Fall 2007: Strolling through Venice, CA
The town of Venice, renown as the birth place of skate boarding, still retains a surfer dude vibe with the draw of the Pacific at its feet. Abbot Kinney, the main drag in Venice, is punctuated by trendy restaurants, cafes, galleries, and little boutiques. It is a good reason to venture to the west side of Los Angeles for a stroll.
Salt, 1138 ½ Abbot Kinney Blvd., is a little boutique with a definite sensibility, spare and elegant with sharply edited clothing from designers like Sonya Speciale, Trelisse Cooper, and Hache. The owner used to work at Noodle Stories on 3rd Street, but has her own strong sense of style.
Heist, 1104 Abbot Kinney Blvd., is a boutique for the hipster and the fashionista, with trendy but tasteful clothing from brands such as Nicholas K, Generra, Rag and Bone, and Isabel Marant.
Waraku, 1225 Abbot Kinney Blvd, is a sneaker store with many styles from Japan, including sneakers that sport traditional Japanese prints. They also carry tee shirts and some clothing and accessories from Japan.
Tortoise, 1208 Abbot Kinney Blvd, is a tiny gem of a housewares and gift store that feels like a gallery, with descriptive placards placed before unique functional pieces that exhibit a marriage of craft and beautiful design.
Jin Patisserie, 1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd, is the perfect place to stop for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. Sit in the quiet outdoor garden after choosing your treats inside a quaint converted beach cottage.
Minnie T’s, 1355 Abbot Kinney Blvd. is a boutique carrying higher end lines like Girbaud and Costume National that are for the fashion forward looking for a bit of edginess.
With its restaurants and boutiques, Venice is the perfect destination to while away an afternoon.
September 2005: Observations from the streets of New York City
Fashion alert! Skinny jeans are everywhere! Some are tucked into boots, though the warm weather meant they were also paired with sandals. The ones who can carry off this look are young, slim-hipped and lanky. In other words, a small universe! For the rest of the world, boot cut jeans remain a more flattering fit, but manufacturers need to keep up the demand for denim, so have introduced this throwback to leggings. Straight legged and slim cut jeans are a more flattering look than skin tight.
Tee shirts are elongated to a tunic length, pulled tightly over jeans. After all that body conscious look for the past several years, tees and tops are also gathered or flared under the bustline for a looser fit. This provides a balanced silhouette, with the slimmer bottom, tops are loosened and lengthened.
On a different note, I saw quite a few military-inspired jackets but fashioned from casual materials.
Round-toed flats were not only on the streets but in all the stores as well! Women still in summer clothes are busy buying boots in anticipation of cooler weather.
Esprit has opened a large, flagship store in SoHo at 583 Broadway, with the styles and prices targeted to a younger audience.
July 2005: The Sneaker Hunt in New York City
For sneaker aficionados, a trip to the lower east side of New York City is a must. The Rivington Club, 158 Rivington St., is an easy to miss shoe box-sized store with no signage. You just need to be in the know! You’ll be buzzed in across a doormat announcing, “For Members Only.” My visit to this sneaker mecca coincided with a special recognition for Walt Frazier, who had just come out with a sneaker and was promoting them, posing with fans for photos. Rivington Club curates its sneakers with discernment, carrying vintage Air Jordans as well as the most current and hippest Addidas, Nikes, Reebok, Pumas, Vans, New Balance, andY-3s by Yohji Yamamoto.
Of course, for those with a Nike obsession, Nikeid can customize your own shoes, clothing and equipment. You choose the colors, the style, and the material. The Niketown at 57th and Fifth has a Nikeid studio on the fifth floor, where you can see and try on the different styles, with one-on-one design session with a consultant. Customized shoes are available online as well.
October 2004: Cambridge Corner
Fall in Cambridge is perfect weather for exploring, with the leaves just starting to turn colors and a crispness to the air. On Brattle St. in the heart of Cambridge, right off Harvard Square, is a constellation of boutiques with variety and verve.
