Go Where It’s Warm: How New York’s Favorite Local Shop is Weathering the Coronavirus Outbreak

Ask any New Yorker where they go for the perfect gifts, the prettiest dresses, and the best vibes, and they’ll no doubt say Warm. Through the highs and lows of Manhattan retail, particularly in nearby Soho, the Mott Street shop has remained a bright spot, beloved for both its happy feeling and distinctive point of view. Winnie Beattie and her husband, Rob Magnotta, opened their doors in 2012 with the intention of creating a place that feels like an escape—somewhere warm, as the name suggests. On the coldest day in January, you can walk into Warm for a brief respite, and surround yourself with bright colors, wanderlust-y clothes, and one-of-a-kind home goods and art.

Warm’s independent spirit—Beattie and Magnotta own the store without backers or investors—has been key to its charm. But it also puts Warm in a difficult position amid New York’s current shutdown, with almost all stores, restaurants, theaters, schools, museums, and offices closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. A week ago, before New York had gone completely quiet, Beattie shared a photo of her and Magnotta on @thewarmstore’s Instagram page to commemorate the store’s eighth birthday: “Eight years ago we opened Warm, our little collective dream world in a store,” she wrote. “Please continue to support [love] stories like ours—small biz needs you now more than ever!” Two days later, we woke up to a different city, with more and more cases of the virus and government-mandated closures of many gathering spaces. Her next post read: “We have no choice but to take a time out and close shop for two weeks. As a small business funded only by our personal savings, this loss of revenue is devastating and potentially fatal. We hope you remember and support small businesses like ours when we reopen.”

Heart emojis and messages of support flooded the comments. It’s hard to imagine that any store, restaurant, or market isn’t suffering right now, regardless of its size. But it’s the small, independent shops that are being hit the hardest: They don’t have cushions of investor capital or massive global teams to keep the lights on without money coming in. Plus, things were already tough for retail before the virus set in. “No one was in amazing shape before this,” Beattie tells Vogue. “But we had a really great beginning of March. People were coming in to buy things for their spring break trips, and they just seemed really excited by new spring merchandise. It was helpful that the temperatures were warming up. Then on Thursday of last week, things slowed down a lot, and by Friday, [they] came to a screeching halt.” She continues: “It’s conflicting [to close] because the people who came in did so because they said we make them feel happy, and that we were a much-needed distraction from the news. Our customers have said we’re a store that feels like an escape from reality, even in good times, but even more so lately.”

Because Warm was conceived as that IRL, personal experience, it hasn’t had an e-commerce platform. Customers have been sending Beattie e-mails or Instagram DMs to place orders, or just to say hi, and her team is offering to consult with shoppers via e-mail or phone for home delivery. Beattie said she feels now isn’t the time to push sales too hard, but the prospect of closing the store for weeks, if not an entire month, has forced her to reconsider a website. “We always loved the idea of people having to experience things in the store—the smell, the touch, and making everything tactile,” she says. “But that sure doesn’t work in strange times like this. It has made us realize we need to have multiple channels to reach people in the future, and that while the in-store experience is romantic, there is a place for the practical as well.” (Right now, she and her team are working on putting together an edit of their favorite new arrivals to launch online, but in the meantime, you can snag her tie-dyed hoodies via Instagram. Warm’s in-house collection of printed dresses, which is a separate business, does have its own website you can shop now.)

Still, Beattie was refreshingly candid about the struggles of launching a new platform with minimal revenue coming in. She’s also had another challenge thrown into the mix: homeschooling her three sons, whose schools have all closed for the foreseeable future. “I’m not an educator, and it is legitimately challenging,” she says. “I’m trying to do that while I’m designing my spring 2021 collection [for Warm’s in-house line], and Rob is trying to put together as many jobs as he can for his photographers [editor’s note: Magnotta is also the president of a photography agency]. The homeschool really takes a lot of organization, and I’m not super tech savvy, so even all of this electronic learning and Zoom is an entire crash course for me, too.”

The biggest question mark for Beattie and Magnotta is, unsurprisingly, making rent. President Trump and Governor Cuomo have both promised to issue zero-interest loans to small businesses, and have asked the Federal Reserve to work with banks across the country to expedite the certification process. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution: “We aren’t people who live in debt—the Midwestern in me tries not to live beyond my means!” Beattie says. “A loan is still something that has to be repaid and personally guaranteed. We already have a mortgage [on our house] and tuitions, and there are concerns with taking on a huge debt just to stay open. I don’t know if that’s the answer.”

“I’m not giving up hope, and it is not the plan at all to close our doors,” Beattie adds. “But the realist in me thinks this isn’t going to be a two week thing, it’s going to be months and months. We have to get creative and try to figure out how we’re going to make this work. Having the in-house line saves me, because when the house is quiet, I’ve been designing our spring collection, and some new tees and hoodies that just feel happy. It’s a nice distraction. Those pieces won’t come out for a year, so hopefully by then, the world is a different place than it is at this very moment,” she continues. “And when those things are in stores, I will touch them and remember sitting on my sofa when the world was so dark and sad. I believe with all my heart that the greatest, most genuine art and creativity comes out of darker times. So in a year, what we see in stores will hopefully be optimistic and cheerful.”

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston Had the Sweetest Reunion at the 2020 SAG Awards

Brad Pitt won a SAG Award on Sunday night for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, giving a speech so full of jokes that you might be forgiven for thinking he was auditioning for Saturday Night Live. "I'm going to add this to my Tinder profile," he quipped. "Thank you, my brothers, my sisters, this means so much—more than I can possibly fathom."

