All stories about "Rafe"

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The Week in Racked: Ikea Camper's Diary, Spring Gets Sweder With Tretorn, Rock & Republic Got Themselves A Bike Gang, Green Depot Breaks Ground on Bowery, Ikea Ikea Ikea Ikea!, Going Ananas on Canal, Reports from Rafe, Botkier Sale Solid, 'Actually Not Insane', Giving A.P.C. An A- and Opening Ceremony Still Pricey.

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It's a little late this season, but Rafe's bi-annual sample sale is upon us once again. Their last one back in December was top banana among the handbag sample sale bunch, but their winter sales (with discounted fall collections) are known to be superior to the summer ones. Uncertainty loomed, so we arrived on the scene at their Flatiron showroom early. Good news: the sale is solid. Not spectacular, but definitely solid.

It's been a big year for New York City retail (and not just because Racked was born in March). This week, we'll relive the glorious highlights and gruesome lowlights. We've recapped the year's most ridiculous lines, saddest goodbyes, most menacing retail presences and the most notable Street Scenes. Now, we're tackling the year's most turbulent retail stretches.

Opening day at the Apple Store on 14th Street and Ninth Avenue

While stores come and go all over this town, this year there were a few neighborhoods that really evolved (or devolved, depending on your perspective). The following four ‘hoods were hotbeds of retail activity…

4) 14th Street in MePa: A ginormous new Apple Store had us christen the entire neighborhood the "iPacking District," but it wasn't the only arrival MePa weathered this year. Diane von Furstenberg's spectacular flagship opened in May, bringing chic wrap dresses to 14th and Washington. In September, word leaked that Hugo Boss would be taking space on 14th right next door to Apple (the store is still under construction). Meanwhile, we awaited new flagships for Poleci and Ports nearby. Though the 'hood welcomed many newcomers this year, it also lost delicious pastry purveyor Little Pie Company and housewares shop Bodum, which may or may not be relocating to Soho.

The line outside Botkier at 10am this morning.

As promised, we bring you an update on this week's stellar handbag sample sale lineup. Yesterday, we said run to Rafe, stroll to Lauren Merkin, and just nix Hayden-Hartnett entirely. Today's contender is Botkier, the high-end designer renowned for buttery soft leather bags and a major sample sale following.

We have to admit, we don't really get die-hard Botkier enthusiasts. As reported earlier, there were around 70 shivering women in line by the time the doors swung open at 10am, and those at the front had been outside as early as 8:45am! Why, ladies?! The plush leather bags are lovely but do not substantiate hypothermia...or the $200-400 discounted prices. We browsed the selection and say save your cash and freezing toes. Head to Rafe instead.

The sample sale scene is swinging this holiday season, and there are several designer handbag listings in our Dealfeed files. So many metallic totes and beaded clutches…so little time! This week’s schedule of top indie handbag designers makes it particularly difficult to choose where to head on your lunch break. For your convenience, we've compared the findings among a few of our faves.

Bags galore at Rafe

Rafe: Sample sale done right! We dropped by their sale last December (awesome) and this past spring (blah), so we weren't really sure what to expect today. We are pleased to report that this is a major winner. Their amazing fall collection is heavily discounted. Bold, beautifully-crafted totes, clutches, shoulder bags, and even yoga bags are priced between $50-300, although most are around $100-200. Rafe offers a spectrum of styles, including beaded, patent leather, suede, linen, soft leather, and fur...and that's just the bags! There are boatloads of shoes priced at only $50. If you are a (Euro) shoe size 37, you've really hit the jackpot. The flats, pumps, sandals, boots, and mules are particularly abundant in this size. This is Rafe's best sale ever.

Racked has learned that the empty storefront that formerly housed Rafe, one of our favorite handbag designers and a Bowery retail pioneer, will become a Think Coffee Shop. The space at 1 Bleecker and Bowery has been vacant since January, but Think has confirmed that they’ll be serving fair trade lattes there by March. It will be the first offshoot of their Mercer Street coffee shop, although the Bowery space is much smaller.

We were sad to say goodbye to Rafe and his fabulous leopard-print clutches, but we really like Think… and it sure as hell beats a Bowery Starbucks a few blocks down!
· Storecasting: Esprit Heads to Rock Center, 3.1 Phillip Lim Sets Up Shop In Soho, And Much More [Racked]