoHo is finally open for all to visit. As we predicted, the label has released official photos of the store, and in typically peculiar Hedi Slimane style, the images depict the store in black and white and entirely devoid of merchandise.
Yeah, weird —especially since the space really comes to life when it is stocked, but then perhaps he just wants it to be seen as undead. Who can say?

At any rate, in the gallery above, you can see the soaring ceiling, a hint of the dressing room skylights, the original painted, pressed tin ceiling and the dramatic marble walls. As we saw earlier, the store is currently featuring the label's basic "Permanent" collections for men and women, along with Fall 2013 samples for pre-order. It will reportedly be the first door to receive the Pre-Fall collection sometime this month

Previously:
First Look: A Preview Inside The Finished Saint Laurent Boutique In SoHo

DEBUT REDUX Is Barneys Re-Issuing Proenza Schouler's First Collection?UPDATED

Something big is happening on Friday at Barneys for Proenza Schouler. Just on the heels of the label's designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCullough picking up the CFDA Award for Womenswear Designer of the Year, the darkened and shaded windows of Barneys' Madison Avenue flagship seem to be announcing that it will be re-debuting the label's first collection to celebrate its 10th Anniversary. The message reads:

AVAILABLE JUNE 7

PROENZA SCHOULER

FIRST COLLECTION

A celebration of the 10th anniversary of the fashion house
and the collection that started it all

EXCLUSIVELY
OURS

FOURTH FLOOR

Barneys plays a vital role in the Proenza Schouler company's story. The label began when Barneys' then buyer Julie Gilhart and Women's GMM Judy Collinson bought the design duo's entire Parson's School of Design senior thesis to sell and immediately launched them into business with no small amount of fanfare, and also creating extra anticipation in the minds of graduating Parsons fashion student ever since. So are Proenza fans getting a second chance to get ahold ot the label's fabled first collection? The window's message seems to suggest that such a re-issue is happening this weekend, not unlike the way Chloé recently replicated selected items from its past to celebrate its 60th Anniversary. It would make perfect sense for Barneys to participate, given its special relationship with the brand and this collection in particular, but so far, we can find little information to confirm exactly what is being planned for this Friday on Barneys site, and the Google isn't helping us much either. A call today to the department at Barneys that sells Proenza Schouler revealed that even the sales associates are unclear as to exactly what is happening "right now". Looks like we'll have to wait a couple of days to see exactly what is in the works. Stay tuned...

UPDATE:
Well, official word has surfaced thanks to Eric Wilson at the New York Times. McCullough and Hernandez have created a capsule collection exclusively for Barneys featuring updated versions of their 2003 debut Proenza Schouler collection. “They started our career, so the idea of reissuing the first show felt full circle. It just felt right to give them something special,” Mr. Hernandez told Wilson. They won't be exactly the same items, which may be a good thing, since the designers probably can't replicate the identical fabrics from 10 years ago, and are now likely to have access to better quality production along with the experience to be able to avoid the kind of glitches that inevitably appear in the first collections of even highly experienced designers. Look for more pictures of the collection when it becomes available at the end of the week.

Proenza Schouler Updates Its First Collection by Eric Wilson (On The Runway/NYTimes)

SUPER SOLDIER SKIN CARE: Kiehl's Introduces Captain America's Moisturizer

Admit it.
You would love to have the same, smooth, youthful skin as a genetically enhanced superhero who has survived decades of being frozen in an arctic iceberg with barely the slightest wrinkle on his brow. Never mind that he is a fictional character who never ages, Kiehl's has engaged Captain America himself to help launch its latest product, Facial Fuel “Heavy Lifting” Firming, Lifting, Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer for Men ($40).Yes, at some point in the future, our attention will be completely monopolized by Superheores. Kiehl's is just getting a jump on things.

While the Kiehl's brand has a remarkably high proportion of male customers already, many American men are still resistant to skincare that goes beyond soap and water —even one that has been created specifically to treat their thicker, rougher skin like this one. Starting today, every Kiehl's purchase will include a special limited edition comic book, "Captain America: Transformation & Triumph" (pictured above) created with Marvel Custom Solutions that features 12 pages of Cap battling his classic foe Cobra at Kiehl's original East Village store, while supplies last, of course (Read it online HERE). In addition, you will likely be seeing images of Captain America all over Kiehl's counters in department stores this summer. Whether or not this marketing partnership will get the Comic-Con crowd to venture into the cosmetics department remains to be seen. They have not, after all, been known for their fastidious grooming practices, but perhaps Captain America can change all that, which might be a superhero-sized accomplishment itself.
Your move, Superman.

Kiehl's (Official Site)