By X for Y -The Method behind the Madness of Co-Branding

From Yves St Laurent to Ralph Lauren, many fashion designers' personal names (and personalities) have become synonymous with the fashion houses they represent. Anything associated with them often becomes more coveted. These days a designer’s name is his/her most valuable asset and designers are lending their names and skills to mass-market retailers for exclusive and temporary collections. Cole Haan for Nike, Alice & Oliva for Payless, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Anna Sui for Target, and Jimmy Choo for H&M are just some of the unexpected concepts as well as names that are not only gaining instant buzz, but are shunning convention and breaking down the usual rules of fashion. Co-branding allows elite fashion-houses to crossover a brand into new markets and attain instant credibility. These partnerships create affordable luxury. While the prices are thrifty, the apparel's designs remain on-trend and true to each label's aesthetic. The irony is that often these pieces are more exclusive than the designers primary collections and end-up on eBay auctioning off for exuberant prices (re: studded leather jacket from Alexander McQueen for Target) or they are sold out in a matter of minutes (re: fashionistas swarmed H&M's Manhattan flagship and gutted the store in under 30 minutes when Roberto Cavalli designed for H&M). Check out KPA designed Adidas for Stella McCartney designed kicks, Lesportsac for Stella McCartney luggage line, and Forever 21 for Fifi Lapin’s exclusive T-shirt collection.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow...

Food has an expiration date, films have limited engagements, and vacation hot spots have seasonal restrictions, but this year’s latest recession trend of pop-up stores seems to put retail in the same category of here today gone tomorrow. Pop-up stores are literally as the name suggests, temporary stores set up by retailers either in unconventional locations or in a vacant established retail space. Retailers are catering to this new concept off mass-clusivity and using impermanence as a marketing tool. These fleeting stores are used by retailers to introduce themselves into new markets where they have not yet established a real estate presence or to generate publicity for an already accepted brand through a new medium. A driving force behind this trend lies in increasing retail vacancies. For landlords, the temporary outposts offer much needed income when a space is languishing between leases. Opportunistic leasing in today's marketplace offers maximum return for a limited investment. Mainstream retailers such as Target, The Limited, Gucci and Brooks Brothers have been pioneering the pop-up retail front since 2004. Target has no brick and motor presences in Manhattan proper to date, but time after time, has set up temporary outposts throughout the city selling their well sought after merchandise. Often these stores open in tandem with industry events such as Fashion Week and/or to celebrate the launch of limited designer collections. Moreover, pop-ups are proving to be beneficial opportunities for young designers (whose only reach to customers is through e-commerce and wholesale) to play hardball with the 5th Ave big shots. New York Magazine recently examined the economics of guerrilla retailing to see if this new trend could turn a profit for an up and coming designer. Using Lyz Olko’s line, Obesity and Speed, as a case study, they found that a lifespan of 60 days earned this rising designer $11,050 in the bank. Expenses for such stores include: set-up, marketing, opening party (optional), garment production, transporting merchandise, and staffing. Cost can be kept to a minimum as most pop-ups are taking a barebones approach to décor and focusing energy on the merchandise mix. This “movement of the moment” has opened the door for online operations such as BlueFly.com to step out of their comfort zone and gain some real-world experience. Ebay used popup’s to combat their flea market image and showoff a more upscale and innovative image.
Always on trend at Kenneth Park Architects, in addition to standard build-outs we have been working with clients such as MAC, BCBG, and Adidas from TX to CA to VA to NC to create temporary spaces that are consistent in design with their current stores. These shops provide the opportunity to offer "hot" trend items, seasonal products, and to test new products in the marketplace. Your favorite retailers are becoming more accessible and are giving you the opportunity to shop in a new light. This intentionally temporary style of retailing is sure to make a permanent dent on today’s retailing landscape.

Fashion Coast to Coast

New York City is hands-down known as America’s fashion capital. Next only to finance, fashion is the second-largest sector of industry in New York City—the headquarters of more than 800 fashion companies, employing 175,000 people and generating $10 billion in total wages. The City is even dedicating a whole evening, Fashion’s Night Out, to celebrate (and to boost) the consumer spirit. One cannot walk the streets of New York without becoming a part of the city itself; eclectic fashion statements add on to the social fabric and energy of the city. I n New York, clothes are not just forms of expressions, but armor protecting against us from unpredictable weather to armies of brief carrying suits and packs of eager tourists. Fashion may be an integral part of New York’s identity, but to think that Manhattan is the only fashion orientated city in the US is as big as a faux pas as wearing white after Labor Day. As New Yorkers, it is time to remove our oversized sunglasses and focus to see that fashion does exist beyond the 22.96 square miles that make up NYC.

