The launch party for Billy Reid's namesake store last week was a Bourbon-swilling trip down South, right here in New York. But as much as we enjoyed the libations, we were even more impressed with the space. Known for his tailored craftsmanship, love of tweeds, and gentle disposition, Reid showed off the store that he has been toiling over (literally chopping his own wood for the staircase and ceiling) ever since he spotted the location on Bond Street. Sticking to his Louisiana roots, Reid's first outpost north of the Mississippi features pre-Civil War flooring recovered from a cotton gin and an assortment of antiques. For sale, there's made-to-measure clothing, denim and knitwear.Having left New York in 2002 to establish a base for his business in Alabama, Reid hopes to again find success in Manhattan. (He won CFDA Menswear Designer of the
Year in 2001.) It seems he already is—and with the ladies too. His smaller women's capsule collection is featured in the store, and a month after opening, Reid claims women's wear accounts for half of his total sales.
If you don't live in Gotham, don't fret; a Nashville store is set to open in two weeks (and there's plenty to buy on his website). But if you do, be sure to pop by for a bourbon or some sweet tea, which are provided well into the evening in the store's hospitality suite.
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