The UWS Kate Spade Will Be Like Walking Into a Big Bow

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

The Kate Spade team has presented their design for an upcoming Columbus Avenue store and it's inspired by bows. The shop will stand in the place of a neighborhood institution, the Emerald Inn, which has been open for seventy years. In order to make changes to the 1887-built building, the Spade brigade had to show their plans to the area's community board their design, and next they'll need to present to the Landmarks Preservations Committee.

So what does bow-inspired mean for a storefront? The doorway will have a slight indentation creating a v-shaped look resembling, yes, a bow. This will be a first for any of the brand's New York stores, but they have used this design for outposts in Brazil and Ohio—exotic.

Philip Rosenzweig, of the company's design group, explains, "the general rule of thumb is don't test [designs] in New York City." Other details of the storefront include arctic blue accents, a black awning with the spade logo, and an unlit Kate Spade sign. Rosenzweig describes the look as understated and, "a nod to an older style."
· Kate Spade Plans Bow-Inspired Storefront for UWS Location [DNA Info]
· Changes in Spades [Racked NY]
· 70-Year-Old UWS Bar to Close, Kate Spade to Move In [Racked NY]