CITY Issue 55 - (Page 24) ACTION Karen Millen Takes NYC FASHION: SOHO OPENING The recent arrival of the Karen Millen boutique in SoHo marks yet another European brand that’s setting up shop stateside in the now-auspicious e co n o m i c c l i m a te b est s u i te d fo r fo re i g n shoppers. The trendy luxury brand, considered on the upper echelon of High-Street fashion back in London, has a storybook past. Back in 1981, Karen Millen and her then-husband, Kevin Stanford, started their own line with just 100 yards of white cotton and a £100 loan. Millen, then 19, sewed all of her tailored white shirts single-handedly in a makeshift studio in her parents’ living room. Two years later, the duo opened up the first Karen Millen store. Millen gained mass acclaim for her impeccable designs and reasonable pricing, which fell between designer and mass apparel markets. Success came quickly and four more freestanding shops soon opened up. Bought out in 2004 by the Icelandic retail group Mosaic Fashions LTD for a cool £120 million, the company now operates 110 boutiques in 29 countries worldwide. The opening last month of the 2,500-square-foot New York flagship in the heart of shopping-centric SoHo, heralds a major milestone for the company. “It’s such a proud moment to see our store in New York,” says current creative director and lead designer, Gemma Metheringham. “We love the location for our flagship. It is very inspirational and hopefully it will draw lots of new customers to the brand.” The interior was designed by London-based VISIT THE NEW KAREN MILLEN BOUTIQUE AT 114 PRINCE ST., NEW YORK, (212), 334-8492 modern luxe sentiment that reflects the line’s contemporary glamour. With the original cast iron columns, tin ceilings, exposed brick, and timber wood floors, mixed in with sleek Italian marble and a floor-to-ceiling slatted mirrored-glass wall, the store is a walk-in kaleidoscope. The boutique will stock a colorful mixture of the label’s best sellers, including cocktail party dresses, trench coats, and accessories, in addition to daywear, denim, and lingerie. Metheringham, meanwhile, continues to think big. “We’ve taken the brand created by Karen and moved it into the next century,” she says. “Our aim is to take the love of quality, detail, and the brand’s signature sculpted fit and translate it in a way that keeps us relevant and reflects current trends.” — TRANG CHUONG Go to www.karenmillen.com architecture firm Brinkworth Design, who maintained an old-SoHo feel commingled with a /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Stylish Slumber RELAXATION: BOTTEGA VENETA With its new line of indoor/outdoor pieces, Bottega Veneta ensures that you’re never roughing it, even when you are. The folding camp bed, made of the company’s signature intrecciato leather backed in natural linen, comes with a leather pillow. Pair it with cashmere blankets or matching pieces like Bottega’s folding chairs or Moroccan-style tray table for a luxury camping experience. — EB Go to www.bottegaveneta.com CITY 24 TY http://www.karenmillen.com http://www.bottegaveneta.com
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