410: The first signs of Black Friday
Plus Net-A-Porter's private sale, Alex Mill's gift guide, and The Row's Mini Devon for 36% off (there's one left).
Find a list of only-here discounts up to 25% off in the Magasin Code Index.
Fashion is already very busy in New York this season, with pre-holiday parties and meetings dexterously navigated in before the year loses the plot. This past week, I attended a dinner welcoming Hermès’ watch metier to the US (this happened a week after Chanel’s watch dinner at Chateau Royale), for which guests were shuttled from the redesigned Madison Ave store up to the brand’s offices, also reimagined as a restaurant for the night with a literal herb garden running down the center of the table.
The next day, I made it to the Fforme studio (finally) to interact with the SS26 collection in person and meet creative director Frances Howie, my new favorite 11am deep-thoughts sparring buddy. Also in the neighborhood is the Aflalo studio-showroom-atelier-office and newly minted part-time store, all in a single loft space that’s been designed by Nordic Knots Studio. (You can visit it Weds-Sun without an appointment.)
The following night, Salon design fair’s VIP previews kicked off at The Armory, and Erede and Gabriella Khalil debuted their jewelry collaboration with a dinner at WSA’s very exclusive Waters Restaurant (the line I heard that night was that it had only been opened for Gabby’s birthday and Beyonce).
This week matches the pace of the last—a dinner yesterday at Bufon, a new restaurant from the team behind Demo (I skipped the late-night party for Zara x Ludovic de Saint Sernin), and today a series of cocktails and previews for Jacquemus, Nina Ricci, and Hai (at Bomi, Soho’s cutest store). Tomorrow I’m going Upstate. I’ll get around to your emails by Monday, I’m sure, when it starts all over again.
With contributions from Maya Kotomori.
What’s new
I’ve spent the week plotting with my team about Magasin’s own gift guides…coming soon…you’re not ready for these…but in the meantime, gift guides from brands are dropping left and right. I take most of these with a grain of salt because, of course they’re recommending their own products in a gift guide? Alex Mill’s is an exception because, 1. it feels like many different brands under one roof (i.e. Owen Barry shearling collabs, Joshua Ellis scarves, Sesa leather loafers) and, 2. it’s stuff people would actually love to get gifted. They made the definitive Faire Isle knit of the season (also in men’s crew), have a Lemaire-like pant in a tight-wale cord, and solved under-$1,000 coats made with wool hand-spun in Scotland. Most important are the monogrammable totes, starting at $60.
Toteme’s latest drop for PS26 has landed, faithfully delivering the brand’s signature Scandinavian-minimalism-but-for-NYC-girls-on-the-go in soft tailoring (slouch waist wool dress), crisp cotton shirting (oversized striped shirt ice/white), and historical-feeling mac-style jackets (this one reminds me of WW1-era English trench coats).
Noughties-era style ballast Alexa Chung returns to Madewell with a capsule collection that feels just the right amount of “off-duty London girl” and “yes, I did wake up like this.” As if ripped straight from the pages of It, we’ve got retro-inspired denim, a tailored-for-every-shape corduroy miniskirt, and quirky Western blouses that all drip with Chung charm.
I was pretty underwhelmed by the first NikeSKIMS drop, having ordered a long-sleeve quarter zip to suss out the quality and determining that the fabric was a bit icky and the fit a bit off, but in case it moved you, drop II is here and tends more towards natural fibers than bonded polyamide.
Science-coded Augustinus Bader and pop phenom Dua Lipa are joining forces with a beauty venture called DUA™, a skincare range aimed directly at Gen Z. Featuring a new proprietary technology called TFC5™ (it’s peptides, basically), DUA promises skin renewal via supporting natural barriers and promoting elasticity that speaks to recent Gen Z obsession with preventative skincare routines. The first drop includes a cream cleanser for pH balancing, complex serum for brightening and firming, and renewal moisturizer; each priced around Tatcha-SK II product tiers.
Meet Lady E Collection, a new label from English entrepreneur Eisha Bharti Pascicha based on her upbringing between India and the Scottish Highlands. The collection takes tailoring codes from the latter and joins them with the textile traditions of the former, blending femininity and boldness with old-school glamour, befitting today’s cosmopolitan woman. If Grace Kelly were to go to Soho House, she’d wear the Anokhi shirt in pink with a few loose buttons, paired with the Maharani trouser.
Jamie Haller is to loafers as Repetto is to ballerina flats: instant classic, a true closet staple. Miss Haller isn’t stopping there, and as of today, she’s expanded the brand into bags and jewelry. We’ve still got that same Italian leather craftsmanship (the Ring tote is structured yet buttery-soft looking), with hardware and heirloom-like metalworking that both carry that effortless California ease.
It’s a collaboration-heavy month in the fine jewelry space: Erede and Gabriella Khalil’s sculptural jewelry capsule debuted with a splashy dinner at WSA’s evasive Waters Restaurant Tabayer drops its second Zorae fine jewelry collection today (its gold is as exquisitely twisty-tessellated as the first one); Sotheby’s teams up with Kindred Lubeck of Artifex (the designer of Taylor Swift’s engagement ring) for November’s The Gem Drop, a collection of unmarked jewels perfect for custom jewelry fantasies); and there’s a new (and more affordable than the rest) St. Agni x Vermeer collaboration laden with votive-style obsidian beads, for worshipping at the altar of…shopping, of course.
