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Signs of spring are blooming all over New York City: The birdwatchers are out in Central Park, coffee drinkers are crowding around Ralph’s Polo Bar and Aime Leon Doré, and shoppers are back in full force. On a recent Saturday, bouts of rain and wind didn’t stop New Yorkers from lining up at the Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Chanel stores on 57th Street, or queuing for Prada’s epicenter in SoHo.
To some, the re-emergence of retail marks a new kind of consumerism: “Revenge shopping” is the idea that a new leather bag or lug-sole sandal will somehow stick it to the pandemic and the 14 long months of austerity we’ve all lived through. But is buying something fancy the only way to express joy? Shoppers from Madison Avenue to Broadway say that they’re less interested in outfitting themselves for a new kind of roaring ’20s than they are in buying something built to last.
Spotted in SoHo, Sinead Bovell said she spent a year thinking about her new Celine loafers. “This is what I’ve thought about for the last 365 days. I’m really intentional when I shop now,” she explained. While uptown, Linda Zaro invested in a new pair of her favorite Jimmy Choo pumps: “I know this shoe,” she said. “I have this shoe in other colors, and it works very well for me.”
Here, 27 shoppers share their latest purchases and what’s driving them to get out and shop in the springtime of 2021.
Mark Anthony Green and Sinead Bovell in SoHo
What brought you to SoHo today?
Mark: She needed some new loafers.
Sinead: So we bought them at Celine. We are getting back to life, slowly.
Has your style changed over the past year?
Mark: No.
Sinead: I don’t think I’ve changed my style. I’ve had a year to think about what I really want, so I’ve been really intentional when I shop now. This is what I’ve thought about for the last 365 days, so I’m going to buy this specific thing.
Mark: The shopping, for me, never stopped despite the fact I had nowhere to go. What does feel good is to see everybody dressed up in SoHo again. That’s why you love New York. That’s why you pay the rent to live here, so to see that come back—even on a rainy day—it’s the best.
Sinead: It feels like nature is healing.
Matty So in SoHo
What brings you to SoHo today to shop?
It was my birthday two days ago, so I wanted to get myself a Prada nylon bag. Something cute.
Which style did you get?
The cross-body in pale pink.
Have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Yes. I’m buying more pieces that are lifetime pieces, trying to move away from things that are fleeting and instead buy things that I can have forever.
Jillian Choi in SoHo
What made you come out today and shop?
Why not? It’s a beautiful day, I’m in New York for the week [for Frieze] and happy to be out and about with people.
What did you buy?
It’s in a 3.1 Phillip Lim bag, but it’s actually a dress I picked up from my friend’s new brand Minuit [by Laurie Arbellot and Marion Anais Forand]. It’s a new French brand.
Have you found your shopping habits have changed at all during the past year?
I’ve been doing more of it!
Philipp Hugo and Austin Jones in SoHo
What did you buy at Bottega Veneta?
Austin: The Puddle mules in lime green. They’re like Crocs...but a little bit better.
Why did you want to buy the Bottega mules? How are you going to wear them?
Austin: Well, I know there’s like a resurgence of Crocs and ugly mule shoes—and they’re actually comfortable. Once I tried them on I was like, “I can get away with this.”
Have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Philipp: Yes, I’ve slowed down significantly.
Austin: I’ve slowed down too. I have still shopped but only cool, specific things. I haven’t bought any basic things or plain things because...why have that?
Margaret Maruszewski in SoHo
What did you buy today?
Today I bought a shirt for my mom for Mother’s Day from Chloé.
Did she pick it out in advance or did you choose it for her?
We actually saw it together a few weeks ago and I told her that I didn’t like it so that I could get it for her for mother’s day and it would be a surprise.
That’s so clever. Have your shopping habits changed in the pandemic?
Definitely. I did a lot more online shopping during the pandemic. Since the city is alive again and the stores need business I’ve been trying to get out. I’m actually from Connecticut so I made an hour-and-a-half trip here today.
Just to buy this for your mom!
I’ve done some other shopping too.
Dede Mansro and Amari Garrett in SoHo
What brought you to SoHo today?
Dede: I went to pick up a ring I just bought and he just got some shoes. We met up and are just strolling around.
What kind of Converse did you buy?
Amari: They’re Louie Lopez. I skate so I needed some new skate shoes.
Are you planning to do some more shopping?
Dede: It’s raining so we’re about to head home.
Derek Skinner in SoHo
What did you buy today?
I bought a Louis Vuitton backpack and I got something from Kith.
Do you prefer to shop in-person?
Coming to New York I prefer to shop in-person because you get to see all the latest styles and look around. I’m from Philadelphia, so we don’t really have this environment where I’m at. This is a good environment.
Did you come to New York just to shop?
I just came for the day to see my best friend.
How are you planning to wear and style your backpack?
I have a Louis Vuitton duffle bag and this matches it, so when I go on vacation—my next vacation is...well, I’m supposed to be headed to Peru, but I’m not taking this to Peru. [Laughs.] But I love to travel.
Maya Thakrar and Grace Nass in SoHo
What brings you to Soho?
