market is a blur and almost always in a good way.

it’s sort of like sorority rush (don’t judge, it was 1988): rushing from place to place, non-stop conversation but now with ubers, a titch of responsibility to make lots of good, financial-based decisions and never enough of coffee. and without the energy of an 18 year old.

first stop nyc

two weeks. three days each. each day: 8:30-7. nonstop.

our team of four (capi, maddie, anna and myself) has been buying for boutiques for as few as 6 years and as many as 36 years for a combined experience of pushing 100. and after we buy it we’re also part of selling it so we like to think we’re good at knowing our customer.

at every appointment we ask ourselves these questions
-does it support our customers’ life? also framed as who is wearing it and where is she going?
-is it flattering? which body type can wear it? ditto the color? will she look good or like she’s unwell?
-does it make sense in scarpa? is this what you expect to find when you shop with us?
-if it’s on trend is it our trend? just ‘cause it’s out there doesn’t mean it belongs in here. hello showing everyone your underpants.
-is there value for the price, the quality and what it brings to your life?
-if one of us was the person for that __________ would we wear it?

and then we roll up our sleeves and look at hundreds of pieces of clothing.

here’s a short list of what we saw:

red. a lot. and many different shades across suiting, cocktail and casual.
yellow. more acidic than butter.
pale pink. but not too sweet.

trends
sport details - think track suit trim and some sporty cords.

a nod to western at tibi (see below).

everyone is mad for plaid.

oh and shorts of all sorts: dressy, work, elevated and basic. while we’re on a short pants note don’t forget culottes ‘cause the fall was just a warm up for that style. finally it’s the season for skirts - the workhorse for your wardrobe returns for spring 2027.

new brands who caught our eye (and our wallet)
kulson: lisa kulson started at theory before it became theory and that’s where she cut her teeth. it shows in her elevated and delightfully easy to wear pieces. the fabrics are great with thoughtful details and a knowledge of how to make a woman look her best.

natan (below): from belgium. great use of color in unexpected ways for late day and cocktail wear. it just feels warmly modern and fresh.

odeeh (below): from germany and with a sense of humor and love of color. the collection looked fabulous and fun.

lao lao studio (below): sweet sweaters that feel light and not too serious.

after a day of eating on the run with too much of nothing good for us we definitely treat ourselves. (I know, I know - you were worried.) shuka is amazing for the mediterranean deliciousness and is super close to our hotel, the manner, and the vegan mexican (trust me) jajaja is an easy walk. (if you’re in chelsea definitely go to shukette, sister restaurant to shuka.)

quick trip to milan

binky and I landed at noon on saturday and started work at 2pm. from giuseppe zanotti and santoni to working with small brands at micam we covered a lot of ground in just over 48 hours.

the goal with footwear is to give you something you’re excited about, something emotional and something that works with the clothes in the store. oh and it’s comfortable, is well made and fills a hole in your closet.

questions from the footwear team
-what are the colors of the season in clothing?
-how long, or not, are the skirts and dresses for the upcoming season?
-what are pant legs like?
-what are we buying in dresses and do we have shoes to go with?

oh and

-is it comfortable?

binky and I try on every single shoe to understand how it fits, where the fit problems might be and who will have an issue with the style. yes we talk about bunions a lot.

trends
micro and demi heels; wedges the are more sculpted; always metallics but dark olives that feel versatile and lux; preppy boat shoes, color and flip flops.

off to paris

starting with a manhattan doesn’t hurt…. in fact it helps hours of emails and order writing in the lounge before an overnight flight.

our younger selves used to land and go straight to work. our older, wiser selves take that first day to acclimate, eat a meal with vegetables or greens, indulge in some retail therapy and maybe get a facial.

part of our trips to market whether nyc or paris is to scout new brands, to find the pieces that you won’t see ubiquitously. paris is a great go to for this goal; small brands that can’t afford to show in the states will show here whether in a tiny gallery in the marais or at one of the larger trade shows such as tranoi or premiere classe.

like nyc we find ourselves exploring a variety of neighborhoods, getting our steps in and occasionally sitting down for a civilized lunch.

brands (new and familiar) we’re excited to bring you from our most recent trips across the pond…
johanna ortiz (see below): colombian-based designer of sophisticated prints with perfect placement on the garment (and body). this girl is dressing up a bit and is ready to look, ahem, sexy.

sa su phi: it’s suiting that gives you an amazing cool girl edge which is maybe why meryl streep wanted to wear it in the devil wears prada 2.

extreme cashmere: it’s always a favorite for us. I could wax on and on about how much I love this knitwear line. from their strong pov, interesting colors, willingness to take risks and relentless pursuit of distillation of brand throughout everything they do (from flowers to lunch, line sheet to hauling their furniture from amsterdam to paris) I am continually impressed.

dries van noten: wow. they had an amazing reception to the ss27 show and it did not disappoint in person. the collection is huge and we allow 3-4 hours each time to review all categories from gloves and handbags to tees and gowns. each time we go back to the list of questions at the very top of this post.

we can’t wait to show you spring 2027. in the meantime, see what's new at scarpa.