Telfar is finally opening a permanent store in New York City. On November 23, the brand behind the famous Shopping Bag (otherwise known as the “Bushwick Birkin”) will open the doors to its first-ever flagship store in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood — right on the corner of Canal and Broadway in the nostalgic shopping grounds that once belonged to OMG Jeans. Those who know the block are familiar with its onslaught of luxury dupe sellers, many of whom carry counterfeit versions of Telfar’s own bags.
So, upon move-in, Telfar is eager to prove that “there is still a difference between fake and real.” The 10,000-square-foot storefront will be a physical embodiment of founder Telfar Clemens and creative director Babak Radboy’s radical, internet-driven approach to brand-building. There will be a TV studio in the center of the store, where shoppers can shoot their own content, which can be displayed on a number of digital screens throughout the store in real time.
The concept looks to mirror TELFARTV, the brand’s own television channel on which viewers can purchase products and engage with brand-exclusive content. Elsewhere, the store houses a cocooned area for the label’s ready-to-wear designs and a bag bar lit up by a bright Chinese takeout-inspired menu, on which every single bag the brand has ever made will be displayed. Notably, the store will also offer a few “off-menu” items, or bags that have not yet been released.
Telfar’s first-ever flagship store w.
