This is a welcome departure from all the construction plywood we've been seeing around town. The pumpkin windows at the old Luca Luca store at 690 Madison Avenue and East 62nd Street are brought to us by Hermès of course, who has taken over the space and is currently remodeling under the secrecy the orange affords.
Now you wonder: didn't we just give you a glimpse of the windows at the major Hermès flagship across the street? You see, they aren't abandoning their prime corner but adding to it by turning the corner opposite into the brand's first store for their men's collection.
So we understand that the UES is pretty empty during these hotter, muggy days of summer, but is that really an excuse for the diamond dealers of Madison Avenue to play real estate roulette? Taking a walk down Madison Avenue from East 65th Street to East 61st Street, an area already known for a concentration of diamonds and couture, we were struck by all of the "we're relocating" signs on most of the famous names.
Since these are small blocks with large reputations, most boutiques have only confusingly decided to relocate across the street, making for quite a lot of inbreeding among jewelry stores. Guidebooks around the world may need to be reprinted, but of course we've already laid it all out nicely for you.
Tomorrow marks the end of a Midtown East legacy: The Body Shop on the corner of Madison Avenue and East 53rd Street will be closing, leaving dozens of suburban teens to trek perhaps as many as five blocks before they can impulse buy pink grapefruit body butter.
Do not despair! The prime spot, only a block away from the Fifth Avenue Abercrombie & Fitch, will continue to attract those on New York buying sprees as Carat is moving into the space. The Hong Kong-based jeweler, who has already tested the waters with both a store in Atlantic City and a kiosk in the Time Warner Center, will certainly bring some sparkle to the corner. But here's the rub: Carat sells costume jewelry.
While the UES suffers from the summer's mass exodus to the Hamptons, Hermès on Madison Avenue and East 62nd Street seems to be celebrating Christmas in July with nativity-like scenes.
Mannequins stand like obelisks among many small scenes of exotic, desert locales and mini-horses come bearing gifts of expensive leather bracelets. Wonder at the apparition of a tropical dish oasis, where a set of teacups and saucers is $330 and beach towels are $510. A caravan of mini camels leaves the land of leather clutches and traverses the sandy landscape to check out the perfume river. All the while, the silk folding bags ($960) have been automated to open and close almost miraculously.
British men's luxury brand Alfred Dunhill is trading up from its shoebox on Fifth Avenue to a shiny new storefront (that hopes to be LEED-certified) at 545 Madison Avenue. As they continue to rip out the old dark wood interior of the Fifth Avenue location, the newer light wood interior is already in place on Madison, meaning they might just make their target July 2008 opening.
At their new location, you'll be ogling more than just the leather goods; Madison Avenue will carry "the full extent of Alfred Dunhill luxury product offerings, including menswear, leather, men's jewelry, writing instruments, timepieces, gifts and games." There's even a basement for bespoke and buried treasures like Truman Capote's Dunhill tuxedo worn at a 1966 "Black & White Ball" and original sketches of a suit made for Frank Sinatra. We're betting that Jude Law, currently the face of Dunhill, will show up for the grand opening with (hopefully) a bulldog in tow.
· Dunhill [Official Site]
· Dunhill Inks Lease in Plaza District [bNet]
· Relocations: Dunhill [Racked]
After a period of renovation, pricey Madison Ave boutique Cesare Paciotti is back open and slinging shoes. "The ornate new digs are designed to evoke the interior of a jewel case, with a color palette of red, white, and black. The bi-level space includes white crystalline marble flooring, white clay Baroque-framed mirrors, and white-and-black leather couches decked with buttons bearing Paciotti’s signature dagger. Although the stock includes handbags, small leather goods, sunglasses, men’s shoes, and jewelry, the main event is, of course, the towering collection of heels, perched on a spanking new backlit glass display resembling carved ice." [The Cut]
Stuart Weitzman's Midtown boutique at 625 Madison will be closing this Sunday for a revamp. "The Madison Avenue flagship will undergo a complete interior renovation masterminded by Italian architect Fabio Novembre, whose ribbon concept will eventually appear in the majority of Stuart Weitzman stores globally." During the reno, a temporary store will open next door so Weitzman fans won't be deprived of their precious, precious shoes. When the store reopens, its decor will look something like the insane wavy yellow interior you see at right. [Chic Report]
Last night, Racked journeyed uptown with lensman Will Femia for the debut of French designer Anne Fontaine's new Madison Avenue boutique (relocated from 687 Madison to 677 Madison). As befits a UES store opening, the place was packed with a mix of socialites, press, fans and fashion folk like designer Betsey Johnson enjoying champers and fancy little noshes.
