The fashion crowd is about to make Mercer Street their new Mecca. A new location can ease the fashion loss for those who are still lamenting the closure of the Marc Jacobs store there. The new Khaite store, which is the first flagship for the popular brand created by 2022 CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year winner Catherine Holstein, is located right next to the previous flagship at 165 Mercer Street. The sleek and melancholy shop was created by architect Griffin Frazen, who is also Holstein’s husband, and is housed in a historic 1871 cast-iron structure.
The space was previously a parking garage that came along with two skylights that have been integrated into the theme of the store. One has the tree underneath it, while the other draws attention to a tiny, round enclosure with a curved clothing rack encircling the walls. The form resembles other circular, walled areas that house garment racks.
The store’s linear lighting fixtures, which mirror the pattern of the sun, were inspired by the existing light sources. The most striking of these is the stream that runs from the entrance to the back of the establishment.
Monastic music is used to contribute to the atmosphere on the sales floor, while lyrical instrumental music is used in the completely crimson dressing rooms with mood lighting, which might not be ideal for trying on clothes.
