A Sneak Peek Inside Catherine Malandrino

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Change is afoot at the Catherine Malandrino shop in Soho. Back in September, when the pricey boutique closed for "inventory," rumors abounded. The place went dark, but nobody really knew what was coming next. Then in October Elie Tahari came to the rescue! Malandrino announced that she was partnering with Tahari and Arthur Levine, blogging that the trio would take the Malandrino brand "to a new dimension."

In December Catherine tweeted she'd be a guest executioner on Project Runway All Star, then jetted off to St. Tropez to ring in the New Year. A wise word to all you young designers: This is how to re-start a faltering brand.

This week at Malandrino's shop, we found the front door secured by a hefty chained padlock. The knob was gone, leaving a big hole in the door. We could hardly be expected to resist a sneak peek. Inside we spied a crew buzzing away, giving the place do-over. Scaffolding and ladders were all about, the stainless steel racks swathed in drop cloths. Catherine's big yellow poof is still there, upended and sheathed in plastic wrap.

Mirrors reflect the activity inside, but what the future holds here on the corner of Greene and Broome is still a mystery. Malandrino recently revealed some Black Label Pre-Fall 2012 slipdresses with lots of lace in WWD, and promises to have lots more to show come February.
· Catherine Malandrino Store Closed: "On the Verge of Shutting Down" [Racked]
· Elie Tahari and Athur Levine Forge Partnership with Catherine Malandrino [Catherine Malandrino blog]
· Malandrino [style.com]