Fontaine's known for her unique and dressy take on the white button-down shirt, and many are showcased in this new shop, but there's also a large selection of elegant black jackets, pants, dresses and handbags on offer (prices range from $150 all the way up to $6,000). The space's decor and use of color mirrors that of the clothing: most of the shop is white—white walls, white beaded curtains, white vertiginous curved stairway—but there is one room done entirely in ebony. Fontaine fans should know there's more in store for the location: An Anne Fontaine Spa, planned for the second floor, will open in 2009.
Anne Fontaine 677 Madison Ave between 61st and 62nd Sts;
(212) 421-0947
Mon—Sat 10am—7pm; Sun noon—6pm Website
Upper East Side: Opening men's-only stores really is popular these days. J.Crew's doing it, Ralph Lauren's doing it, and now luxury retailer Hermès is getting in on the action. As was reported this morning, the French brand is planning to open an outpost just for the gents in 2009 to be located directly across from their current UES location at 691 Madison and 62nd Street. It will be typically upscale, offering the coveted neckwear and suiting, with an "entire floor...dedicated to Sur-mesure and Demi-mesure services, an extensive department for customization and made-to-measure items." Traders: Those bespoke binges at the Wall Street store were noted.
· Hermes to Open Men’s Store [DNR]
· Hermes Adds Men's-Only on Madison [WWD, subscription req]
· Now Open: Hermès [Racked]
"New York-based accessories designer Devi Kroell will open her first Manhattan store. Kroell has secured a 4,000-square-foot space to house her oversize exotic skin satchels, crystal-studded ebony evening cases and avant-garde pumps at 717 Madison Avenue, neighboring Graff and J.Mendel. Roman and Williams architects who are responsible for the Royalton's recent facelift are designing the two-story store. It is Kroell's second boutique and is slated to open in the fall." [WWD, subscription req]
Shanghai Tang's new Madison Avenue flagship had its launch party last night. "Guests...came in for a sneak peek at an ST outpost that's smaller and more focused than the ambitious, multilevel one that crashed and burned a few blocks up the street a decade ago. The brand has been working to reinvent itself with fresh talent: They've poached a print designer from Kenzo, and recently enlisted Lanvin alum Joseph Li to take the lead on ready-to-wear for Spring 2009." [Style File]
As trunk shows go, this is a big one: Today from 3 to 6pm on the fourth floor of Barneys New York on Madison Avenue, ladies who lunch will gather to see the man, the legend, shoe designer Christian Louboutin. The famed Frenchman will be on hand to sign the trademark red leather soles of his luxurious heels; to celebrate the occasion, Barneys creative director Simon Doonan has blown up a few of Louboutin's sketches and placed them in the windows of the store. Roving Racked photog Will Femia snapped some shots of the displays, galleried above for your viewing pleasure.
· Barneys Stores & Events [Official Site]
File this one under things we can't seem to get too excited about: Just in time for Hamptons season, a new Lilly Pulitzer boutique is opening on the UES. The store, at 1020 Madison Avenue between 78th and 79th Streets (rendering at right), will debut on May 8th. Like us, the Sun is wondering how well the bright, beachy apparel company will fare in the city, asking: "Will colorful outfits that are bright enough to wreck a Lasik operation work in a city where black is always the new black? Is New York ready for moss green and bubble gum pink—on one blazer? And on a men's blazer at that?" Get one of those flowery shift dresses or loud jackets on a Gossip Girl character or two, and everything should be just fine.
