New York City Trip Recap - Part 1

On my NYC shopping trip that was discussed so much before the trip, here is how the trip went.

My first stop of the day was to Uniqlo, which I went into detail already.  I arrived at the shop at 11a and was there about an hour.  From Uniqlo I went to Rag & Bone and then to Jack Olive.  Read about those stores by clicking the links.  By that time it was half past one and my stomach was growling loudly.

 

On my way to Delicatessen I passed through Canal st., New York City’s Tijuana or the “Fashion” district in Los Angeles.  Anything can be bought on that street, fake designer bags, colored contacts, fake Rolex watches and of course Obama Condoms.  That’s right, Obama Condoms.

Hawked by a woman with a giant shiny sign above her head Obama Condoms are the “ultimate stimulus package”.  They are “hope flavored” and a perfect way to “remember the election with your next erection”.   They even have McCain condoms as well, but there were no catchy slogans accompanying the McCain condoms.  I would be a miss not to mention that you can buy Obama Condoms online.

Finally I made it to Delicatessen for lunch.  What a nice trendy spot in the Village.  It has good food, beautiful women, a nice décor and a fine bar staff.  I recommend stopping by the establishment for lunch during a shopping excursion, sitting at the bar and ordering from Victor.  He has a great sense of humor, comments on the beautiful woman, has a great grasp of the menu and for making drinks, and will flirt with the woman non-stop.  Compared to him you will look like a saint, a perfect compliment to lunch experience.  I recommend you try the Tuna Tartar, which is among the best I have ever had.  I enjoyed the Cheeseburger spring rolls for there uniqueness but wouldn’t get them again.  Above is a picture of the Fried Chicken with Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread.

After lunch I strolled over to the Liquor Store, as it is called.  It is the J. Crew directional flagship store in Tribeca.  It certainly is not your standard J. Crew retailer but instead a destination store that sells all of the special J. Crew men’s items.  The store holds inventory for the items that generally sold only online and via catalogue, no matter the size of your local J. Crew retailer.  They carry Alden shoes, Red Wing Boots, the special edition Levis and Globe Trotter luggage.  They carry the Burbour jackets, Mackintosh top coats, and Ludlow suits.  They even carry things that can’t be bought online or via the catalogue like vintage Rolex watches, tie-clips and vintage belts.

All and all the store is quite unique and interesting experience.  It is the J. Crew ideal in store form, certainly worth the visit.  As for making the store a normal shopping destination, probably not, but I would stop by for inspirational ideas and to try on unique items.  Few other places can you try on the Mackintosh coat to make sure the size fits just right or the pair of Alden oxblood loafers.  I also have to commend the store for having a selection of items sold only at the Liquor Store.  Most people notice the tie-clips, Rolexs and belts, but I took note of the bags and books.

The Liquor Store by J. Crew had a nice selection of Weekender Bags and over the shoulder totes that are not yet sold online.  They also have a selection of books, which seemed quite interesting.  It seemed to me that someone had taken as much time choosing the books as they had choosing the clothes.  For me those details do not go unrecognized.  In the photo above you can see the black leather weekender, it has clean lines and a cool classic shape.  Quite a handsome and smart looking bag.

On my way to my next store I encountered a group of street performers singing outside of yet another J. Crew down the street.  They were quite fun to watch and listen to.  Tomorrow I will post Part 2 of this journey.

Rag & Bone - Minimalistic Elegance

Rag & Bone has a small studio store off the main drag, in what feels like a back alley.  The location is very fitting for the brand and their style, like a secret in plain sight.

The store, like the clothing is very minimalistic, simple, and uncluttered.  The display racks held one or maybe two examples of each item.  The men’s rack on the left side of the wall the women’s rack on the right; a table sharing accessories dividing the middle of the store.

In the back of the store sat a beautiful antique leather couch and chairs.  This was near the shoes and fitting room.  The store provided a simple, utilitarian design that uses absence of design and lack of flair to make a statement.  The clothing beautifully mimicked that design ethos.  Overall the clothing had plain muted colors, almost monochromatic, raw and untreated.

The clothing had clean lines and a slim fit.  The designs were deconstructed, removing the embellishments of style and leaving only the utilitarian elements.  Anything that will distract from the cut and fit of the garment is edited out of the final garment.  Quite a refreshing & classic design, especially considering the monstrosity Ed Hardy Store is a block away.  Rag & Bone is a refuge from the over indulgent clothing that permeates most stores.

I really enjoyed a few items they had on display, including a great pair of black boots.  They had a round toe, nice plain black leather, well constructed design, leather soles and all embellishments & unique design elements were removed in favor of clean, classic lines.  The elegance was in the minimalistic design.

I also enjoyed a beautiful gray suit.  It had beautiful classic lines with thin lapels and a slim fit cut.  No flaps on the hip pockets or patch pocket on the breast.  The fabric and cut of the jacket do the work in the garment; sometimes that is all that is needed.

I was impressed with the quality, feel and look of the wool garments.  Rag & Bone had wool beanies, sweaters and gloves that all beautifully weaved, with a vintage look.  The wool was almost as soft as the finest cashmere, yet it did not look to be delicate and airy.  The wool obviously was of the highest quality, breathable, strong and amazingly soft.

Rag & Bone certainly moved up my list of designers with a visit to the NYC store and that is the point to a retail location, isn’t it?