It doesn't take a fashion insider to know that the world's most storied maisons have never been exactly accessible to all. In fact, the daunting air of exclusivity they have successfully preserved over decades accounts for a great portion of their creations' charm in the eyes of the public: if you can't have it, you can adore it, no matter how far. Recently, though, as even the most legendary of haute couture brands have stopped taking to the runways alone to enter the lifestyle space in full force, expanding into anything from beauty and fragrance to home decor, hospitality, and more, things have begun to shift.
At Alaïa's New Bond Street flagship, visitors can treat themselves to freshly baked pastries, coffee, tea, and matcha drinks by heading up to its top-floor cafe and bookshop. Jonathan Anderson is doubling down on everything culture by integrating exhibitions of homewares, artworks, and crafty finds into his eponymous label's vision, having already driven LOEWE into the domestic realm through its viral candles before leaving the brand to take the helm at Dior.