· Painting the Town Pink & Green [NY Sun]
· Kitsch For The Rich [Racked]
MIDTOWN EAST—Midtowners are about to get a taste of the Rockies...via some weird pop-up store! A Racked informant has forwarded us the promotional materials for the Let’s Talk Colorado brand store, which opened yesterday at 317 Madison Avenue and 42nd Street. The pop-up, open 'til the end of the month, offers "amazing vacation ideas, exclusive Colorado gallery images by Nikon photographers and more." And indeed, there is more. You can also: "Have your photo taken in front of your favorite Colorado backdrop." Can't you almost smell those fresh mountain breezes? [RackedWire]
BOWERY—The debut of Think CoffeeBowery is nigh. Writes owner Jason Scherr: "We'll be open tomorrow morning at our new location at the corner of Bleecker and Bowery." And downtown residents gain another much-needed wifi-enabled cafe. [RackedWire]
[Photo of the Rhinelander Mansion via PropertyShark]
Retailers seem to have finally realized that men actually do like to shop, and that they need more places to do so. Just a few days ago, it was revealed that J.Crew execs are planning a men's-only boutique in Tribeca. Now, news of an in-the-works men's-only Ralph Lauren boutique has surfaced. The preppy American design house has decided to turn its Rhinelander Mansion store into a menswear shop, which will open sometime next year. Of course, that means that the women's and children's lines have to go somewhere else, so Lauren will openanother flagship store across the street at 888 Madison Avenue (currently home to a Ralph Lauren "lifestyle boutique"). According to WWD, "The new 27,500-square-foot store will house Lauren's world of women's and women's accessories, as well as his home collections." The Timeshas a history of the building at no. 888, which was once owned by a Vanderbilt; Ralph Lauren will do a complete tear-down and rebuild of the structure. While that is happening, merchandise will be rerouted to a temporary space at 1055 Madison Avenue and 80th Street, opening when 888 Madison closes on March 28. Whew. You got all that?
· Ralph to Convert Rhinelander to Men’s Store [DNR]
· Second Polo Flagship Coming to N.Y. [WWD, subscription req]
· From Palatial Home to Retail Palace [NY Times]
The Aveda Aromatherapy Esthetique shop at 509 Madison Avenue is no more. A bereft reader writes:
So last night I went by the Aveda store on Madison and 53rd and it was all papered up. There were no signs or warning. I walk by there on my way home from work and was too lazy to stop for shampoo and conditioner last week. I went by last night to get more conditioner and the store was gone. Just brown paper in the window. And, the worst part...because of my laziness I have frizzy hair today.
A call to the Flatiron store confirms that Aveda Madison Avenue is closed for good; the shuttering occurred at the end of February. The nearest sources for Aveda products are other salons, barring that, you can get your fix at the 10 Columbus Circle shop or the Grand Central outpost at 87 East 42nd Street. The customer service rep we spoke with couldn't give an exact reason for the store's closing, but stated that when Aveda shops close, it's usually because they're surrounded by too many salons selling similar products.
· Aveda [Official Site]
Rackage is a look inside recently-opened stores around town. Today, let's gaze upon Lambertson Truex's fancy UES flagship.
After hitting the Whitney Biennial last week, Racked meandered down Madison Avenue and peeked into the new flagship for American luxury house Lambertson Truex at 692 Madison between 62nd and 63rd Streets. Opened back in September, the chic bi-level store features women's handbags and accessories on the first floor, and women's and men's shoes up-and-around the spiral staircase on a second level. The outpost marks the brand's foray into the New York market; they have one store on Melrose in LA and a forthcoming shop scheduled for Vegas, but, locally, shoppers previously could find them only at high-end retailers like Berdorf Goodman.