· 1 · Tess, 20 Brattle St., is where you can find high end fashion and skip that trip into Boston. Tess carries the difficult to find Paul Smith, as well as small selections of department store favorites, such as Piazza Sempione, Moschino, Blumarine, Etro, and shoes by Prada and Jil Sander. It also has beautiful evening dresses by Collette Dinnigan and Lela Rose, and sporty attire by Moncler. · 2 · Second Time Around, 8 Eliot St.,is a consignment shop that fuels that desire in us all to nab a bargain. Across the street is a sister store for furniture called · 3 · Second Time Around Living, 1 Brattle Square.
· 4 · Motto, 17 Brattle St., is a tiny jewelry store with modern designs. · 5 · Modern Designer Furnishings next door at 19 Brattle St., carries choice gift items. · 6· Black Ink, 5 Brattle St., is a fun store full of inexpensive novelties, toys, and notions.
· 7 · Cross, Zero Brattle St., is an upscale stationery store with journals, pens, cards, and office supplies.
Summer 2004: Boston, News from Newbury
Newbury St. used to be a destination shopping mecca for posh boutiques in Boston but has become diluted by big chains like Banana Republic and J. Crew, as well as inexpensive stores. However, Newbury St. is still worth a stroll for a stop at Louis Boston, 234 Berkeley St. In a grand and gracious old classical building that used to be Bonwit Teller, Louis (say Loueez) sprawls over 4 floors, with 2 floors devoted to men’s fashion, carrying established designers like Helmut Lang, Ralph Lauren, Brioni, Loro Piana as well as new designers. The fourth floor is devoted to women’s fashion and shoes and boasts one of the largest Dries van Noten collections, as well as Marni, Balenciaga, Derek Lam and Alice Roi. There is even a restaurant, an eyewear boutique, a home décor and music bar, and a hair salon. Make it a day!
On August 12, 2004, Marc Jacobs opened it’s first full service boutique in a beautifully restored old brownstone at 81 Newbury St., The basement carries the younger, sportier, less expensive line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and the upstairs carries the whole collection, men, women, and home decor. Perhaps this signals a return to Newbury St. of the exclusive and the elegant? At least it’s an outpost!
Summer 2004: The Sweet and the Chic on Bleecker St.
The West Village, especially far west Bleecker Street, between Charles Street and Abingdon Square, has become a refuge for retailers fleeing the high rents and big chain stores of SoHo. It’s also a refuge for shoppers, who prefer to be far from the madding crowds of midtown madness. On a stroll down Bleecker Street this summer, I thought it the quintessential New York neighborhood, with tree-lined streets, charming brownstones and people who looked like they lived there. I chanced upon the new · 1 · Cynthia Rowley store, at 376 Bleecker Street. The store manager explained that they were tired of the SoHo crowds and scene and sought a real neighborhood. They were thrilled with their decision to re-locate, realizing a quick uptick in sales. A few steps away is · 2 · Ralph Lauren for men and women, 381 and 382 Bleecker St. · 3 · Marc Jacobs was the pioneer retailer in the area, opening 3 boutiques on Bleecker and 11th from 2000-2. One devoted to shoes and handbags, · 4 · Marc Jacobs Accessories, is at 385 Bleecker, the two other boutiques feature his ready to wear clothing line for both men and women and are at 403-405 Bleecker St. · 5 · Lulu Guinness, that British designer of whimsical handbags, opened her first American shop at 394 Bleecker St. in the fall of 2001. · 6 · Fresh, 388 Bleecker St., opened a few months later and features natural, high-grade ingredients for its bath and beauty products. · 7 · Intermix just opened a branch near Charles St. at 365 Bleecker St. The fancy eyewear store, · 8 · Robert Marc, just opened across the street at 386 Bleecker St. The manager at Cynthia Rowley heard that Chanel is soon to open a store at the Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker St, which will find a new home. · 9 · Magnolia Bakery, which looks like a movie set for a small town bakery from the 1950’s, was featured in an episode of Sex and the City. Their freshly baked cupcakes have a cult following, resulting in long queues, morning, noon, and night. We walked home from theater at 10:30PM and witnessed this insatiable mania for cupcakes. The popularity of their cupcakes means a lot of foot traffic past normal retail hours, a boon for these retail pioneers. Cynthia Rowley just extended her hours till 10PM. So you can pair the sweet with the chic on Bleecker St. all day and all night!
