Retail Scoop

I walked into Barney’s late of afternoon exhausted from New York bargain shopping and searching for shoes. “And just where are you from?” asked the salesman in a patronizing tone. “Oh, me? Soho,” I said lightly. He eyed me up and down, hesitated, then replied coolly, “Oh, the Bloomingdale’s bag threw me off. Only tourists normally shop at Bloomingdale’s.”

Was he calling me a tourist? Wait, I look like a tourist? Paranoid visions of neck cameras and Jansport backpacks spun in my head. I checked my espadrilles, my jean cut off shorts, Carrera sunglasses and Judah Newman bracelet. These aren’t accessories donned by tourists, I told myself and huffed aloud. Shocked and sad that me, the apparel writer, was mistaken for a trite tourist, I gloomily walked back in the direction of cursed Bloomingdale’s to the subway. I emerged on Spring Street only to be bombarded by a giant bus unloading heaps overweight middle-aged Midwestern who took up the whole sidewalk like a flock of stagnant sheep on the back roads of Ireland. “Stupid tourists,” I muttered. “Excuse me, miss,” said one facing my direction, “Can you tell us where to go shopping?” Oh the irony. “Apparently Bloomingdale’s,” I snapped then pointed her south down Broadway.

Later I got to thinking about the tourists. Do they shop at Bloomingdale’s? And how do you shop like a New Yorker? The shops in Nolita and Soho are chock full of tourists but these tourists are European. The American tourists tend towards stores like Bloomingdale’s and Century 21. For what it’s worth real New Yorkers know about sample sales, designer specials and retail timing. They wait for the Barney’s Warehouse Sale, know to buy discount sunglasses at Loehman’s and get to Bloomingdale’s on the first day of  their shoe sale. Real New York City shoppers know that Daffy’s carries Malia Mills swimwear and to avoid Prince Street on Saturdays. Brilliantly, they only partake in chaotic shopping trips  – Macy’s (god help your brave soul), H&M, Urban Outfitters – when it’s raining and smartly buy their socks at Uniqlo. An entire book could be dedicated to these tips, so what should the newbie tourist do to shop like a New Yorker?
Real New York City shopping mavens get the sales and shopping secrets lightning fast via none other than America’s blabbermouth bluebird… Twitter. They follow their favorite stores, sites and designer’s Tweets putting them constantly in the know. Now there is something anyone can do. Daffy’s practical approach Tweets where their trucks are going and when, so customers can be the first to score discounted merchandise.

There are in fact many ways to shop using social media, and our good friends at Mashable, of course, have them in list format. The cathttps://thestylishcity.com/www.mashable.comch, people need to know about these social media shopping strategies and use them. So while there may be great find, the number of people finding it depends on the number of users. Twitter, on the other hand, allows you to control the information you want by following only the stores or websites you are interested in and/or rely on. For instance, you love sample sales and witty articles, so you follow The Vogue City on Twitter. You’re stuck in 2007, then follow American Apparel on Twitter. A tourist can do the same allowing them to fake it and shop like a New Yorker. Just make sure you remove your scrunchie. The 80’s may be back, but the scrunchie will forever remain the proverbial dead give away.

Emma Dinzebach

 [dailymail.co.uk – 6.18.09 By Deborah Arthurs and David Lewis]

Celebrity favourite shoe brand Jimmy Choo announces new designer collaboration with H&M

It will be stilettos at dawn. And handbags in the afternoon, until they’re all sold out.
The luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo is collaborating with high street store H&M.

The world-famous brand – chosen by the A-list for red carpet appearances and given mass appeal by Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie in Sex and The City – will be creating a line of covetable shoes and bags for H&M, as well as a line of women’s clothing that will be designed to match the accessories.

The collection – expected to cause a stampede in stores when it arrives on November 14 – will start from as little as £30 for a pair of ballet pumps, with the most expensive shoe will be at £170.

The collaboration is another coup for H&M, which has in the past produced collections with designers Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli and Stella McCartney and stars Madonna and Kylie Minogue. 

