Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Storecasting is the latest on stores coming soon. Something brewing in your neighborhood? Send us a tip and some pics.
Melrose Heights: Angelenos with fat wallets are just getting over the excitement of Balenciaga's first LA boutique, and now they have to start preparing for the opening of Alexander McQueen's first shop in the city, housing womenswear, menswear, eyewear and other accessories. A mere 3,100 square feet (as compared to Balenciaga's 5,000-square-foot retail manse), but in the even shinier Melrose Heights area (on Melrose, east rather than west of La Cienega), expect something similar to the other McQueen shops in London, New York, Paris and Vegas, which are all the work of architect Will Russell and conceptualized by McQueen himself. The designer's theatrics carry over from the runway with a wash of white on sky-high ceilings, larger-than-life curved columns projected from the ceiling that never hit the ground, and a 9-foot Robert Bryce Muir metal sculpture, "Angel of the Americas," which will come out the other side of a glass skylight. To go with the mother-of-pearl infused terrazzo and glow-escent lighting to put everyone in a shopping mood, there will also be a VIP dressing room and private drive. The boutique's set to open April 7, with a schmancy, celeb bash May 13.
· Now Open Follow-Up: Images of Balenciaga's Palacial Melrose Boutique [Racked]