America is basically one large runway spanning from coast to coast. A close examination shows that the West Coast from California to Oregon is home to many established and up-and-coming designers. With our West Coast based clients like: True Religion, Columbia Sportswear, Forever 21, BCBG, and Adidas, Kenneth Park has become red-eye experts at meeting with the clients’ in-house design teams and store planners alike to work out all the details for cutting-edge outlets, flagships, and boutiques. New York based clients such as Michael Kors, Tourneau, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Steve Madden are not missing out on the West Coast action as they are working with KPA to open stores across both California (Costa Mesa, San Francisco, Carlsbad, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Pleasanton) and Washington (Bellevue). KPA’s Associate/Director of Business Development, Amie Tesler, just flew in from San Diego after attending ICSC’s Deal Making Conference where she had a unique opportunity to connect with tenants, industry experts, career builders and entrepreneurs as well as maintain business relationships within the Western region. This year’s sessions featured in-depth discussions on capital markets, political perspectives and the economy. Kenneth Park Architects prides itself on delivering the highest level of architecture and designs services and expertise for our clients and thus we have identified significant demand for our market model out West. Stay tuned for more information about KPAs West Coast expansion with the opening of our Los Angeles office. The office’s close proximity to clients will allows KPA to better serve them, while also offering access to a wider breadth of retailers and developers. Details to follow…for the time being, no matter your locale, keep shopping!

Countdown: 24 Hours 'til Beauty Takes Over Times Square

Celebrate with celebs such as Taylor Momsen, Adrienne Bailon and Alexandra and Theodora Richards as they help Sephora open their second Times Square Store on Friday, July 31st. Throughout the day, Sephora has some extra special opening day events planned such as setting the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS for Most Lipstick Applications by an Individual in One Hour.

Hitting the Road

How can you tell it’s summer in New York City? Easy litmus test: If you can get reservations at some of the most sought after restaurants, have room to breathe on the 6 train, or secure prime real estate for your picnic blanket in Central Park, then all signs point to summer. It seems like the city turns its residency over to tourists for the months of June, July, and August, while natives partake in a mass exodus to escape the confines of the urban jungle. The nightmare isn’t often where to go, but more how, when, and what to pack. Luckily Tumi, the leading international brand of luxury travel, business and lifestyle accessories, has teamed up KPA to expand their retail presence. Tumi stores are popping up all around the globe (look out for openings soon in NY, CO, TX, FL and even Bangkok) to help outfit vacationers with stylish yet functional luggage. I checked out the new Tumi boutique at Grand Central right around the corner from KPA headquarters, where they have endless stock of traditional wheelers, shoulder bags, totes, garment bags, and duffels ranging from standard black/browns to bold colors and prints. The aesthetics of the store reflect the concept of creating a space that, like their signature bags, is contemporary and vibrant yet conventional and fully practical. The best bet/must-have piece is the “Just in Case” collapsible, lightweight, and packable tote that is ideal for added baggage on the return home from shopping trips or souvenirs and also can be used for transferring heavier items from your checked luggage to meet airline weight restrictions. For a fashion-forward approach to your travel needs, hit up Lesportsac and see what this cult-following brand is all about. Shopping Centers Today highlighted KPA’s design of the Soho flagship in their annual Design Trend supplement. Their loud prints, bright colors, and signature styles will not only make you stand out, but also make it easy to spot your luggage when its coming off the carrousel. The Stella McCartney eco-friendly cosmetic and travel cases for Lesportsac are a must see. In keeping with LeSportsac’s commitment to eco-friendly materials, Kenneth Park made sure these principles were used in the design of their flagship. For the SoHo store, KPA used black faux-leather to encase the stairwell that leads to the lower level retail space, also floored in the black faux-leather. Think of an empty suitcase as an excuse to add some new summer essentials to your wardrobe. Remember that the heat is on, so make sure to stop by KPA designed Sephora for sun block and travel size bottles of your favorite toiletries before you hit the road (or before your stay-cation)! Enjoy.

Congrats! Felicitaciones! Congratulazioni! 恭喜! Mazol Tov! (= 축하해요!

Congratulations to Kenneth Park Architects' Paul Madden, Zeenat Insaf, Alka Surpur, and Daniel Simone for becoming LEED APs. To achieve this prestigious credential, our architects passed a rigorous test measuring their knowledge of green building technology. LEED not only creates a basis for more efficient and sustainable buildings, but also more sustainable design teams with diverse backgrounds, experience leading to creative problem solving for the 21st century. This is a great accomplishment, well done Paul, Zeenat, Alka, and Dan!

LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 75,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001.

