Barneys, Bergdorfs and A Surprise.

I'm now waiting to see a prostate biopsy. Its taking an inordinate amount of time and encroaching upon my nephrectomy upstairs. Since I'm so bored, I decided that I have time to blog.

Onto my next post. Hmmm, I honestly don't know what to blog about. Maybe some feedback from readers would influence my blogging.

Let me just possibly expound shortly upon the beauty of Bergdorfs and Barneys New York

Well. similar to the Macy's post, just that this time round, I did buy stuff from both places. Now for a head to head comparison of the shops.

Barneys in extremely chic, almost a next door neighbour to Bergdorf it self. located on 680 madison avenue, the store is so luxurious and tony. I mean, literally, if you go in WITHOUT wearing a suit, and you don't look japanese enough for an asian, you get the cold ' i don't think you have money stare'. Ironically, the warmest greeting i got was from this old grandfatherly sales assistant in the mens store. I was looking for a shirt, and was totally lost. Truly, one cannot judge the shopping in singapore anymore. ITS SHIT. I mean, they have a floor for ties. and not just any ties. I practically can sound like an italian now, trying to pronounce all the brands. Canali, Brioni, Prada, Gucci, Zegna, Armani, Pucci, Missoni, Kiton, Versace, Ferragamo, Ferre, Dolce, Gabbana, Loro Piana, Brunello Cuccinelli,

Of course the usual french suspects are there, but bergdorf's is better in this aspect. I will elaborate later. But the ties alone occupy an entire floor. ok half a floor, but honestly, I didn't imagine that there could be so many ties. I kinda couldn't decide on anything and was just tempted to just run back to the hermes boutique further up on madison and get something there instead of getting lost trying to decide on everything. But wow, the shoes are also as impressive. There's like a whole range of prada and gucci and tods and john lobb of france. wow. I mean like who can choose from like 30 pairs of ferragamos. Btw, my black shoes are dying. I bought them at the raoul Sale.

I JUST RECEIVED THE RAOUL SALE FLYER. PM ME FOR DETAILS

Anyways, i might want to get a new pair of shoes cos these pair of shoes don't work anymore. I can literally feel the heel hitting my feet. anyways, i was thinking, if there's some offer on memorial day, i might get a pair of pradas that i have been secretly coveting. In any case, back to barneys, there are nice people there. and the best part of it, they are very very very willing to tell you to leave their store and purchase something somewhere else if you can't find it here. My gosh, which singapore store or sales assistant will tell you honestly that you should go somewhere else to buy. They will try to sell you something similar but not in line with what you want. In any case, i did see a few good shirts but I am trying to find the special one. and besides, my goal for NYC is to try to buy stuff that is at most 109.99 bucks, cos then its tax free.

Anyway, for barney's once you leave the antique wood panelled early 20th Century 1st floor, reminiscent of the ages before the Great Depression, you enter into the austere world or Armani and Prada. yes, They have 1 floor dedicated to Armani and Prada. And mind you, prada has a cupboard of shoes downstairs. not a shelf. Their stand alone boutique is better though. The next 5 floors are a little hazy to me, cos i don't really remember them in order, but i know there is every single guyswear brand known to mankind there. Comme des Garcons, Alexandre Hercovitch, John Varvatos, Balenciaga, Theory, Evisu, 7 for all Mankind, True Religion, Costume National, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Michael Kors, Ralph lauren, Lanvin, Junya Wantanabe, Issey Miyake, Gucci, Citizens of Humanity, joe's Jeans, Blue Cult, Y-3s, G-star, DKNY, Hugo Boss, Jil Sander etc etc etc. I can't remember all. But yes, it is simply fantastic. Their jeans bar is impressive and their number of clothes is just simply amazing. I am so impressed.

The shop is actually 2 shops, Barneys NY and Barneys Co-OP. The Co-OP carries stuff for younger lines, like D&G as opposed to Dolce and Gabbana ( bet you didn't know that) and all the denim, hippipe brands like APC, Nudie, Paper Denim and Cloth, Tsubi, Juicy, marc jacobs, Trovata, Theory, Fred Perry, Villebrequin etc.

Then the Barneys NY carries the more formal luxurious labels like Armani Collezioni, Dries van Noten. Dior Hommes, Marni, Yohji Yanamoto, fendi homme, Valentino etc. And it has a higher ended collection of all the italian suit masters. Brioni, canali, Battistoni, Kilgour, Kiton, Zegna, Isaia, Oxxford Lanvin etc.

