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Cole Haan Borrows Ace Hotel Designers for New Soho Shop

By Izzy Grinspan Sep 20, 2010, 5:11pm EDT

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Being known for making sensible grown-up shoes is a double-edged sword, so you can't blame Cole Haan for moving ever so slightly away from its classic reputation and towards the realm of youth culture. Last year, the brand launched the Cole Rood & Haan spin-off with a photo shoot by hipster photographer Todd Selby at downtown locations like Maryam Nassir Zadeh and The Smile. Now, they're taking things even further by opening a Soho location.

The new boutique, at the corner of Prince and Wooster, was decorated by design firm Roman and Williams, which also did the Ace and Standard Hotels. They gave the space a warm, lounge-y feel with reclaimed oak floors and an oversized ottoman. A workshop space in the back will house rotating collections from Cole Haan's design studio. Sure, it's not a raw warehouse in Bushwick, but it's still a change for a brand whose other four NYC locations are all above 14th Street.