With Jimmy Choo shoes usually selling in excess of £400 and bags over £1,000, the more affordable H&M collection, on sale from November 14 in 200 stores across the world, is likely to create mass hysteria among shoppers.

Jimmy Choo’s president Tamara Mellon said today she felt honoured to be among the fashion greats who have been affiliated with H&M.

‘It’s such a privilege to design a collection to appeal to fashion savvy, street smart women.  

‘Jimmy Choo will bring to H&M a sophisticated, fashion forward, accessible and glamorous collection – the perfect party pieces to wear out at night,’ she added.

H&M’s creative designer Margareta van den Bosch said: ‘We adore Jimmy Choo’s shoes and bags.
‘I like the way we have worked with clothes to accessorise the shoes and bags rather than the other way around.

‘H&M have teamed up with some of the biggest names in fashion over the last few years … but this is seen by some as the biggest coup of them all.’ 

The Jimmy Choo brand has become synonymous with glamour. The label was co-founded in 1996 by Malaysian-born Choo and former Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon. It has since become a major global upmarket brand with stores on six continents.

But it’s not just shoe-a-holic women who will benefit from Jimmy Choo’s design prowess.
Long-suffering husbands and boyfriends can now find out what all the fuss is about as Jimmy Choo plan to create a men’s collection of bags, shoes and clothing for H&M.

So for all the women out there who, like Carrie, spent the money they were saving up to buy a house on shoes instead, this could be the collaboration they’ve been waiting for.

Now they can afford the shoes and the apartment.

[dailymail.co.uk – 6.18.09 By Deborah Arthurs and David Lewis]

American Apparel Debuts Backless Tights :

[NY MAG] “We admit we weren’t expecting anything this exciting from the latest American Apparel e-mail touting “Exciting New Styles,” but how wrong we were to underestimate the sexually charged company. After clicking through images of floral swimwear and men’s bow ties, it all looked like standard hipster protocol. But, suddenly, amid the photos of new merch, we clicked open a JPEG to reveal a thrilling new addition to the American Apparel line: assless tights. The tights appear to be the same pantyhose the store has been selling for a while now, except this special style reveals your bum. Classy! The tights are still in production, so you can’t run out and buy a pair just yet. But we wonder if, come August, all the girls in Williamsburg will take to the streets cheeks out. What’s next, Dov? Crotchless bodysuits? And with that lovely image in our heads, we’ll be spending the weekend as proper fashion gals should: breaking out our best nauticals and drinking prosecco. See you guys on Tuesday.” [NY MAG from the cut by Doria Santlofer 5/22]

Not only did they have these insane backless tights, check out the other article of “clothing” American Apparel has to offer.

Nylon Spandex
Micro-Mesh Long Sleeve Mini Dress 

Cotton Spandex
Micro-Mesh Gloria-V Bodysuit 

Fishnet
Halter Bodysuit

Cotton Spandex Jersey
Slit Legging

Adding color to you wardrobe can be a daunting task, you may find yourself puzzled. Questions like what colors work the best with my skin tone? What colors are complimentary with my outfit? And what colors are the most flattering? These are all things we as consumers ponder when making this difficult decision, but fear no more Happy Socks is here to save the day! The Swedish brand has hit the sock market with a blast of color (literally) they have developed cool socks that can spruce up a grey suit, add a splash of color  to a pair of rolled up jeans, and make any shorts lively!

The brand hosted a party this past Friday that I was lucky enough to attend. Seeing the colors of these vibrant socks up close, convinced me to become a HAPPY Happy socks customer! My favorites are the Argyle, Pastel, Optic and the Long Stripe’s. The party attracted all the happening cool crew, and trendsetters, most of whom donned the colorful socks. I even nabbed a chance to meet with the designer who informed me that the brand is moving along quite well since its launch, selling in over 20 countries worldwide.  The socks retail for $10 and can be found at Barneys, Opening Ceremony, Steven Alan and on their website at www.HappySocks.com 

With the DJ spinning Bloc Party and drinks all around, the event was a total success in my opinion. Happy Socks is definitely a product that I feel can jazz up any wardrobe for both men and women, adding color to your life can be as simple as buying awesome socks!
“Get your socks on!”

James Field