When Friends Go Shopping at Printemps
By Katlean de Monchy–
The luxury French retail house Printemps opened their US outpost, a concept store, last year on the tippy toe of Manhattan.
Nicole Noonan surveyed the racks. (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
Their new home, at One Wall Street, is just around the corner from America’s first department store. Arnold Constable & Company opened in 1825 at 91 Front Street as a dry goods store. It grew into an arbiter of imported fashions, with the waistcoats and furbelows it sold to Gilded Age customers on the Ladies Mile. An impressive cast-iron-fronted string of department stores was built, starting in the 1860’s, from 16th Street to to 23rd Street on Broadway and Fifth Avenue, also Sixth.
At the same time, 1865, Printemps opened in Paris on Boulevard Haussmann, 20 years before Galeries Lafayette started with its little shop on Boulevard Haussmann. Both of those stayed at their original locations.
Printemps on Boulevard Haussmann, established in 1865. (image compliments of Groupe Printemps)
New York was younger than Paris by, let’s agree, a lot of years. New York was growing northward and its department stores were leap-frogging over each other, following the carriage trade to new mansions under construction. B. Altman moved to 38th Street in 1908. Saks Fifth Avenue moved to 49th Street and Fifth Avenue in 1924.
Printemps New York (photo compliments Groupe Printemps)
The 21st century is not a good time for brick-and-mortar retail. People shop online. Or at least they buy ordinary things online. But luxury items, one-of-a-kind, exquisitely made things — people still want to have a shopping experience for those. But to do that, the experience must be unique. Printemps zhuzhed up their approach to retail in New York, making it more enticing.
That’s why it was exciting when Printemps invited me and 12 of my friends for a VIP few hours of shopping at their store, with some of the proceeds of what we bought to go to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. The ladies loved the idea of discovering Printemps. And they were also motivated by the knowledge that it would give back to the Southampton Hospital, a lifeline for everyone on the East End.
A swooping entrance to Printemps. One of many.
It felt like a trek on a lovely June day to get down there. But once we walked under that antique iron-and-glass canopy and into the store, we didn’t want to leave. It was a chance to shop, and do some good for the hospital. Plus we were welcomed with Champagne.
Cristina Greenfield and Liora Steinberg had some thoughts to offer Deanna Amato. (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
If you have ever gone shopping with friends, you know how valuable it is to get answers to “Is this the right color?” “Will Andrew like this?” “Could I wear this to the Gala next week” and of course “Does this make me look … rumpled?” All of the women in our group were dress sizes zero to 8 in the clothes they wanted to try on.
They bought Courrèges jackets, an evening gown or two, a minidress headed for Palm Beach (because no one in Palm Beach would have it), dressy and casual outfits. Shoes were a big draw, at least for gawking and touching, and there were eyeglass frames and handbags. I thought we missed out by not making a stop at the men’s department, excuse me, the Garçonnière. What woman doesn’t want to buy her guy a shirt, a belt or tie? Wouldn’t that make him interested in hearing about our day at Printemps? Perhaps willing to stop by the next time he was in the financial district? They also have a department for bijoux and perfume, which always comes in the right size.
There is a very fine bar at Printemps with its own entrance, opposite Trinity Church Wall Street. The State Liquor Board gave Printemps an exemption for doing business within 200 feet of a house of worship. Just in case a guy didn’t know.
Inside the Red Room, you could also look at shoes Photo credit: Groupe Printemp
The walls and ceiling in the red room are covered in glass mosaic tiles in an Art Deco design by Hildreth Meière. When the building was being renovated they found left-over boxes of the tile in storage, to repair broken or missing tiles. Everything has been restored and the room was made a historically protected interior in 2024. There are oxblood red tiles near the floor, gradually mixing with orange, then gold leaf as they reach the 33-foot-high ceiling. The room is simultaneously invigorating and serene. Just step inside.
Wherever this is, we want to go there. (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
We worked our way through shoes, handbags, designer dresses — in each case the experience was less like shopping and more like a private consultation with a stylist or an advisor. Once everyone felt they had found at least one thing they wanted, even those who lingered in the shoe department, we adjourned for lunch in Salon Vert, where we were able to get the Maison Passerelle menu.
Elizabeth Steimberg thought this gown, which matched her hair, was too bodycon. Still, the look was stunning. (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
Maison Passerelle had set a long table for us in Salon Vert, on the Broadway side of Printemps. The offerings were not the expected French bistro dishes. Passerelle’s chef is Gregory Gourdet, who has all kinds of James Beard and Top Chef credentials. We were served a starter of local chicories (local to Wall Street?), with Asian pear, avocado, lemongrass and a chili dressing. The side for the next course was pressed plantain, or Bannann Peze as it was listed on the menu.
Nicole Miller and Katlean de Monchy (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
(Gourdet is American, but his parents are Haitian. Bannan Peze is Haitian creole). It was served with Pikliz, a Haitian word for a pickled condiment made of cabbage, vinegar, carrots and Scotch bonnet or other strong pepper. The choice of main course was roasted eggplant or crispy chicken. The restaurant poured very nice wine for those who asked.
Jean Shafiroff is especially to be thanked for representing Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in making this all happen. In return, she had a good day. On Instagram she said, “Undoubtedly, Printemps is the most beautiful department store in New York City.”
Jean Shafiroff (Photo credit: @MKGUnknown)
Not only did the ladies appreciate their day at a new department store, in a part of New York they had not considered visiting, I know Nicole Miller has already been back again. And I will be too. That Red Room!
