From left: Calvin Klein store and 501 Seventh Avenue
Fashion retailers are always looking for a better deal on commercial space — just look at Helmut Lang and Oska, two luxe stores that moved from trendy-but-pricey Manhattan spots like the Meatpacking District to flock uptown. But apparently, retailers aren’t as willing to compromise on their showrooms.
Since buyers favor showrooms where they can touch and feel materials, companies have resorted to moving their employees into smaller office spaces to make room for bigger sales floors, the New York Times reported. Some fashion companies are also sharing sales floors with other companies.
Global apparel company PVH Corporation, for example, is closing its two-level Calvin Klein office on West 40th Street and consolidating its operations at 501 Seventh Avenue, where PVH recently renewed its five-floor lease while adding another 27,000-square-foot floor, with the intention of adding more showrooms. [NYT] – Angela Hunt