Kenneth Park Architects has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2007. The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders working to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated to enable an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

Green Looks Good on Everyone

Apparently green is the new black. No longer do you have to be an eco-warrior, a hippie, or a PETA protester to grasp the message as these days green activism has streamlined –green looks good on everyone. Public sentiment has moved in favor of green products that are better for us, our homes, our health and our environment. We are inundated with messages of what is green, organic, natural, free-range, hypoallergenic, and so on and so on to the point where adopting a green lifestyle can be daunting for someone attempting to follow the rules. But that is just the thing, going green is not an exact science; rather being green is a lifestyle and one that you can adapt any way you see fitting. New Yorkers are incorporating the principals of “reducing”, “reusing”, and “recycling” to make the 22.7 square miles of Manhattan green.

Union Square is a literarily a union of the sophistication of uptown life with the hipster nature of downtown existence, but above all it is a prime example of a New York neighborhood that is always ahead of the curve. Union Square is a one-stop destination for all those that consider themselves health-conscious and eco-friendly. Although Union Square is notorious for many political demonstrations, do not mistake the hungry mob gathered on the North and West Pavilion as anything other than loyal patrons of the Greenmarket. 14th street is the city’s flagship Greenmarket, where locals have access to buy homegrown, organic, local produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, jams, and honeys directly from the local farmers, bakers, and harvesters themselves. A typical day includes people on lunch breaks passing through quickly, all the while chefs look for daily special ingredients for local restaurants. Kenneth Park Architects teamed up with the Urban Land Institute in October in organizing an interactive tour of the Green Market and a market-to-table experience at Tocqueville restaurant to discover how fresh, organic and local ingredients influence chefs' menus. Check out the Greenmarket Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8am -6pm. However, if you prefer traditional grocery shopping head over to the environmentally aware, organic, and natural Whole Foods Market for all of your food needs. Whole Foods knows that actions speak louder than words as they teach by example to encourage green choices. They are the first major retailer to offset 100% of their energy use with wind energy credits, they implement paperless ordering systems to reduce paper waste, and they use biodegradable supplies for food and wine sampling. Recently they offered customers free pedi-cab rides to promote eco-friendly transportation and after banning plastic bags from their check-out counters they offer at least a nickel-per-bag refund for those who bring reusable bags. Trader Joes Grocer (my personal favorite) right down the street is also a pioneer in Green retail and a popular alternative to Whole Foods for those who still want to be green, but are price sensitive. Trader Joe’s has a solid selection of organic and natural products. Also, Trader Joe’s has worked with some of its suppliers to improve their packaging and has some slight elements of green building design in its stores (and 1 store in a LEED certified shopping center).

A green lifestyle should not stop at the doors of the grocery or gates of the greenmarket it should follow you home. Did you know that property value, commercial and residential real estate, and population have all risen over the last six years in response to green initiates? Village Green is an example of a state of the art Green residence located on East 11th street. It is a new 8 floor, low-rise new construction building, and is targeted for LEED Gold certification. These condominiums features biothermal air conditioning and open floor plans. Other buildings just like this are popping up all over the city.

Going green should not limit your lifestyle, but rather expand opportunities. Just a suggestion for a fun night outside sans A/C, head over to Bar 13 (where Kenneth Park Architects had a memorable after-party post bowling at nearby Bowlmor Lanes) where you can experience an amazing roof deck and reap the benefits of the summer sun. Cleanse your aura with a free yoga class at Lululemon where employees (or commonly referred to as educators) will teach you how yoga and natural remedies. Last time I stopped in, in addition to having an Equinox pro teach the free class, we learned how to use tea tree oil, a non-toxic broad spectrum germicide that has natural solvent properties that makes it a biodegradable, as a cleaning product (great natural and green way to clean yoga mats). In need of retail therapy? Head over to Union Square’s Forever 21 for breathable and chic additions to your summer ensembles. Forever21 offers a line made from 100% modal, which is a fabric made from renewable beech trees. Using renewable materials means resources that are not so readily renewable or environmentally depleting to produce are spared. Steve Madden, located on Broadway, has jumped on the Green bandwagon and now offers an affordable vegan style line of sandals, boots, pumps, and flats. Finally, finish off your look with a pit-stop into Sephora for some organic and natural from brands like Bare Escentuals, Boscia, Korres, and Tarte. Note, Sephora just launched their own line of products, coined Sephora Pure, that contain 95% natural ingredients and at least 10% organic ingredients. All packaging is made with sustainable bamboo and recyclable metal.


Green is the new face New York.

