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Barneys officially began welcoming the public to its first Brooklyn store today at 10am. Unlike the Trader Joe's next door, which attracted a diverse crowd of enthusiastic supermarket fans when it debuted two years ago, Barneys didn't open to a line. But about two minutes after 10, the doors swung open to reveal three well-dressed women pushing three giant prams, and after that, the deluge began.
The Atlantic Avenue Co-op isn't very different from any other Barneys Co-op, and that's precisely the point. Creative director Simon Doonan told us that the store made "no compromises" for Brooklyn: It still carries all the Alexander Wang, Richard Chai Love, and ALC that you'd expect to find at the Co-op in Soho, and the space still has that quintessentially airy-urban Barneys feel.
Store designers were picturing an artist's loft when they planned the ground floor, which is bright and industrial, with womenswear (Vince, Rag & Bone, Helmut Lang) dominating and menswear (including a full Thom Browne section) on the left. Downstairs, the atmosphere is warmer, as are the clothes. A thorough outerwear section carries brands like Dunderdon and Spiewak, while Pendleton's western prints add pops of color around the room. Both the front and back walls have shelves filled with denim—one shelf for men and one for women. It's all blended together nicely, so that if you show up with someone of the opposite gender, you'll still feel like you're shopping together.
Back to Simon Doonan, who chatted with us while he wasn't helping carry strollers down the stairs (really!): He's not quite ready to move to Brooklyn, which seems fair since he owns a place in Manhattan. He's got big plans for holiday windows but can't go crazy with the Brooklyn store because it doesn't have too much frontage (sorry, Atlantic Avenue). And he's very excited that the Co-op is now carrying the venerable French house Carven, which is "going to be huge next season"—so ladies, if you stop in, head to that rack first.
· All Barneys Co-Op Brooklyn coverage [Racked NY]
· Live at the Trader Joe's Brooklyn Opening [Racked NY]
· The Barneys Christmas Windows Are Going to Be Delicious [Racked NY]
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