In a nutshell
British architect Sophie Hick's minimalist take on Alaia's move from wholesale to D2C.
In their words
"A legendary Parisian fashion Maison with a Couture soul, Alaïa celebrates the power of femininity and the timelessness of beauty"
Visit Field notes
Part of the D2C push by the Richemont-owned brand, the store is a celebration of Soho with a minimal store behind fogged-out windows. Once inside the products are the heros, with an enviable array of ready to wear apparel and handbags. Decoration is from American luminaries like Robert Rauschenberge, Jonathan Horowitz, Donald Judd. This is a lesson in a compact brand showcase.
Other Reading
An alluring space that is obscured by the teasing frosted windows. Occasionally the roped queue will give away that something's happening. Inside the narrow, polished concrete front area gives way to a triple-height, bright area. The clothes are the focus against this stark, barely post-industrial background.
Others wrote:
Vogue - Alaia's return to New York - https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/alaia-store-opening-soho-2023
Conjuring the spirit of Alaia - https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/alaia-new-york-store-mercer-nyc-1235469477/Â
LAST VISITED
2024
Added
2023
COMPARE WITH
Stylish, recently-expanded store to highlight the On running range, with an extended selection of clothing. Hidden gait analysis and the 'magic wall' that reveals all sizes. Enormous window frontage.
A lab/clinic/party setting in which you blend your own lipstick shades, lip balm etc. Appointments range from an hour (for one person) to all-day events for larger groups.
A Meatpacking showcase for the electric-first, chunky 'Adventure vehicles" - experience, learning, configuration and test drives, with lots of lifestyle design queues in a generous location.
Luxury second-hand goods (clothing, jewellery, objets, curated and displayed in an aspirational townhouse venue.
Similar shops
Stylish, recently-expanded store to highlight the On running range, with an extended selection of clothing. Hidden gait analysis and the 'magic wall' that reveals all sizes. Enormous window frontage.
A three-floor, 23,000 square foot experience with a Reserve on the ground floor, their first Restaurant on the first floor, and a bar-cum-training-cum-experience area in the basement.
A pioneering concept store in the Marais, renowned for its inspirational mix of fashion, homeware, and design-led products, all curated with an anthropologist’s eye for contemporary urban lifestyles a...
Samsung goes one further than the Apple Store
Third NYC opening of the food group, with a landmark building comprising restaurants, marketplace, cafe, local delivery and private dining.
Brand-defining chic showroom that makes the car a star, alongside a basement presentation area, a Korean restaurant and rooftop library.









