For all New Yorkers who just can't get enough Miu Miu, the sister label of Prada, is opening another NYC boutique, bringing the total of Miu Miu boutiques in the city that never sleeps to a grand total of three (the first two are on Madison Ave. and in SoHo). The new store will be in the former venue of Jil Sander on East 57th Street. Note that a store is also due to open by the end of the year on Rodeo Drive in LA.
When it launched some years ago, Miu Miu was meant to be a traditional second tier brand, like D&G to Dolce & Gabanna or Emporio Armani to Armani. Same name, cheaper price points, different fabrics, lower profit margins (20% vs 40 at the luxury level) but many more sales, was the theory. But while other second labels are trying to cut costs by moving production out of Europe to compete with the likes of Zara, Miu Miu is going the other way.
Miu Miu menswear is something of a paradox at the moment: the more focused and distinctive the collection becomes, the harder it is to find. Parent Prada cryptically promises "big projects" in the years ahead, but this season Miuccia opted for a tightly edited showroom presentation that was as intimate as a Tupperware party. It allowed for an appreciation of the subtleties of the clothing in a way that recalled the coziness of a couture salon. In fact, the word "couture" came up, as an analogy for traditionally luxe menswear fabrics (navy and camel cashmere, wool and silk blends) used in an extremely experimental cut like the ergonomic trouser shape. The opposite also applied -technical materials used in classic cuts, namely an evening coat or a marronnier cut from neoprene.
When it launched some years ago, Miu Miu was meant to be a traditional second tier brand, like D&G to Dolce & Gabanna or Emporio Armani to Armani. Same name, cheaper price points, different fabrics, lower profit margins (20% vs 40 at the luxury level) but many more sales, was the theory. But while other second labels are trying to cut costs by moving production out of Europe to compete with the likes of Zara, Miu Miu is going the other way.
Miu Miu menswear is something of a paradox at the moment: the more focused and distinctive the collection becomes, the harder it is to find. Parent Prada cryptically promises "big projects" in the years ahead, but this season Miuccia opted for a tightly edited showroom presentation that was as intimate as a Tupperware party. It allowed for an appreciation of the subtleties of the clothing in a way that recalled the coziness of a couture salon. In fact, the word "couture" came up, as an analogy for traditionally luxe menswear fabrics (navy and camel cashmere, wool and silk blends) used in an extremely experimental cut like the ergonomic trouser shape. The opposite also applied -technical materials used in classic cuts, namely an evening coat or a marronnier cut from neoprene.
But the essence of the collection was the hybridized formality that has been one of Milan’s biggest stories this season. Almost everything was worn with a dressy white piqué-collared shirt or a version in blue banker’s stripe, while the shoes were a patent leather marriage of wingtip and boxing boot.
