A TORY STORY:

Ms. Burch was a busy, busy bee on Tuesday launching her first-ever runway show in the morning and then officially opening her Manhattan flagship store in the evening. Yes, that means you can saunter along the cities fashionable streets, sidle into Tory Burch’s new digs and snuggle up with a little something-something from her twenties inspired 2012 Spring collection.

“When we first saw the space, it was white and very open, and Daniel Romualdez, our architect, and I thought it would be interesting to do a restoration of what it might have looked like in the 1880s when it was built, and a little inspiration of my apartment, as well,” Burch recently told reporters in describing the concept of the new store.

The store is extra-special since it’ll be the only one to feature Ms. Burch’s first foray into evening wear, “Our price point is difficult, because we’re not a designer price point, so we want to try evening, but it’s something that we tread lightly,” she explained. And, of course, Burch’s beloved accessories will all be there too, leather shoes, handbags, scarves and any number of the raffia inspired numbers from the latest and greatest.
 

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM:

Okay… it’s not just in Houston. Apparently Target did a little too good of a job with the Missoni for Target pre-marketing hype (who knew a blow-up doll could cause such a stir,) because not only did their Fashion Night Out Pop-Up Store sell out and have to close early, but this week’s unveiling of in-store and online fashion caused Target.com to crash… several times as shoppers lined up outside many of the stores for a chance at all the zig-zaggy goodness. (My goodness!)

Joshua Thomas, a Target spokesman was succinct with a touch of fear, “This was Missoni mayhem. This is unprecedented.” And fear he should. One Racked.com writer put it succinctly thus: “If Wednesday night's press preview for Missoni x Target's pop-up shop was a madhouse, then last night's launch was a madhouse wrapped in a shitshow wrapped in a zig-zag striped comforter.” – (poetic, no?) After waiting in line for four hours a Sugar Rock Catwalk blogger reported that the event was “an epic FAIL.” I don’t care. I want that bicycle… and I’m pretty sure the accountants at Target and Missoni are counting this one as a WIN.

GET INTO THE GAP – AGAIN? PLEASE.

That’s what the suits over at this all-American brand seems to be asking of us anyways. After releasing head designer from his designer-ish duties in early May, Gap executives acknowledged the chain’s “long run of negative comps” – which is suit speak for “suckery,” – and promised “other plans” to make people return to the Gap and buy lots of stuff. (I like to imagine that this was doled out from a suit twiddling his fingers together and curling a well-coiffed 'stache. But I digress.)

And here’s where the shopping bit comes in: Apparently, The Gap is using Southern California as it’s test kitchen, trying new strategies like the unheard of “better service” and finding new ways to display products. Executive V.P. of the Gap Global Creative Center, Pam Wallace explained that a collection should have “a level of emotion and story-telling.”

Um. You mean like the Spring 2012 look unleashed at Lincoln Center this week featuring qua khakis, totes, high-heeled clogs, and man bags. Sorry Gap. But you’ve been there—done that.

SALE!!! LET’S END THIS ON A GOOD NOTE:

And by ‘good note’, we totally mean shoes. Lord & Taylor's gigantic "Buy More, Save More" shoe sale has begun (cue the applause), both online and in stores and will run gloriously through Sept. 26th! Of course there is the fine print (Oh, Lord & Taylor. How could you?)

You buy one pair of L&T shoes and you get 20% off; you buy two pairs and you get 25% off; you by 3 pairs and you get 30% off; you buy… oh sheesh. Get it? The more you buy the better the deals get. And while the gettings good, you best get to a Lord & Taylor store or website. Got it.