Spring 2004: The Tried and True and the New in The Big Apple
First of all, the tried and true: I always stop in at Yohji Yamamoto, 103 Grand St. to see what’s new for the season, because Japanese designers always march to their own drummers. I happened to see a woman walking in SoHo with a jacket that caught my eye. It was a jacket like no other jacket, with huge silver grommets threaded with knots and ties. I wondered, was it Yohji? Of course it was!
For the new: my daughter and I were strolling around the NoLita neighborhood and happened upon a brand new boutique that just opened a few months ago named Bio at 29 Prince St. Owned by the charming An Vu, it features emerging designers. An used to be in pharmaceuticals, but decided retail was what she really wanted to do. Her sister has been encouraging and a source of support. Her sister? Taryn Rose of comfort shoe fame! Needless to say, Bio also carries Taryn Rose shoes.
Speaking of shoes, Sigerson Morrison has a spacious new salon at 28 Prince St. and their handbags are right around the corner at 242 Mott St.
East side department store giant, Bloomingdale’s, just opened a new 124,000-square-foot SoHo store at 504 Broadway. As the first new department store below 50th St in over 50 years, Bloomingdale’s helped revive an area that suffered commercially in the wake of Sept. 11, with other apparel companies opening nearby, including Esprit, Ann Taylor and Quiksilver.
December 2003: Miami
Miami Beach proved to be a welcome change from the winter blahs, with its colors and styles as strong and jolting as their Cuban coffee!
Stroll down the pedestrian mall called Lincoln Rd. and visit Base, 939 Lincoln Rd. (305) 531-4982, www.baseworld.com. In a light, airy, open space, the store features hipster clothing for both men and women, with its own store label and such designers as Copenhagen designer, Kristensen du Nord. It carries a selection of accessories, such as hand tooled leather handbags and wallets, as well as jewelry. It even has a CD listening station. A lounge-like back room offers beauty and lifestyle products, and gifts from around the world.
Nearby, check out Chroma, 920 Lincoln Rd., (305) 695-8808. Lucky Magazine named it as one of the country’s best new boutiques in 2003. Chroma means, “color”, and it is a great place to find clothing in all shades and prints, along with emerging labels such as Mint.
Sasparilla is a vintage boutique right off Lincoln Rd., at 1630 Pennsylvania Ave., (305) 532-6611. It would merit a few hours of poking around, as this small store is also stuffed with more current, gently used designer clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry, all in excellent condition.
I spent one afternoon strolling through the shopping mall at Bal Harbour, voted by WWD as the best shopping mall in the country. I can see why! In mid-December, I soaked in the warm sunshine and enjoyed the lush foliage, which made the same boutiques and department stores we find everywhere seem more alluring.
October 2003: Hawaii
When I visit my family in Hawaii, shopping is generally not a priority. So it was with great surprise that I happened upon the ultra cool boutique called Aloha Rag, when I was going to my sister’s office. It’s in a non-descript office building on a very busy street, 1221 Kapioloani Blvd., near Pensacola, (808) 589-1352, www.aloharag.com. While small, it has both men and women’s clothing by designers you would expect to find in New York, like Comme des Garcons and Junya Watanabe. Shop owner, Tatsugo Yoda, is from Japan. When I asked him who his customers are, he confessed that local people don’t really understand his clothing, and its mostly tourists who come in. Needles to say, he does well with Japanese tourists, who are so fashion conscious. He carries handbags by Balenciaga, shoes by Marc Jacobs, Rogan jeans, and Loree Rodkin jewelry.
