Critical Shopping

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We knew even before we read the article that Times Critical Shopper Cintra Wilson would not be a fan of Vince, a luxe-casual label that turns out $135 hoodies and $118 tank tops. She visits the company's new MePa boutique, and is immediately smitten with a denim jumpsuit—that is, until she tries it on. "I wanted this blue-collar factory uniform to be less preening and wussed out, and I wanted it to be well under $325. The affair ended abruptly. But this experience encapsulated what I always imagined was the overarching concept of Vince, in a nutshell: 'Hey! Let’s do basic, egalitarian shapes and colors like Gap does, only let’s make everything in swanky, luxurious materials so it’s affordable only to a select few.'" [NYT]