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Fashion Week need-to-knows: New York retail

2019 is just getting underway, but the fashion calendar is already speeding into A/W 19, with the traditional womenswear season taking off around the big four fashion capitals, starting out East in NYC.

This season has been a sobering one for New York retail. The closures of Fifth Avenue heavyweights Lord & Taylor and Henri Bendel prove that nobody is protected from a shifting retail landscape. The pressure to adapt and evolve has seen retailers doubling down on their bricks-and-mortar presence. New openings from digitally-native brands, as well as exciting, experience-led offerings from high street stores leave plenty to be excited by.

So, if you find yourself in-between shows this season – or you’re trying to dodge the fashion week frenzy – take a look at some of the best store openings across the city.

650 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10019 | Tel: +1 212 376 948 | nike.com

A staggering 68,000 sq ft space plays host to the new Nike flagship, dubbed House of Innovation 000. At six storeys, each floor boasts a different offering, taking several of Nike’s LA store concepts and scaling them to complement New York’s Midtown energy. An entire floor dubbed the Speed Shop uses local data to replenish the shelves, tailoring product to consumer demand. Meanwhile, customers with NikePlus memberships can reserve items via the app and have them held in-store in a locker, ready for pickup at the shopper’s convenience

 

The North Face Prototype

134 N 6th Street, Williamsburg, NY, 11249 | Tel: +1 718-782-5380 | stores.thenorthface.com/ny/brooklyn

The North Face has opened a 4,000 sq ft prototype outpost in Williamsburg. The new space is designed to be curated, personalised and fluid, making it a different experience every month. With no cash register or any screens in-store, customers can use a mobile POS to access an online-to-offline platform which enables them to purchase directly online, pick up in-store or request shipping. The store offers special drops, curated selections, limited-edition pieces and collaborative items, and serves as a place for community events.

 

Lingua Franca

382 Bleecker Street, West Village, NY, 10014 | Tel: +1 917 261 7978 | linguafranca.nyc

Known for its sweaters embroidered with witty and feminist phrases, Lingua Franca has opened a physical location in the West Village. The boutique was designed by the brand’s founder, Rachelle Hruska MacPherson and her husband, Sean MacPherson, who is responsible for establishments such the Bowery and the Waverly Inn. Alongside the brand’s signature pieces, the store offers a range of jewellery by Of Rare Origin. During store hours, shoppers who visit Lingua Franca will be able to watch the all-female in-house team embroidering the apparel.

FORM Atelier
 19 Mercer Street, SoHo, NY, 10013 | Tel: +1 347 290 9030 | form-atelier.com

FORM Atelier, founded by Quy Nguyen and Avril Nolan, was only available online or by appointment until a bricks-and-mortar collaboration with The Shop at The Wythe Hotel in 2017 offering antique home goods, textiles, clothing and jewellery, and pieces from luxury brands such as Chanel and YSL. After its success, FORM decided to open a permanent retail space in SoHo on the ground floor of a heritage-listed building. Small but cosy, the boutique offers vintage and antique pieces alongside a selection of home, lifestyle and beauty brands.

Moncler House of Genius

106 Spring Street, SoHo, NY, 10012 | Tel: +1 646 678 5680 | moncler.com

As part of Moncler’s “House of Genius” project, which invited eight luxury designers to reinterpret its famous down jacket, the Italian brand has inaugurated an exceptional spot in New York City. Part concept store, part exhibition and interactive space, the project redefines traditional shopping. The store houses creations by Simone Rocha, Kei Ninomiya, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, Craig Green, Kei Ninomiya, and Hiroshi Fujiwara in addition to other limited-edition products such as couture dog down jackets and duvet covers for laptops.

Naadam
 
392 Bleecker Street, West Village, NY, 10014| Tel: +1 646 838 5329 | naadam.co

Naadam, the direct-to-consumer cashmere brand founded by Matt Scanlan and Diederik Rijsemus, has opened its first store, a 1,000 sq ft unit on Bleecker Street. Cedar walls and decorative clouds constructed of cashmere hung from the ceiling immediately set a cosy mood, alongside a combination of photography, graphic design and tools displayed in cases. There is also an experiential aspect, as customers can put on a VR headset, look into one of the clouds and learn about where, how, and by who the pieces are made.

For the full rundown on all the latest openings, head to the New Stores by City page over on WGSN Insight.

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