SoHo-t Right Now -Cliff Note Guide to SoHo

Technically speaking Soho is an acronym for SOuth of HOuston Street, but this trendy district bounded by Houston Street, Canal Street, Broadway, and the Hudson River is where sophistication meets bohemia. The neighborhood -synonymous with glamour, youth, opulence, shopping, and enterprise -is constantly evolving. Before its incarnation as an art and shopping mecca, SoHo started in the 1800s as a commercial hub known as the Cast Iron District. In the 1960s the desolate nature of SoHo attracted artists as diverse Chuck Close, Frank Stella, and Richard Serra who saw the neighborhood as the birthplace of the bohemian art movement. Artists bought up the cheap vacant factories and converted the industrial spaces into lofts and studios. Buyers, hipsters, and intellectuals left the monotonous uptown scene and soon flocked to the once-forgotten neighborhood. Considering that fashion echoes trends in modern art, naturally the fashionistas followed the path paved by the artists. Today, SoHo is still the nexus of creative activity and embodies that original avant garde spirit. With its chic cast iron architecture, cobblestone streets, and distinct rich-artist vibe it would be misnomer to call SoHo just a neighborhood as it is a lifestyle.

Past and present collide as the neighborhood’s acclaimed cast-iron warehouse buildings house modern day designers, while the original architectural elements pay homage to the district’s history. Today, SoHo's retail is clustered in the northern area of the neighborhood -along Broadway and Prince and Spring streets -offering a hodgepodge of both luxury, mainstream, and thrift retail. Fifth Avenue staples such as: Prada, Bloomingdale's, H&M, Marc Jacobs, Lesportsac, Adidas, Chanel, Victoria's Secret, Puma AG, Dolce & Gabbana, Lululemon, Sephora, Michael Kors, and Calvin Klein have all migrated to SoHo.

Check Out:
Lesportsac (118 Greene Street New York, NY 10012 212.625.2626) Lesportsac epitomizes the duality of functionality and high-style. Pop into Lesportsac’s Soho Flagship to check out the latest patterns, styles, and designs from this hip on-trend brand. Kenneth Park Architects created a retail space that communicated Lesportsac’s legendary blend of modernism and timelessness. This 2,700 sf store features two-levels of shopping with the Classic and Designer Collections (designed by trendsetters Stella McCartney, Jonathan Adler, Diane von Furstenberg, Tokidoki and Gwen Stefani) displayed downstairs and the standard bag and accessory line on the street level.

Adidas (610 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 212.529.0081)
Any sneaker aficionado associates Adidas's signature three stripes with pure and utter bliss. The Adidas Sport Performance Center is not only a must see destination, but also a one-stop shop for all things athletic. This 40,000 sf mega store is fully stocked with men’s, women’s, and kids’ clothing, footwear, and accessories. Kenneth Park Architects worked in collaboration with the Adidas design team in Germany to create a truly unique retail space. At the Soho flagship customers have access to the "mi adidas" custom-fit shoe technology to make personalized sneakers that take the shoppers' measurements and senses of style into consideration.

SoHo may have once been a haven for starving artists, but with the endless choices of restaurants, cafes, and bars that this neighborhood has to offer, no one leaves less than satisfied. SoHo holds up its eclectic reputation even when it comes to food & drink with a restaurant scene that ranges from inexpensive to extravagant to please all tastes. After a day of shopping check out these restaurants close to nearby shopping hotspots:

Brunch: Corner Shop Cafe ($ 643 Broadway, New York, NY 212.253.7467)
In the City that never sleeps, brunch (accompanied with many a mimosa or bloody Mary) is essential to keeping the stamina up. Corner Shop Café won’t break the bank and will become your excuse to head to SoHo (if you needed one). With offerings that range from sweet to savory like the mind-blowing Creme Brulee Dipped French Toast custard dipped, served with minted berries & real black berry maple syrup and the perfectly balanced Mushroom, Spinach & Goat Cheese Omelet the only complaint you could have is your eyes being bigger than your stomach. Wash it all down with their Organic Espresso from barefoot coffee roasters and fresh squeezed juices and you will be all ready to roll into the nearby Adidas flagship.

Dinner: Kelley & Ping ($ 127 Greene St., New York, NY 212.228.1212) Kelley & Ping ($ 127 Greene St., New York, NY 212.228.1212) Shopping at the Greene Lesportsac can work up an appetite, head over to the nearby noodle shop for a cheap and delicious lunch. Kelly & Ping is the sister restaurant to Prince Street’s more upscale Kin Khao, and offers noodles, soups, and wok fare. This vegetarian friendly spot's close proximity to shops and art galleries keeps the place packed so plan accordingly. Make sure to try the Thai Pad See Ew and the Malaysian Curried Noodle Soup.

Drinks: Thom Bar ($$ 60 Thompson St., New York, NY 212.219.2000)
Kenneth Park Architects had their Holiday Party at the mezzanine-level bar inside the chic 60 Thompson hotel. This modern hotspot is an urban oasis from the hustle and bustle where patrons can expect strong drinks, consistent service, and seasoned DJs. Dress your best for this hangout, so make sure to check out the SoHo Michael Kors and Coach stores beforehand.

So many of soHo's great restaurants are a click away, with Seamless Web you can order for pick-up or delivery. We use Seamless Web at work for meetings, office functions, and luncheons.