New Department Store Trinity Place Suddenly Appears Downtown

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Last week, Trinity Place soft-opened at 61 Broadway in the Financial District. The department store will eventually fill three floors of the building with clothing for men, women, and children from labels like Sylvia Lee, Trollied Dolly, Rock'n Royalty, and Burkinabe Couture.

If none of those names mean anything to you, you're not alone. This it the first location for Trinity Place, which plans to launch more flagships in London, Paris, and Milan come 2013. Its parent company, Le Bunny Bleu, operates 82 stores worldwide, but their local presence amounts to a website full of under-$100 ballet flats. And many of the brands it carries are based in Europe or Australia, making this their U.S. debut.

With so little information, it's hard to tell who the store's audience will be. The company's mission statement name-checks affordability and uniqueness, explaining, "We've spent a tremendous amount of time and effort on differentiating ourselves on all fronts." There's a picture of a world-traveler type walking down the steps of a church, and another few shots of hippie chicks in fields—nothing too revealing. As for the renderings, they have a sleek Zara vibe, which seems promising. But it's impossible to tell without making the trip downtown.
· Trinity Place Opens Department Store Downtown [WWD, subscription req'd]
· Le Bunny Bleu [Official Site]
· Trinity Place [Official Site]