Its so gloriously formal and luxurious that it is just amazing. I mean come on, hoe can you find so much to buy in 1 place. If i considered my budget, actually there's not much in the formal section. I'm more picky about shirts. Don't want to spend lots of money just because it is made in italy and looks like something U2 churns out in china. But in the Co-op, there are tons of thigns waiting for me to buy, like all the jeans. holy shit. its just amazing the amount they have. And they even have special editions made for that store only. coool!

ok now onto bergdorfs. It is a slightly different store, catering to a more elderly statesman like clientale. Its selection of brands reflects this. It has less of the hippie brands and fashiony brands that barneys prides itself on, but is more geared towards the financial executives and CEOs of wall street. I don't have the exact store directory with me, but it is even more exclusive. Because Hermes Ties are sold in bergdorf. Thats how much cachet bergdorf has with hermes. Amazing. ( 1st time I have seen that happen, partially cos i didnt' visit any of the famous emporiums in paris or london in depth like new york. ) But I think its a rarity, usually hermes distributes within its own boutiques exclusively. And there's another famous company, Charvet. The other famous french tie label from Place Vendome in France. It has superb ties and only bergdorf carries its limited edition ties that are made with gold or silver threads. As in pure gold and silver threads, not some silly gold paint. So the ties are really exclusive and for black tie events only.

But what I noticed about bergdorf that it is a little short on the youth market, their 3rd floor of their mens floor is quite good a selection, but cannot beat barneys. usual suspects like Barneys, just that the more famous labels are represented. I think there's only like max 20 brands that are at bergdorfs in terms of the youth segment. and its not the cheaper lines, but the more expensive one. like Dolce and Gabbana instead of D&G. ( bet you know it now) I rather look for my formal wear there, as it looks comparatively better, though its not that small a store compared to barneys though. But it has more focus on very expensive executive wear. But what I like more about bergdorf is that their sales assistants are more friendly. But i guess it depends on the day I go and what I wear there. After my experience with Barneys, i decided that i had to at least put on a hermes tie before people will pay me some attention. I mean, I look like a kid compared to the other people and I bet like they will be thinking, whats this stupid chink kid doing here.

And NO. I didn't buy a Hermes tie for this occassion. It already existed in my possession a long time ago. But in anycase, bergdorf is really cool. more friendly and more accessible. Also, Its location is fantastic. On the 58th Street, in full view of the expanse of Central Park, right beside the famous Apple Store which is subterranean with a glass entrance and lift. The apple store is very cool, I'll take a photo when I see it again. But bergdorf is really cool. But It is in view of the most expensive spot in Manhattan, the junction at 57th Street and 5th Avenue, where the brands, Tiffany's, Bulgari, Bergdorfs and Louis Vuitton combine to make it the most expensive spot. And surrounding this area are like Chanel, YSL, etc etc etc. You name it, they have it. And Prada is besides LV, and Abercrombie is besides Prada.

Anyway to end off my post, I'll like to tell you a little secret. It's just so funny what I saw the other day at Abercrombie. at the entrance of the store, one of the store assistant's job is not to sort clothes, but guesss what, stand infront a huge abercrombie poster with his shirt ripped off as a LIVE ADVERTISEMENT. It's not that gimmicky when you consider that he has like 8 pack abs and possibly 10. And all the girls were just screaming to get a free picture taken with him. And guess what, they really have very beautiful models/sales assistants. Even the girls are hot, very hot. Totally don't fit the study result that says that 1/3 of americans are obese. And from what I heard overseas, in the London Abercrombie international Flagship, in addition to these topless, abfull, shirtless, beautiful models standing as a LIVE REAL ADVERTISEMENTS, they have a disco podium, where they pay models to dance and gyrate onstage to the abercrombie music. If you want to know what AnF plays in its store, just go to the website and click AnF playlist. Its like hardcore dance/tecno/trance.

finally, some links that you should read

http://www.theshophound.typepad.com//the_shophound/2006/05/what_no_drink_t.html

this is hilarious.

http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/abercrombie-fitch/abercrombie-fitch-catalogue-come-to-life-172960.php

and a link. PLEASE READ IT. ITS HILARIOUS and its an almost complete experience to what I saw in NYC. maybe save the dancing models.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=447183&in_page_id=1879

officially, after reading the links, i have to concur, the world's biggest gay club is right in the middle of 5th Avenue. It's called Abercrombie and Fitch. Maybe the mantle has shifted to London. I don't know whats next man, gyrating dancing models. You might as well add LIVE UNDERWEAR models, and the next thing would be Sex in the City.