Lambertson Truex 692 Madison Ave between 62nd and 63rd Sts;
(212) 750-4895
Mon—Sat 10am—6pm Website
Brightly-colored Palm Beach-based brand Lilly Pulitzer has signed a lease for a store on the UES at 1020 Madison Ave. "The space, which is occupied by high-end kitchen designer Clive Christian, is 3,700 square feet, spread out over two floors. 'For the past 15 years we have been actively looking for a space in New York and we just never found what we were looking for,' said James Bradbeer Jr., president of Lilly Pulitzer. 'We knew we were on to something good when we discovered 1020 Madison was right next to a juice stand. [The brand] all started with a juice stand in Palm Beach 49 years ago, so we really believe finding this location was meant to be.' The store, which will open in May, is located between 78th and 79th Streets, and its neighbors will include Intermix and a new J. Crew Collection store, which is planned for a spring opening." [WWD, subscription req]
Before the weekend begins, here's a quick rundown of the top ten Racked stories of the past five days.
1) In Midtown: Luxury brand Gucci opened a new flagship, then adopted the I [Heart] NY slogan for their own line of limited-edition merchandise, without clearing the usage with the city. Ooops.
2) In Jack Heights: Jackson Heights finallygot a Starbucks to call its own.
3) In Park Slope: Boutique Oak ditched the clothing at their President Street outpost for a ton of shoes.
With little to no fanfare whatsoever, Barneys on Madison Avenue has added clothing from Chloë Sevigny'scollection for Opening Ceremony to their seventh floor co-op section. The department store's only carrying a few styles from the blond star's 40-piece line. Strangely, they've eschewed Sevigny's fun Liberty print pieces for a selection of gray, black and white items. While the clothes aren't horrible, they are horribly priced. The linen dress at far left is $465, the sleeveless white button-down shirt is $288, the gray dress next to it is $365, the black vest is $315, the silk long-sleeve blouse is $375 and the cropped black jacket is $500. We understand that this is in line with Barneys pricing, but still...kind of hard to swallow. If you can handle those numbers, the clothes arrived about a day ago, so most sizes are still available.
MIDTOWN EAST—Georgett Klinger, a spa chain that has locations in New York, Dallas, Palm Beach and Chicago, is bankrupt. A tipster writes:
Georgette Klinger Spa went bankrupt today. My wife just showed up for her 3:30 facial appointment at this place on Madison Ave near 53rd St. It was closed and the doorman said they went bankrupt. Their answering machine is full. Their website has been “undergoing renovation” for about a month. They have spas in many major cities, Chicago, etc. Sorry no photo. I told my wife she should have taken a pic with her cell phone, she was too pissed off. This is quite a piece of retail space, as you know.
The company's website currently boasts this curious statement: "Dear Valued Client, Georgette Klinger is currently in the process of moving its inventory warehouse location due to an unexpected circumstance. During this transition, there will be a delay in the shipment of orders." That "unexpected circumstance" would be the Chapter 11 that the company filed a few months back. Georgette Klinger clients, you best book your facials elsewhere from now on. [RackedWire]
Dolce & Gabbana's revamped New York flagship opens today. The store, at 825-827 Madison Avenue, "houses both the women's and men's collections and exudes the same lavish and moody blueprint that highlights Dolce & Gabbana shops worldwide. A scenic black glass stairway, towering Murano glass chandeliers, high-gloss lacquered wood, mirror-finish stainless steel and basalt floors greet customers stepping into the women's store. The first floor is primarily dedicated to accessories and the main collection, while the second floor houses a shoe salon...[and] the third floor is evening wear...innerwear." [WWD, subscription req]
The Christian Lacroix store going in at 36 East 57th Street and Madison Avenue should be opening any day now. "A peek through its newly transparent windows shows a nearly completed interior including the designer's signature quirky details like red Venetian glass chandeliers...Though he has had his own label for 25 years, this will be the celebrated couturier's first freestanding boutique in New York, and only his second in the U.S. ever after his recently opened Las Vegas boutique." [The Shophound]
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Comments
Upper East Side: Opening men's-only stores really is popular these days. J.Crew's 
File this one under things we can't seem to get too excited about: Just in time for Hamptons season, a new Lilly Pulitzer boutique is 
MIDTOWN EAST—Georgett Klinger, a spa chain that has locations in New York, Dallas, Palm Beach and Chicago, is bankrupt. A tipster writes:
