The Divine World of Plein
It was a rainy day in NYC, yet I was still searching for the newest and coolest spots in Soho. I wasn’t having much luck until all of a sudden, I spotted a ginormous store whose illumination caught my eye from down the block. As I drew closer, I decided to enter what I soon learned was Philipp Plein’s ‘No Mercy on Mercer Street’ pop-up shop, a.k.a., a fashion dream house.
The pop-up perfectly captures the essence of the urban and edgy yet upscale Soho area, contrasting neon LED skulls in the windows with a giant white Ferrari in the center of the store. The space is also adorned with rock and roll arcade games and graffitied skateboards (I made sure to take advantage of the Instagrammable aesthetic).
As for the actual items on sale, ‘No Mercy on Mercer Street’ exclusively offers limited edition pieces from Plein’s brand collaborations, capsule collections, and even looks from his latest fall/winter 2018 collection, which debuted in February at New York Fashion Week. Sneakers are displayed with brightly lit rings around them while a wide variety of luxury bomber jackets are hung on a white luggage cart. I even got to try on one of the jackets: it was red, yellow, and black with “Danger” patches all over it...I was in an absolute trance!
Another standout piece I saw in the store was a pair of bejeweled, knee-high boots that spelled “Plein” on them. They immediately caught my attention inside of the store, as well as the on-trend mini backpacks with jewels and crystallized skulls on them.
If you weren’t able to attend New York Fashion week this year (or even if you were), ‘No Mercy on Mercy Street’ is a must-visit. Trust me...the dynamic and artistic space is a thrilling show on its own.
Make sure to go check out the 'No Mercy on Mercer Street' pop-up on 40 Mercer Street in Soho.