MANILA, Philippines - Invigorated by the new leadership of creative director Isaac Mizrahi, Liz Claiborne New York opens a new, freestanding shop in SM Megamall Atrium. The 450-square-foot boutique is located at the second level of the newly opened Atrium of SM Megamall.
A study in the heritage of the original Liz Claiborne vision, the brand gets a modern update for today’s Liz Claiborne customer, both in product offering and in an innovative concept-within-shop display.
“Liz Claiborne is an American fashion icon,” stated Mr. Mizrahi. “She made fashion friendly and accessible and, in doing so, she became every woman’s best friend. These are all ideals I treasure and I’m honored to have the opportunity to build on this fantastic legacy and excited to reestablish the brand as a must-have.”
With a vision to bring “Liz’s voice back,” Mizrahi teamed up with retail design and branding company Kramer Design Group to develop the consumer experience based on getting to know the new Liz Claiborne New York.
“Customers have a clear view of the store’s interior and are welcomed in by a round glass entrance featuring video presentations starring Isaac,” said Brad Lenz, vice president of Liz Claiborne New York’s international stores. “Once inside they may experience luxuries such as fully appointed fitting rooms and a generous seating area. The white-on-white backdrop provides the perfect canvas for Isaac’s colorful apparel and coordinating accessories to suit her lifestyle needs.”
Inspired by the work of the late interior designer Dorothy Draper, the shop interior at SM Megamall Atrium adds a modern twist to ornate, baroque flourishes for a fresh, bright but familiar feel. Feminine fixtures and rack treatments give customers the impression of walking through a clothes-filled closet. To highlight the white palette, the store features a massive light box illuminating the store’s façade, as well as backlighting throughout to give a modern, glowing effect.
The new in-store shops are already in the process of rolling out to 40 stores in the US, with more expected to open across the globe. The innovative approach to a crisp, white, bright point of view is already changing the department store and shop floors.
As a leader in the design business for almost 20 years, Mizrahi (www.isaacmizrahiny.com) has been awarded four CFDA awards, including a special award in 1996 for the groundbreaking documentary Unzipped. In 2000, he starred in the one-man off-Broadway show Les MIZrahi. Mizrahi’s women’s collection is available both domestically and internationally. Since 2003, Mizrahi has designed ready to wear, accessories, home and pet collections for Target. In addition, television audiences have come to love Mizrahi as the host of his own series on both the Oxygen Network and the Style Network and he can currently be seen on his web-based series WatchIsaac at watchisaac.com. In 2009, Isaac hosted The Fashion Show on Bravo and launched a weekly series on Sirius satellite radio.
Liz Claiborne New York designs and markets an extensive range of snappy, confident and comfortable women’s apparel, accessories and home products. The brand delivers fashion, quality and classic style domestically and internationally via wholesale and retail channels including department stores, specialty stores, multimedia retail, and outlet stores (www.lizclaiborne.com). The brand is owned and operated by Liz Claiborne Inc.
In the Philippines, Liz Claiborne New York is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Rustan’s Makati, Greenbelt 5, Power Plant Mall, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, SM Megamall, TriNoma, and Robinson’s Midtown.