It’s high summer, and more new stores have opened in SoHo. Most of these brands are less expensive, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring. Several stores are coming from notable mall brands presenting completely new concepts while others have arrived from abroad. But all of them are offering experiences to completely different customer bases. And yet, they all feel at home in SoHo. And it’s the shoppers who are benefiting from these new ideas and stimulating experiences, like sharefronting.
What’s a sharefront, you ask? The Den is a perfect example. A mixed use store with an interesting business model, it has a bit of everything. Different brands of clothing, a coffee bar, magazines, art and even a pool table. It calls itself a sharefront (as opposed to a storefront). Blvck Paris is one of the brands carried here. Blvck offers clothing and accessories for men and women in the color black (of course), with an avant-garde sensibility.
The magazines fill a wall at the entrance to the store. The coffee bar is to the right. The space is full of light as there is a large skylight at the back. The Den also hosts a lot of events and gallery openings. Interestingly, they do not have a website, and use their Instagram to post invites for events and openings.
The magazines comprise a mix of fashion, art, and lifestyle publications from around the world. There are a few books for sale as well. There are not many places left in the city to find these sort of magazines, let alone magazines.
Clothing and accessories from labels such as Comme Des Garçons Play, Olive & Chain, Lost Tribes and others have a casual vibe. Labels are displayed separately, and the looks are not merchandised together.
On the lower level pieces from different artists are for sale. A bar is put to use when there are openings; and musicians perform. A billards table is available if you want to linger. You can even buy some interesting hand-painted sneakers. The store likes to think of itself as a community location that offers many options to many people. And they succeed in doing so.
The Den, 69 Mercer Street
Me+EM has been opening stores in the US. Their first New York store is on Madison Avenue, and recently they opened a store in Soho. Each one has a different look.
The English brand excels at making easy-t0-wear clothing for everyday use, at very reasonable prices. From feminine dresses to relaxed jackets and key denim pieces, to more pulled together looks, the store offers a little bit of everything.
The accessories are also well thought out. Shoes and bags are casual and fun. Hats and belts add to their look. Many of the leather goods are made in Italy.
There is no one Me+Em look. Some clothes are on the more feminine side, and others are crisp and clean. The sporty looks on the left are simple and clean.
You can put many different outfits together by mixing the different pieces of the collection. The colors of the season unify each collection. It’s a popular shop to visit.
Me+Em, 111 Mercer Street
Anine Bing is another label that is expanding. They have moved a few doors down the street from their previous SoHo location. The brand’s elegant essentials continue to sell well.
An interesting selection of jewely is sold. Newly created pieces are mixed with select vintage pieces. The brand is also growing the shoe and bag categories.
The sleek looks have a more sophisticated slant. The colors are minimalist, and while there are very few prints, the clean colors are anything but boring.
Anine Bing, 75 Greene Street
Bared is an Australian footwear company that opened its first New York store recently. The founder was a podiatrist and she recognized the need for shoes that fit a variety of feet while looking good. With the prices of designer footwear often soaring past $1,000 a pair, offering attractive shoes under $300 seemed like a good idea, she thought.
Everything is designed with comfort in mind. Bared offers specially-designed insoles, and some shoes come with customization kits so you can adjust some of the fit. And the quality of the leather is quite nice.
Bared has worked with the same family owned factory in China for many years. As the business grew, factories in Portugal and Brazil started producing the shoes too. The business is big on being sustainable and waste free. And a percentage of the profits are donated to a charity.
There is a collection of unisex sneakers and a small selection of classic men’s shoes. As the company is Australian, naturally there are a few pairs of shearling boots and slippers. Come winter, boots will replace the sandals.
Bared, 152 Spring Street
Herschel Supply has opened a few stores of its own in the city. One of them is on Broadway in SoHo, and has merch for men, women and kids. Bags and backpacks are their specialty, but they have been expanding into other categories.
Interestingly, the bag-maker also makes raincoats. Maybe that has to do with the type of fabric used in the coats. But Herschel also offers several styles of pants and sweatpants. The clothing for men and women is very similar; it’s the sizing that is different.
There are lots of tees and sweats for sale. Along with jackets and shirts for men. Accessories include headgear and socks. And spots of color are added.
Women share a lot of the prints with the men’s collection. One of the prints is a stylized version of the Milton Glaser-designed New York Magazine logo. The women’s selection is narrower than that for men.
It is with bag, understandably, that Herschel stands out. They offer so many different categories and prints and colors. The square bag on the left is an insulated cooler. They also make diaper bags, wallets, tech cases in addition to the signature back packs. Hard and soft luggage is also available, as well as travel kits and cubes. And back to school is a big season for them, so kid-sized bags and hats do very well.
Herschel Supply, 543 Braodway
Abercrombie & Fitch has come a long way in the past few years. Originally founded as a supplier for the outdoor life, the brand was purchased in the late 1980s by Les Wexner of the Limited, and was under the stewardship of Mike Jeffries. He revamped the chain’s image by used hunky male models in sexual beefcake poses, shot by top photographers. Business boomed, but tanked around the 2008 bust. Jeffries was making tackless comments and Abercrombie was losing money. Mr. Jeffries stepped away ten years ago, but accusations of sexual exploitation hounded him for years.
In 2023, the BBC made a documentary on the scandal and a lawsuit was filed by a male model who accused the CEO of sex trafficking. None of this was good for business, but a few years ago a new female CEO took over, and profits are flowing again. The stock price is up 80%. Who doesn’t love a good comeback story?!
The new A&F has revamped both its men’s and women’s offerings. The models on the website are more approachable, and the fashions are for everyone. Most importantly, the prices have been lowered so they are in line with other mall brands. And the Wedding Shop, offering dresses for less than $200, is extremely successful. Sometimes boring sells better than beefcake!
The men’s clothing is now for normal men. The logoed tees are mostly gone, and not everything is skin tight. Crafting what looks like vintage tees using national team logos or image that are perhaps from old ads is one of the new design team’s themes. They are selling well.
The denim was revamped, too. The old Abercrombie carried mostly smaller sizes in … everything. But sizing has been made more inclusive and their Curve Love fit, in particular, is a hit.
If the stores under the old A&F management reeked of their strong cologne and offered “preppy” clothes on sexual steroids, today’s A&F is a softer and gentler take on what younger people might want to wear. And it looks like that they actually do.
Abercrombie & Fitch, 547 Broadway
FP Movement is a concept that first appeared in areas in the Free People stores. A few years ago the was a small FP Movement store on Spring Street. That closed, but recently a very large store opened on Broadway. FP offers fashion solutions for running, hiking, surfing, tennis, yoga or just hanging out. And it is more than just spandex; it is aimed at active young women who like a casual, sporty life.
Karl Lagerfeld once opined that “jogging pants are a sign of defeat.” I still quite understand why some people think it’s attractive to run around the city in lycra leggings and a bra top. Thankfully, FP Movement brings some design chops to the table, and offers wearable clothes that can move between sporty activities and a casual lifestyle.
There are jogging pants, but they are paired with different kinds of tops. And for summer, there are plenty of different kinds of shorts. At the back of the store there is a large space that is curtained off. In a few months it will become a FP Movement Studio, and offer classes. Studios currently exist in Austin and Chicago.
In different locations around the country, the store also runs hike days, tennis events and more. There is a large downstairs stocked with more clothing, as well as a big selection of sneakers and sports shoes.
The assortment of clothing for sale is large. The late Mr. Lagerfeld, wherever he is, still may not approve of the looks, but they are a big improvement on the choices of old. As the concept is rolled out around the country, its popularity will certainly grow.
Free People Movement, 583 Broadway
