Alexa Blair Miller stomps, steams and punks her way through Brit retail phenom Allsaints Spitalfields.
The wild west, the civil war, steampunk and biker culture collide in British retail store, Allsaints Spitalfields.
There are leather jackets, androgynous boots and off-kilter basics for men, women and kids. Antique sewing machines line the walls, racks made of rusty metal and burnt wood display neutral-colored clothing and vintage mannequins are adorned with chunky-chain jewelry: all under an industrial-looking roof on New York’s Broadway.
AllSaints is the perfect mix of British punk and America’s Wild West, which partly explains its success in both countries. It has over 70 stores across Europe and raked in $24 million in profits last year
The SoHo store is their first standalone boutique in New York, and earned over $1 million in its first two weeks. Three cities beat New York to the punch (Los Angeles, Miami and Boston) and four are following suit (Santa Monica, Seattle, Las Vegas and San Francisco).
The staff is to be marveled at, or at least worthy of taking style tips from and the store is filled with trendsetters. All people who can inspire you to turn one of AllSaints’ classic worn-out, asymmetrical with seams in all the wrong places shirts or dresses into a fashion statement.
Don’t fret; their leather accessories are easier to wear than items like their deconstructed, sleeveless Bolly top ($135). Their slim-fit, leather brocade cropped jacket ($700) has a military-like feel, while the asymmetric Verga leather gilet ($350, marked down from $500) touts a punk revival. The women’s open-toe sand heel ($250) resembles a Victorian lace-up boot and is nestled between motorcycle-style Damisi boots ($280) and suede Georgie flat oxfords ($195).
Downstairs there’s an array of screen-printed tees with skull logos ($80), rugged men’s jeans ($135) and leather bags ($130-$495).
In the end it doesn’t matter if you’re a biker, punk, civil war or vintage enthusiast, as long as your favorite colors include beige, black, gray and cream, you’re bound to find something to suit your fancy.
512 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 MAP
Phone: 646-862-1832
www.us.AllSaints.com
Alexa Blair Miller is a freelance writer from Scottsdale, Arizona.
