Don’t get scared: the sidewalk sale is INSIDE the store. We don’t want everything getting wet, burned from the heat or flying away!
This is the very first time we are doing this and we are bringing out all the stops. We have clothes from every designer, jewelry from all of our jewelry designers, (except Annemieke) giftware and accessories including scarves, handbags, gloves, socks, well: every category! In just about every instance everything will be marked down 60-80%. We will also have some big surprises at 20% off but you have to come in to see what they are! We need a little bit of time to set up but we should be ready to go by 1pm tomorrowand we will end it all on Saturday at 5! This is going to be so much fun!
Also tomorrow we are getting our third shipment of Rundholz and it includes some dresses, skirts and gloves.
We are CLOSED on Monday for the holiday and we hope you have a fantastic Labor Day!
Lots of people are already signed up for Chef Amy Brandwein’s conversation but we still have room for several more. Please email us your RSVP and feel free to bring friends. We cannot wait to eat all her fabulous food. (Although we take out from there at least twice a week!) Here is an invitation you can send out below:
Join us for Off the Rack: Conversations at Upstairs on 7th on September 10th when we welcome Chef Amy Brandwein, owner of Centrolina and the new Piccolina. Both restaurants are wonderful and our dinner that evening will of course be catered by Chef Amy. Please RSVP because, as always, we have limited space. Dinner will be served starting at 5:30 with the conversation starting at 7. There is no charge for this event.
Mark your calendars for the Ray Harris show. He will be here Thursday, September 19th through Saturday September 21st. Katy has seen the line and she said it is so beautiful with lots of leopard print in any color you want. Here is a scarf he sent ahead so you can see how gorgeous it is. I love the leopard skirt I have from Giada Forte so much and I wear it so often that Katy has banned me from wearing it more than once a week. I am going to get another one from Ray in indigo and black to wear on the off days!!
And speaking of Katy, go get a glass of wine, sit back and read the newest installation of Katy’s Miscellany!
Katy’s Miscellany
I’m back! It seemed like a minute to me, but when my Mom saw me, I got the impression she didn’t feel the same. I may never get to go on vacation again, so I’m glad I enjoyed this one so much.
My first stop was to visit Annemieke in Amsterdam. In her home studio, she is busy sewing beautiful kimonos made from vintage Japanese fabrics. I didn’t realize that Annemieke originally studied fashion design so this is a return to her roots. All of them have matching necklaces, making them dramatic and spectacular. I also visited Annemieke’s jewelry studio, a wonderful building in the center of a smaller town outside the city, where everyone knows everyone in the best way. There I made my own multi-dot necklace! It was much more complicated than I thought it would be, so many steps, but the result is so pretty (I had some assistance at the end!) I don’t think I will be hired anytime soon.
After some time at the beach, eating warm Stroopwafels and cheese from the market, visiting the best newsstand I’ve ever been to and doing a little pen shopping, I took the Chunnel to London.
The Chunnel was so much fun. So civilized. The wine helped.
London was a dream! I took a course on making Lapis Lazuli pigment with a wonderful tutor from Sussex who has been studying traditional arts for over 40 years. Making Lapis is no easy task. It took eleven of us five days to extract enough pigment to take home less than a teaspoon each! I loved every minute of it.
The rest of my London trip, I spent with Ray. I saw his spring/summer 2020 collection and as usual, he has pushed the bar and made incredible garments for us all to wear next season. I already have an order in for two of the pieces: a leopard print dress in silver and a hot pink skirt in a new crinkle that looks like quartz crystals. That skirt will take me from the shop with sneakers to black tie. I can’t wait for you to see what he’s done when he visits in September. As a side note, women of every age are wearing leopard print in London, so Ray is right on the mark and of course his version is as sophisticated as it is cool.
Aside from seeing his latest fashions, we went to the Tate Modern together, saw Fiddler on the Roof in the West End (an incredible production by Trevor Nunn,) ate at two wonderful restaurants: Mildred’s and Dishoom and caught up on things. I love him. He’s one of the best parts of U7 for me.
Okay, last things, most important things, what is in the store or about to be in the store:
Rachel Comey will deliver the last parts of our order in the next few days and I think it is one of her best. All of the pieces are special: think micro sequins, the perfect black day dress, her signature trench coats, and statement earrings.
At the end of the day today, we’ll receive most of our Giada Forte order. For all of you who collect her coats, I will see you in the morning tomorrow. She did gorgeous Zebra print coats in two lengths, a coat that is like a teddybear (it’s good, I promise,) and some plaid dusters (I don’t need to tell you that plaid is everywhere!) We’ll also get her perfect black pant which some of you collect now. There are only one in each size, so visit!
We will also get some of our Epice scarves by the end of the week, I think. You all loved them so much, we ordered additional styles this year, but there are still only one or two of each, so don’t delay!
I’m placing orders for holiday gifts this week and I have lots of things up my sleeve that I am really excited about. We’ll have some of the usual favorites, but I really wanted to find things that no one else has so that you could buy for your very toughest to shop for recipients. We’ll also be offering gift-wrapping for all of of our smaller items this season, so make a list of who you need to shop for and I will help you do the rest.
Apologies for the length of this entry, I’m just super inspired from being abroad!
More next week, but less, I promise!
Katy