Whiz Kid Alexander Berardi Is Finalizing His First Boutique

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• Image by Patrick McMullan/PatrickMcMullan.com courtesy Alexander Berardi

Alexander Berardi became the youngest designer to show at the tents during Fashion Week with his spring 2010 collection. When he showed his fall 2011 line last February, he got a standing ovation. And now, the 25-year-old New York native is moving into retail. On Fashion's Night Out, he'll open his first boutique at 174 Prince Street, just off the corner of Thompson.

The store isn't quite done yet, but a preview last Friday revealed a clean, bright box of a space with a dressing room done in blue pinstripes. After five months of work and a total gut renovation, it's barely recognizable as the old home of Hans Koch. The walls are covered in crisp white paint, and the floor has "more coats than we've ever designed—or owned," according to Berardi's business partner Christopher Kulukundis. In the back is a royal-blue studio where Berardi plans to design his next collection. He won't have to go far to produce it—the RTW, which runs from roughly $150 to $1100, is made in the Garment District.
· After 30 Years, Hans Koch Says "Auf Weidersehn" to Soho [Racked NY]
· Berardi [Official Site]