Shopping
I’ve been on the hunt for a particular pair of Dior shoes for MONTHS now. I’ve been to just about every store in Manhattan that carries Dior, left my name and number with sales associates, asked them to please let me know if a pair ever shows up, etc. I’ve even ordered them online, only to have my order canceled, and gone all the way up to Bergdorf after seeing they had them in stock, only to find out they weren’t. It’s become a whole thing.
So when I was in London a couple weeks ago and spotted a pair sitting in a Dior window display, I had to go inside and ask. Now, I know that window display merchandise is generally separate from salable inventor, so I wasn’t expecting much. Sure enough, I was met with the same response I’ve been getting for months: no, but I’ll take your info in case something comes in.
Two days later, the SA texts me. Apparently, the shoes in the window are my size, and they’re changing the window display in five days. Would I want that pair? She was suddenly very eager to make this happen, sending me bank details for a wire transfer, the whole nine yards. She told me she’d reach out on the day they changed the displays to arrange payment.
Welp, that day came and went. Nothing. I followed up once. No response. Followed up again. Still nothing. Ghosted.
And I swear to god, as I’m sitting here writing this rant two weeks later, she finally texts me:
I’m sorry, WHAT? After all that, this is the follow up?
And look, this is an incredibly ridiculous problem to have. But the whole experience has reminded me of something I’ve been noticing for years now: the luxury retail experience is just not what it used to be. The prices keep going up, but the service, attention to detail, and actual dedication of SA’s seem to be going in the opposite direction. The experience of shopping at a luxury house used to be part of what you were paying for. While I have had some amazing experiences recently, in Paris particularly, they’re no longer the norm.
Anyway, I’ve decided the universe is trying to tell me that these shoes are simply not meant to be mine. I have faith that Jonathan Anderson is somewhere cooking up an even better, more magical whimsical shoe for me to collect in the near future.
Oh, deer!
There’s a new animal print of the moment, and it might just be giving leopard a run for its money. I’ve been noticing Bambi print popping up everywhere lately, from shoes and handbags to coats and skirts, and I’m very into it. It’s a little softer and more sweet than your typical animal print, and I think it makes a particularly good case for treating animal print as a neutral. I’ve rounded up 50 of my favorite fawn pprint pieces for your shopping pleasure here.
And finally, I’ve put together 3 fall outfits that I’d very much like to be wearing right now. A little outfit inspo for getting dressed this weekend, whether you’re looking to shop for something new or just need some ideas for putting together what you already own:
Fawn print not your thing? I’m also loving zebra right now:
Culture
I was reminded, yet again, that the Brooklyn Museum often does fashion exhibits better than The Met. The Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses exhibit at Brooklyn Museum blows the Costume Institute’s current Costume Art exhibition out of the water…the latter of which I found so unbelievably dull and uninspired. Tbh, there hasn’t been a good Met Gala exhibition since 2018’s Heavenly Bodies (and not just because I attended the extremely iconic Versace after party at The Mark that year…but I digress).
Sculpting the Senses is a mid-career retrospective, showcasing the Dutch designer’s groundbreaking work that bridges couture with technological innovation. A frequent collaborator with architects, engineers, chemists and more she’s constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship. The exhibition includes everything from dresses made with living algae and ocean plastic to contemporaryy artworks and designs that complement her creations, along with hours of footage documenting her design process. Every single piece was so fascinating to me that I completely lost track of time and spent several hours wandering through the exhibition, totally consumed by it all.
The exhibit closes January 3. GO!
I’ve wanted to visit Green-Wood Cemetery for ages, and finally made it there for Nightfall, an after-dark event where the cemetery comes alive with musical performances, DJs, art projections on mausoleums, and moody candlelit displays. The whole event felt like we were inside the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney. Green-Wood hosts a lot of fun events throughout the year, and I’d definitely love to go back during the daytime to explore more (it was very dark and disorienting - adding to the spookiness) and take one of their trolley tours.
Another uniquely New York experience I finally checked off my bucket list was Sinatra Saturdays at The Carnegie Club. Sure, it felt a bit touristy, but often times those end up being the most fun nights. Being a tourist in your own city gives you a little perspective, and reminds me of why people from all over the world want to come here in the first place. If you want to go, reservations open exactly 60 days in advance, and they book up almost immediately. Pay the extra $20 for Premium Seating, or else your view will be of a bookshelf.
On My Radar
Fillings, the mini pie company (& collaborator on the viral Apollo Bagels s’mores bagel) just opened their first physical retail shop at 272 Bleecker St (open thru 12/24).
Altbau, a new bakery in Williamsburg
Speaking of Altbau…Copenhagen darling Atelier September will be popping up there November 7-8
Roy Lichtenstein: Like New exhibition at the Whitney
The new futuristic La Cabra flagship in Chelsea
June Baby, a new Filipino cocktail bar in the East Village
I want this dirt cup tiramisu from La Cantine in Bushwick
Until next week -
xo
Lo
I had no idea the sort of chase you’ve been on