Grace: Shopping and hanging out.
What did you buy?
Grace: I got a new bag from Heavn.
Maya: And I got a skirt for the summer.
Have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Grace: I did a lot more shopping online, but now that things are opening up I like to go out and see it in person.
Maya: I definitely have bought a lot less in the past year and have been shopping online more, but trying to buy more things I really want and want to invest in.
Are you planning your summer wardrobes?
Grace: Kind of? Maya and I always try to plan.
Maya: We’re always looking at swimsuits. Always.
Grace: And it’s—what—May? But I’m excited for summer.
Dennis Laray in SoHo
What brought you to Soho today?
Honestly, I was bored.
Great answer.
I was bored and I wanted to shop! Sometimes online shopping doesn’t cut it and you want that immediate gratification.
What did you buy at Acne?
I bought a new tote. I’m a bag whore so I have a bunch of backpacks, totes, and more.
Has the past year changed the way you’re shopping?
No. Luckily my job hasn’t really changed. I work in TV and film so I’m always doing something.
Caine Casket and Isa Reyez in SoHo
What brings you to SoHo today?
Caine: We went to visit a pop-up at Barriers NYC and I was just buying a sweater. There are a lot of people over there.
What did you buy from COS?
Caine: I bought this sweater and this vest, I just swapped it with what I was wearing before.
How have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Isa: I don’t shop as much.
Caine: I think I’m looking for more longterm pieces. COVID has put me in a headspace where I want to buy pieces that I can have five to six years from now. I want to have something I can wear years later.
Does it feel nice to be out and about?
Isa: It’s all right. I don’t know. I think it’s still too many people in one place, honestly.
Caine: Definitely. I still want a little time apart. Maybe things will get better.
Janice Shorenstein on Madison Avenue
Where is your scarf from?
It’s Hermès.
Are you going shopping today?
Yes, we’re going shopping today. We’re going to Bergdorf’s. We were at Altuzarra.
Have you purchased anything yet?
We are going to buy something: shoes and makeup!
What kind of shoes?
Heels, because we’re short!
Jackie in SoHo
What did you buy today?
I just bought a Kith set, a top and shorts.
Have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Definitely. Mostly I shop online, but since everything is kind of getting better with vaccinations I decided to come out and shop in-person.
Linda Zaro on Madison Avenue
What did you purchase today?
I bought a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.
What type?
A pair of low-heeled pumps. A classic shoe. I happen to have a party to go to and I needed a shoe.
Was Jimmy Choo the first store you went to or did you shop around?
I know this shoe, I have this shoe in other colors, and it works very well for me—and they gave me these flowers, too.
Belle Oviedo and Juliana Ramirez in SoHo
What did you buy today?
Juliana: I just bought a super-puff vest because I was cold. I’ve wanted this for a long time so I thought, “Hey, why not today?”
Do you tend to buy a lot of coordinating pieces?
Juliana: When I buy anything I try to at least imagine that it goes with something I already own. If I can’t picture it in my head I won’t buy it.
How have your shopping habits changed over the past year?
Juliana: I feel like I have shopped less and when I did shop, I shopped online more.
Ashley and Amy in SoHo
What brought you to SoHo today to shop?
Ashley: Just a little girls’ day out.
What did you buy from Urban Outfitters?
Amy: A crewneck sweater. I’m probably going to wear it with jeans or sweatpants.
Paulina on Madison Avenue
What did you buy today at Hermès?
I bought a bracelet for my fiancé’s son who is graduating this year.
Have you been out shopping a lot in the past couple of weeks?
I’m actually a huge online shopper so I don’t go into stores, but I take an opportunity when I’m in New York to shop around.
David and Karolina Liebers on Madison Avenue
What did you buy today?
David: A couple things. I got a Moncler cardigan, she got a t-shirt, and we got an Hermès scarf as well.
Is this your first time coming out shopping?
Karolina: It’s not the first time, we’ve been out before. It was a bit unexpected.
How are you planning to style your pieces?
David: The piece I got, it’s reversible. I hadn’t seen a Moncler piece that’s reversible so you could put a polo underneath the cardigan or maybe a t-shirt.
Karolina: For me, high waisted jeans, a striped t-shirt, and an Hermès scarf.
David: She’s a fashion designer so she knows what she’s doing more than I do!
Venus on Madison Avenue
What did you buy today?
I bought a Celine bag and some perfume, Black Tie. You should try it, it’s really good. I have a little on, try it.
Smells amazing. Is this your first time back shopping in-person?
No. No. You just put your mask on, you come outside, and you shop.
How are you planning to style your bag?
I’ll probably take it with me on vacation and wear it with a cute little dress. It’s a square shape.
Beth Rustin on Madison Avenue
What did you purchase today?
A pair of On sneakers.
Are they for fashion or for working out?
Both.
Have you been out shopping a lot?
No because I just moved back to New York this past week.
And you went right to Bloomingdale’s?
Yes, I went to Bloomingdale’s and then I walked over to Bergdorf’s. Now I’m going to walk Uptown.