Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • laika
    moderator
    • Sep 2006
    • 3787

    Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max



    (Please delete if this has already been posted)



    Although designers like Dries van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester are
    global beacons of the Belgian garde, Flemish fashion is more than just
    heavy hitters. A bastion of the conceptual and progressive, Belgium
    continues to foster an abundance of young talent. And now, discovering
    those budding lesser-knowns won't require a trip on Brussels Air.
    Instead, descend the stairs to the Lower East Side's new beacon of
    Belgian style?Le Sous Sol.



    The Rivington Street storefront is the creation of siblings Linda
    and Sarah Belkebir, who hail, coincidentally, from the south of France.
    So, why Belgium? "Because I like them and what they represent," says
    Linda, the older of the two and a stylist for the past 15 years. "And
    they're definitely under represented in America. We know the most
    famous ones but there are new generations of talented designers who
    need exposure."





    Putting aside any Antwerp 6 inclinations, Linda sought designers who
    were more underground, hence the name, which translates to Under the
    Ground (also fitting of its subterranean locale). The talents she's
    uncovered range from the more known A.F. Vandevorst to Jessie Lecomte
    an up-and-coming structuralist based in Brussels. "All the designers we
    carry make their clothes locally and come from one of two schools: The
    Royal Academy of Antwerp or La Cambre in Brussels," Linda says. "What I
    like about their aesthetic is that it's elegant, feminine, and wearable
    but always with an edgy detail."





    Such details of note include a one-of-a-kind black splatter print on
    a white silk dress by Jean Paul Knott, a 12-year veteran of YSL whose
    collection also includes pairs of flannel sarouels (Bedouin-esque
    pants). The majority of rack space is occupied by chunky "cocoons" from
    Vandevorst (ie: versatile knits that can be worn in multiple ways) and
    accessories by Eric Beauduin, who makes bags out of vintage leather
    jackets. Their offerings are edited to display only the best in Belgian
    fashion right now, which, of course, can change quickly. "I'm already
    ordering for next season," says Linda. "But any new designers will be a
    surprise."



    Le Sous Sol, 137 Rivington Street, Lower Level, (between Norfolk and Suffolk streets), New York City; 212-477-7723.



    ...I mean the ephemeral, the fugitive, the contingent, the half of art whose other half is the eternal and the immutable.
  • Faust
    kitsch killer
    • Sep 2006
    • 37852

    #2
    Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max

    Thanks, laika. Sounds uber-cool, no? I've heard about the store before,but since it's womens only, you know, I need a partner to check it out.
    Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

    StyleZeitgeist Magazine

    Comment

    • MikeN
      Senior Member
      • Nov 2007
      • 2205

      #3
      Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max

      It is womens only for now, but they told me they were going to be carrying mens at some point.

      Comment

      • laika
        moderator
        • Sep 2006
        • 3787

        #4
        Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max



        We actually stopped in yesterday on the way to drinks. It's a tiny store--literally two racks of clothes, a case of jewelry and a few bags. Lots of AF Vandevorst knits (covetable), a Jean Paul Knott dress and a few pieces by Jessie Lecomte. Very lovely although small selection, and very, very expensive, especially for that neighborhood. A plaid cotton blouse with a intricate placket by JL was around $900....one of the only things I saw for under a $1000 actually. [:|]



        I'm tempted to say they should add some Branquinho just to make things a bit more affordable! Otherwise, I don't see how they will survive...[72]

        ...I mean the ephemeral, the fugitive, the contingent, the half of art whose other half is the eternal and the immutable.

        Comment

        • Chinorlz
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2006
          • 6422

          #5
          Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max



          Haha, no wonder all the photos are angled towards those two racks!




          I'm sure from what you say about the neighborhood along with the size of the space that rent is likely quite low so they can get by for a while even on mediocre sales?

          www.AlbertHuangMD.com - Digital Portfolio Of Projects & Designs

          Merz (5/22/09):"i'm a firm believer that the ultimate prevailing logic in design is 'does shit look sick as fuck' "

          Comment

          • Faust
            kitsch killer
            • Sep 2006
            • 37852

            #6
            Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max

            Still, sounds like a recipe for a retail disaster, no?
            Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

            StyleZeitgeist Magazine

            Comment

            • jowaha
              Junior Member
              • Nov 2007
              • 21

              #7
              Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max

              I'll be eager to check them out once they get menswear. Hopefully somewhere along the line they'll pick up a little retail sensibility and then I'll be able to do more than just look. :-)

              Comment

              • zamb
                Senior Member
                • Nov 2006
                • 5834

                #8
                Re: Le Sous Sol: A new Lower East Side shop takes Belgian fashion to the max



                [quote user="Faust"]Still, sounds like a recipe for a retail disaster, no?
                [/quote]





                I dont know how it will work,



                i heard about the store before they opened,



                the owners are friends of my present assistant/ ex-girlfriend, who is also from France,



                She warned tem about the kind of Concept they had, for that kind of Area, but they are determined to do it this way,




                “You know,” he says, with a resilient smile, “it is a hard world for poets.”
                .................................................. .......................


                Zam Barrett Spring 2017 Now in stock

                Comment

                Working...
                X
                😀
                🥰
                🤢
                😎
                😡
                👍
                👎