The Petition to Save Barneys, Inside JLaw’s Haunted Wedding Venue

by Charles Manning

Read today’s dose of chic intel right here…

The Petition to Save Barneys
Investor Sam Ben-Avraham is on a mission to save Barneys. Courts will be accepting bids for the failing department store on Tuesday, October 22. Ben-Avraham is the second bidder behind Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and Saks Fifth Avenue. From the looks of things, if ABG wins the bid, they will most likely layoff much of the staff and close many if not all of the stores. Although nothing will be known for sure until at least Thursday, November 24 when the court approves the deal, workers at the Beverly Hills Barneys location report receiving letters informing them that the store will close on November 1.

Ben-Avrahim has a different plan, though. “My team and I believe we can do better,” he wrote in an open letter on Savebarneysny.com. “We can do better for the business with our vision: we’ll bring back the brand you’ve come to know and love, and make it commercially viable for the future. We can do better for the broader community of fashion designers, creative professionals and employees. We have a solution that doesn’t involve mass layoffs and store closures. Our team has been working around the clock to save it from a disaster. We will lose an icon — no other retailer but Barneys can claim to be more than just a retailer, but also a cultural protagonist.”

Ben-Avrahim is still seeing partners to help strengthen his bid and is asking for community support ahead of the auction on Tuesday. “I am ready to go to work on transforming the business while respecting the integrity of the brand’s core – something other competing bidders as not interested in doing,” he added. “But, I need all the help I can get… By signing this petition, you get us one step closer to ensuring that the corner of Madison & 61st Street continues to inspire people from around the world.”

Click here to sign the petition.

Inside the Haunted Estate Where Jennifer Lawrence Married Cooke Maroney 
On Saturday, Jennifer Lawrence married art dealer Cooke Maroney in front of 150 guests including Adele, Amy Schumer, Emma Stone, Ashley Olsen, and Kris Jenner. The bride, of course, wore Dior, and the wedding took place at the historic (and supposedly haunted) 40,000 square-foot Belcourt Estate in Newport, Rhode Island. Although photos from the event have not yet been released, here are a few pics from inside the spectacular venue.

The estate is currently owned by Alex and Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian and has undergone a massive restoration. It was commissioned by Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and built for his horses in 1894 by designer Richard Morris Hunt. In 1896, Mr. Belmont fell in love with and married Alva Vanderbilt. The Belmont’s summered at the estate from 1896 to 1908 and over the years transformed the coach house into a ballroom, making Belcourt one of the premiere venues of the Gilded Age in Newport.

Kate Spade Gets Sporty With New Smartwatches
Today, Kate Spade announced the launch of their nwest touchscreen smartwatch, the Sport Smartwatch, powered with Wear OS by Google and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon WearTM 3100 platform. The watch features heart rate tracking, untethered GPS, Google Assistant, music, Google Pay, and numerous training apps. It is also shower and swim proof. It comes in three colorways and retails for $275.

“Our customer is adventurous—she loves all kinds of activities, and is always looking for accessories that fit into her everyday life. The new Sport Smartwatch does exactly that,” says Nicola Glass, Kate Spade New York creative director. “We’ve incorporated some of our most iconic design elements, including the spade and scallop detailing, to give the watch
a distinct Kate Spade New York look and feel; while the silicone strap and light weight design gives her the functionality she needs without sacrificing style.”

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1 comment

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dallaspalmsvenue March 16, 2020 - 6:26 PM

Do you Know the Best Wedding Venue with reasonable price in Texas?

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