Madewell's First-Ever Brooklyn Store Opens in Williamsburg
Just two months after J. Crew made its Williamsburg debut, little sisterMadewell has rolled out its first-ever Brooklyn outpost at 127 North Sixth Street. And while J. Crew made a big splash with a graffiti wall, prominent signage, and a promotional donut cart, Madewell is taking a quieter approach with blink-and-you'll-miss-it branding to better blend in with its surroundings.
"There's a spirit and creative energy that innately draws you in, " Madewell's head of design Somsack Sikhounmuong says of the neighborhood. And he kept that spirit in mind while working with local designers on store exclusives. Up front, in the store's "Hometown Heroes" display, shoppers will find minimalist jewelry by Thursday-Born, indigo-dyed planters from Freundeskreis, andNova's limited-edition scents.
Editing down Madewell's merchandise to fit into the (relatively) small North Sixth Street space was a challenge. There's a focus on denim, and Somsack hopes that "great leather jackets and amazing cozy sweaters" will resonate with Williamsburg shoppers. The brand's recent collaboration with French labelSezane is also highlighted. "There's a cool tomboy vibe to both towns," Somsack says of Paris and Brooklyn. "Boyish flannel shirts, slouchy sweaters, men's loafers—it's about that common attitude."
Madewell will open at 10am on weekdays, making it one of the neighborhood's early birds. And customers who stop by between now and Friday, October 31st will get free monogramming on Madewell leather goods—so consider this your window to stamp your initials on everything you can.