While traveling upcountry on Maui, I stopped in at a cute boutique in Makawao that I’ve enjoyed over the years called The Mercantile, 3673 Baldwin Ave., (808) 572-1407. Besides it’s cute selection of tees by Rebecca Beeson, and floral print dresses by Nanette Lapore, it’s the only place to find Kiehl’s products.
Fall 2003: New York City
I was in New York City over the Labor Day weekend, when the city felt deserted. As it was still the waning days of summer, what I saw on the streets were lots of mid-calf, full asymmetric summery skirts, or very short, mini, pleated skirts, with flip flops or Chinese slippers and tank tops, which is not a look that is as ubiquitous in our chillier summer clime! But in the stores, it was definitely fall. This is a very strong fashion season, with lots of wearable items. New Yorkers bought early, with many of the tiny boutiques reporting they are already sold out on some items. For example, Miu Miu stores, both on Madison Ave and in SoHo, are all sold out of the little cropped, fitted jacket featured in every magazine and in fact, boasts a waiting list for its reorders. I went into a little boutique in SoHo called Kirna Zabete, and showed them the photo of a puffer coat by Gaultier that I had torn from a magazine. It isn’t even in the store yet, but they already have a waiting list of over 80 for 15 coats! I stopped in at the new Jimmy Choo boutique on Madison Ave. to take a peek at the new collection of handbags, which I love. They are of course in short supply and will become the new status symbol for purse lovers, especially those tired of the Birkin and Kelly bag. I paid visits to off- the-beaten track boutiques in Chelsea: Commes des Garcons( 520 W. 22nd St. 212-604-9200) and the relatively new store, Balenciaga, ( 542 W. 22nd St.). Kim at Comme des Garcons and Mimi at Balenciaga are both wonderful sales people who will walk you through both collections with insight and knowledge. Rei Kawakubo, the Japanese designer for Commes, is introducing a new line called Robe de Chambre. It’s a bit lower in price and very playful, some of it quite sporty. The store also features Junya Watanabe. The tweed trench seen in magazines is beautifully cut, but meant for tall people. Balenciaga’s collection is classic but with interesting twists and details, in beautiful fabrics.
The big look for fall in shoes is both a round toe in pumps of all styles, as well as the very pointed toe. Heel heights continue to tower, but I was relieved to see many designers opting for the kitten heel in both pumps and boots. Of course, the very flat ballet slipper look is definitely out there. What hasn’t hit the San Francisco and Bay Area yet, is the wrestling boot, which I saw everywhere! I have a black pair by Reebok that I got last fall at Twenty Two Shoes, that I wear with tights and fun knee socks under skirts.
Isaac Mizrahi, the fashion designer who had a documentary called Unzipped, and then found he had to close his business, is now designing for Target. A temporary Target store has been set up in Rockerfeller Center to showcase his line, but closes on Oct. 12. His pink corduroy blazer has already sold out.
I have fun celebrity spotting at Pastis, 9 Ninth Ave, 212-929-4844, a classic French bistro in the Meatpacking District that has a very gooey Croque Monsieur, a fancy version of the very American BLT, and great frites. Next time, I’m ordering the steak and frites and going in with a bigger appetite.
August 2003:
Los Angeles
West 3rd Street, just east of La Cienega and a stone’s throw from the hip shopping district of Robertson Blvd. , is a little shopping district no longer on the fringes—it has arrived! I took a quick stroll on West 3rd Street this August and happened upon a couple of boutiques of note.