There’s also: High Sport’s seven-piece holiday capsule—signature stretch tailoring reimagined in festive, non-tacky holiday hues (instead of candy apple reds and greens, we’ve got and Aloe and Grape); a winter holiday collaboration between Viani x Ciao Lucia that bridges Italian easy-dress with ’70s nostalgic prints (see: this funky take on the Double Mary Jane); Miu Miu’s shearling-infused holiday collection; Larroudé x Angelica Hicks’ playful heel collaboration topped off with tongue-in-cheek holiday ornament baubles; a Sézane x Antoinette Poisson capsule located right at the intersection of vintage wallpaper prints and Parisian polish; La Collection’s limited-edition evening coats (structured silhouettes in black check and padded satin); and Rachel Comey’s new Namara coat, an at once sculptural and slouchy answer to the impending heavy outerwear season, fitting for both an art school student with a credit card and their zany professor.
Home releases
From French garden to patisserie: Loewe expands its coveted home fragrance line (we’ll never forget the vegetal tomato, beet, and basil scents) with three new candles—Black Sesame, Earl Grey, and Sweet Almond. Each blend channels the brand vision through scent like a dessert digestif to the previous earthy-veggie bright home collection: elegant, a touch unexpected, sweet both in concept and execution.
There’s also: Attersee x Loretta Caponi’s dreamy Florentine-embroidered luxury table linen collaboration; A.P.C’s patchwork eccentrism in perfect, collectible form via Quilts, Round 29, its 29th season of quilted works made from the brand’s fabric scrabs; Autumn Sonata’s holiday dining capsule, a collection full of vintage-y printed table linens fit for all those candlelit dinners; and Presley Oldham’s debut home collection available today, a verdant ode to the soft art of staying in that counts candles, glass dishes, incense, and a “worry stone” among its objets.
What’s on sale
I am such a last-minute shopper for everything I do, but unfortunately the market reinforces my bad behavior. By that I mean Net-A-Porter is having a 30% off “private” sale, and I’m realizing winter is actually inevitable and I should get some coats, sweaters, leathers, etc. Among my open tabs: a Loulou de Saison double-faced cashmere coat down to $567; a Liffner eel clutch down to $455 (parties are coming); an incroyable Maria McManus Merino v-neck (where have you been all my life); an extraordinarily plush Altuzarra shearling jacket from the runway; High Sport pants (the straight leg ones); a Guest in Residence cashmere turtleneck in the right shade of tan…
My SSENSE experiment went swimmingly—since the site rolled out its “All US duties and tariffs are covered by SSENSE. No additional charges on delivery” ticker, I ordered this &Daughter knit and it came within days (faster than I remember it) and no hidden tariffs due. It’s given me confidence to shop the newly rolled-out Private Sale (must be logged in) a bit more liberally. Most outrageous find: the Bottega leather “jeans” are 80% off and down to $1,400…I just tried them on at The RealReal UES where they were more expensive than that and fit alarmingly well..the new exclusive black patent Fane bags are on sale, as is Métier’s Private Eye briefcase (iconic); arguably perfect trench from Auralee; and literally BAGS from THE ROW—a Mini Devon for 36% off and a Dahlia (in tan, I have the burgundy) for 30% off.
The 1stDibs Holiday Sale runs up until just before Black Friday, with up to 60% off design treasures, fine jewelry, and vintage finds. A collector’s paradise, whether for gifting or indulging. Fantasy holiday scenario: A few close friends come over, plop down on your new-to-you Sesann sofa, and open your incredibly thoughtful gifts: baroque sapphire and pearl earrings, a Luci Puci velvet cloche hat from the ’50s.
Proenza Schouler’s private early access sale is on, with 40% off the edit before the end of the season sale opens to the public using FIRSTACCESS. Leather accessories seem to lead the pack in terms of deals, with the very laptop-friendly large Chelsea tote from last season’s runway coming in at just below $1200 with discount, as opposed to its $2k retail tag pre-discount. Consider this your insider pass.
The MyTheresa private sale is underway, offering exclusive discounts to loyal Theresites everywhere. Expect luxury ready-to-wear, bags, and shoe steals. Our sample palette? These new-season JWA whipstitch loafers, this Lemaire Croissant bag in ecru leather (drool), and a Givenchy ribbed cotton midi dress.
Saks is running 20% off your entire purchase for a limited time—an ideal rationale for those big-ticket pieces you simply can’t justify at full-retail price. Outerwear, statement pieces (like this Prada skirt), and anything leather feels like a worthy usage of that 20%.
Skims is offering up to 50% off select styles, and it’s perfect timing to refresh your base layers, loungewear, and shapewear—it’s not too late to get in on The Lounge Dress while it’s $40—ahead of winter festivities, trudging in the snow, and adult pajama parties (wine nights).
YC once said racks on racks on racks, La Garçonne is going bar for bar with a sale on sale: enjoy an extra 20% off sale. All eyes are on those brands that rarely hit major sale, like Cecilie Bahnsen (this top is going for $482 as opposed to its $860 retail, for example).
There’s also: Tory Burch’s fall pieces are now marked down—think statement bags, polished party heels, and everyday light wool layers; new statement styles like the baguette bag and tailored brief added to St. Agni’s sale lineup; 40% off full-priced purchases at Banana Republic (a great opportunity to snag some shearling outerwear and merino knits); a studio-move sale for Camilla Bloom, offering 30% off all those cashmere-on-cashmere-on-cashmere styles with TY30; the beginning of Faithfull’s private sale for any of your tropical winter holiday needs; and Renggli’s winter event—20% off orders $750 and above (in case you couldn’t choose between colors for the cashmere v-neck sweaters).
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