I had a wave of sadness hit me when I learned that the fabulous Takashimaya store on Fifth Avenue in New York City had moved out and the building is slated to be the temporary home of Forever 21. While I know little about Forever 21 other than some of the garments they sell are designed and manufactured in Los Angeles (surprising, I know), it just seems that the merchandise and merchandising would be 180 degrees off of Takashimaya.
see I had an interesting and fun blind date, of sorts, at the fabulous little restaurant housed in the basement of the store. That yummy food and "get-to-know-you" conversation was followed by a casual stroll through eight floors of the most stunning retail space I have ever experienced. The fact that said "blind date" is considered to be one of the nation's, well perhaps the world's, utmost experts on luxury retailing, probably increased the fabulous factor about hundredfold as my attention was drawn to details I would not have noticed on my own.
For me, as many of you know, I am all about the packaging of an item. I think the entire buying experience starts with the unveiling of unique wrapping. When I walked by that store on my way home every day, I would remind myself that I needed to step in and buy just a little something to get the magical triangular-type bag-box they used as wrapping. But, that day never came. So, as you can see, there is no Takashimaya goody hanging from my bag rack in my studio here. Maybe a good lesson in not putting off until tomorrow what you want to do today. I guess as with all things in life, change is inevitable -- so out with Takashimaya and in with Forever 21. I just flashed to the slow deliberate wrapping scene at the jewelry counter in the movie, Love Actually. Funny, really. If you're dying to read more on my love of bags, look for my August 23, 2009 blog entry. Yes, I am a bag lady.
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