· 1 · Noodle Stories, (8323 West 3rd St, 323-651-1782) the grand dame on the street, there for nine years, features higher end designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, Bruno Cuccinelli, and the sports line by Martin Margiela called Six; · 2 · Ethel (8235 West 3rd Street, 323-658-8602) is a tiny boutique with very wearable lines like Blue Dot pants, Mon Petite Oiseau tops, as well as trendier, reasonably priced lines like Jungal. They had a cute brown corduroy A-line skirt that looked somewhat 60’s inspired from Jungal in their window display; · 3 · OK (8303 West 3rd St. , 323-653-3501) is a cool shop with art glass, ceramics, designery house wares, and modern jewelry; · 4 · Kristin Londgren (8308 West 3rd St. , 323-653-9200) has a shop with her own designs of elegant eveningwear in sumptuous silks, along with some jewelry and gift items by other designers. She said the Hollywood stylists haven’t discovered her yet, but she prefers paying customers anyway! · 5 · Zipper (8316 W. 3rd St. , 323-951-0620) has distinctive modern home furnishings and décor; · 6· Sigerson Morrison (8307 West 3rd St. , 323-655-6133) chose to open its second flagship shoe store outside of New York City on this street about four months ago; · 7 · Lulu Guiness (8222 West 3rd St, 323-852-7300), of whimsical handbag and shoe fame, also just opened a store.
I’m looking forward to returning to explore some other shops along West 3rd.
February 2003: Meatpacking District
I’ve just returned from the East Coast and wanted to report on what’s happening in the Meatpacking District, the hip shopping district in New York City (extends from Gansevoort St. to W 14th St. , between 9th Ave. and the West Side Highway). · 1 · Jeffrey New York , (449 W. 14 St. , 212-206-3928), selling the best shoes in town, was a pioneer in 1999. He has now been joined by other designers; · 2 · Stella McCartney (429 W. 14th St. , 212-647-8636) and · 3 · Alexander McQueen (419 W. 14th St. 212-645-1797) opened stores a few months ago, along with · 4 · Rubin Chapelle (410 W. 14th St. 212-647-8636), a collaboration between Austrian designer Sonja Rubin and American Kip Chapelle. The collection is classic with a feminine twist in blacks and whites with a few muted neutrals. · 5· Carlos Miele (408 W. 14th St.), a Brazilian designer will open a store in February. The French-Moroccan designer, · 6 · Yigal Azrouel (408 W. 14th St. ) will open a store in January. · 7 · Scoop (873 Washington St, at W. 14th St. ), a trendy retailer opened in November. Stay tuned as to whether this new district can weather the downturn in the economy. A recent New York Times article indicates the foot traffic is down and tiny fashion boutiques are the first to feel the pinch of a slack economy coupled with the falloff in tourism.
December 2002
When I was in New York in the fall, I chanced upon an American designer, Rick Owens, who was prominently featured in a third floor boutique in Henri Bendel. Further research uncovered that he received The Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent in June. He launched his first runway show in New York last February, and his retail base then shot from 9 stores to 90. So, keep an eye out! He’s from LA, but seems to share more with the avant-garde Belgian designers, favoring earthy tones, twisted and shrunken jackets, asymmetric draping, and deconstructed seams. I particularly loved his cashmere cardigans that were more like oversize wraps, as well as his tight leather jackets.
A small selection of Rick Owens can be found at Maxfield in LA, 8825 Melrose Ave. (off Robertson), 310-274-8800. Wander around in this boutique, which is a bit over the top in terms of ambience and decor, and browse through its collection of the unusual and the unique, carrying designers such as Dries Van Noten, Commes des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Jean Paul Gaultier, as well as Gucci and Prada.
Another designer to keep an eye out for is David Cardona. I’ve only been able to find him in LA at Les Habitudes, 101 N. Robertson Blvd. , 310-273-2883. He was with Richard Tyler for six years before going out on his own in 1997. He does beautifully tailored suits, sometimes adding a slight twist in the details, and always uses rich fabrics. I really fell in love with a black leather biker’s jacket in a supple leather, meant to be worn tight like a shirt that was at once sexy, but classic.
In New York, a favorite spot for lunch or afternoon tea is Takashimaya, 693 Fifth Ave at 54th St. , 212-350-0100. The cozy subterranean café serves fusion cuisine, and starting at 3PM, has an exquisite bento box of afternoon tea delights. The second floor, which features things for travel, has a well-edited collection of sweaters, skirts, and handbags, with a sophisticated New York City air.
