Shop Talk: Sebago Pops Up... Smith in San Fran...

Sebago and Vane New York joined forces to open a pop-up shop on Rivington Street in New York last Friday, unveiling the Vane for Sebago limited-edition footwear collection. The store, which will close April 20, also carries Vane private-label jewelry and select Sebago footwear and apparel. “In these economic conditions, a pop-up store creates excitement for the brand and the location is perfect,” said Mike Walls, Sebago’s U.S. director of sales. “This product is really appealing to the Generation Y consumer, and the Lower East Side is where they shop.” Expect to see the popular Sebago Spinnaker and Docksides styles with multicolor uppers, patent leather details and contrast stitching, which is likely to attract a hipper consumer. The goal, said Walls, was to use a classic silhouette that works with skinny jeans and update its exterior. “[Vane] took an iconic product and put their touch on the shoes in the materials. It’s where downtown meets classic.” The store also features a custom graffiti-covered front gate created by Surf & Mint, which designed a limited-edition T-shirt that is sold inside.

Smith in San Fran
Paul Smith bowed a store earlier this month on Geary Street in San Francisco, one of the designer’s favorite cities from his days spent in Haight-Ashbury. Inspired by the history of Geary Street, the store features a series of interior rooms stocked with men’s and women’s apparel, footwear, books and trinkets. “The shoe display was inspired by the aesthetic of artist Donald Judd with original pieces by [artists] Paul Evans and Harvey Probber,” Smith told Footwear News. “I particularly like the strong simplicity of these designs and feel it complements the luxury and whimsy of the shoe collection.” Other highlights include mahogany wall paneling recycled from a 19th century bank, and more than 30 Vaclav Trefil abstract paintings from the 1940s and 1950s.