A year after being denied access to the Champs-Elysées over French fears of "banalazing" the street, H&M gains entrée (Irony alert: the Champs already boasts Le Gap, Zara and Mango) to the famed thoroughfare. Prominent French architect Jean Nouvel will design the store.
Dylan's Candy is hitting the East End on Friday. "It's actually a minibar," said Lauren, "and East Hampton is the perfect place to open a cousin to our New York City flagship." Following the Main Street extension, other minis are expected in Aspen and Newport.
Free People, a subsidiary of Urban Outfitters, will open its first NYC outpost at 79 5th Avenue. The bi-level 6,000-sq-ft. store will hit the flatiron district come December.Prada will host an aprés-runway New York Fashion Week soiree at its SoHo shop on September 7th with a performance by The Hours.
The Republic of Banana is expanding. Gap Inc. opened its first Banana Republic in Singapore on July 14th, following openings this past spring in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. WWD reports that, "This month, parent Gap Inc. will open its first franchise shops in South Korea for both Banana Republic and the Gap. The company is also set to expand into Turkey and Saudi Arabia before the end of the year, and launch Banana Republic in the U.K. next February."
Louis Vuitton is set to open its fourth London outpost in November '08 reports WWD. The 3,000-sq-ft. boutique will be housed at Westfield London, a new shopping mall in the west London neighborhood of Shepherd's Bush.