All eyes were on the actor as he concluded the speech with a wry, telling comparison between himself and his character, stuntman Cliff Booth: "Let’s be honest, it was a difficult part," he said. “The guy who gets high, takes his shirt off, and doesn’t get on with his wife. It’s a big stretch.” Notably, Pitt's ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, was in the crowd, and the camera panned to her as Pitt made the joke. Far from seeming upset, Aniston smiled and applauded.

Then, Pitt had the opportunity to reciprocate as he watched The Morning Show star Aniston accept the SAG award for an outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series.

Kourtney Kardashian Tried On 3 Extremely Rare Dresses to Host Her Family Christmas Party

‘Tis the season to be merry—and, if you’re Kourtney Kardashian, to dress in extremely rare archival pieces. The eldest Kardashian sister was tasked with hosting the family’s annual holiday bash this Christmas Eve; so to mark the occasion, she tried on not one, not two, but three vintage outfits. “The vibe of the affair was eclectic wintery chic, including aged hardwood floors, green velvet drapes, chandeliers, fireplaces, and comfort food to bring a homey feel to such an elegant evening,” her stylist of two years Dani Michelle shares with Vogue. “Kourtney wanted to dress up for the occasion, and was most inspired by rich jewel tones.” One look that certainly fell in line with that rich, megawatt color palette, was an emerald green Jean Paul Gaultier silk dress, complete with the designer’s signature cone bra. (This isn’t the first time that Kardashian has worn Gaultier, either—she’s long been a fan of the designer, in particular the label’s vintage semi-sheer, stretchy pieces from the Soleil line.) Then, Kardashian tried a slinky plum dress with crystallized flames by Thierry Mugler. She finally settled on a Tom Ford-era Gucci corseted gown from the Fall 2003 collection, in ruby red. (Look 44 to be exact, originally worn by model Carmen Kass.)

Over the past few months, Kardashian has been regularly gravitating towards vintage outfits, from the aforementioned Jean Paul Gaultier garb, to the ’90s Gucci leather dress she wore to attend the Dior Men fall 2020 show in Miami. Now, the eldest Kardashian is delving even further into the world of hard-to-find archival looks. (After all, her middle sister Kim has long been a fan: Peep her museum-worthy Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaïa, and Versace moments from earlier this year.) “When we did a fitting, I pulled everything from early 2000s archives to the latest runways, but she gravitated most to the vintage collections of Jean Paul Gaultier, Gucci by Tom Ford, and Thierry Mugler,” says Michelle on styling Kardashian. “What we loved most about these gowns, and those of the past, is that they don’t compete with the trends of today, but are the actual original concepts and designs that paved the way for modern fashion. It’s thrilling to find these looks in perfect condition.” To track down the items, Michelle tapped an insider’s group of archive dealers. “I sourced the [Tom Ford-Gucci] 2003 runway gown from Janet Mandell, who has been buying museum archives for the last 10 years,” says Michelle. “Just as we have brand showrooms for current designers, I have a network of archival vintage collectors.”

While wearing archive pieces has become something of a trend this year—the choice is sustainable, and plus, who doesn’t like showing off their super collectable discoveries?—it seems that Kardashian has more sentimental reasons for opting for these designers. “She remembers all these designers from an early age as they are what her mommy would wear,” adds Michelle. Nothing like getting into the festive familial spirit this holiday season—and if it’s very fashionable, too, then all the better.

Angel Olsen on Her Bespoke, Old World Vision of Fashion

When I meet Angel Olsen at a bar in Greenpoint this past August, she’s a bit burnt out. She’s just received some bad news regarding a friend of hers; she’s also in the thick of promoting her new album, All Mirrors, and beginning a lengthy tour, which extended to playing a series of headlining shows in Brooklyn this past weekend. “I keep having to switch gears from talking about the record, doing photoshoots, trying to look interesting—trying to wear beautiful dresses and get into it—but I also get depleted, because I know I have to go home and learn how to program my synth and actually do the fucking thing,” she says.

In spite of this fatigue, the Asheville, North Carolina-based artist excitedly shows me the knockoff Vogue T-shirt that she’s wearing—a handmade, abstract black-and-white design that her friend made and framed with the classic Vogue lettering, worn in anticipation of speaking with me. She also lights up when showing off her new tattoo, which she got in Lisbon during her sole vacation of the summer. “I went with my best friend who’s a DJ, and he has this little chihuahua. We were just in the streets singing fado and we both got tattoos—this is the first I’ve ever gotten.” It’s based off a post she saw on the oddball Instagram account History Cool Kids. “A Swiss taxidermist created a 3D model of this Siberian princess whose body was completely preserved. She was 2,500 years old and covered in tattoos. They found some weed next to her, and they found out that she had breast cancer, so she was smoking to ease the pain. It’s a really powerful image and it just kept coming back to me,” Olsen says. She thought she was going to get a mini labyrinth or a compass tattooed on her arm, but instead she went with the swirling, almost Pegasus-like design that the mummified princess had etched into her shoulder.

Selena Gomez Refreshes the Suit With a Surprising Choice of Shoe

Selena Gomez is back in full force. After a brief hiatus from music, the singer released two surprise singles last week, titled “Look at Her Now” and “Lose You to Love Me.” Today, she has been busy making the promo rounds for the new songs in New York City, where she appeared at multiple events and showed up at each one in entirely new outfits. One of her chicest looks, however, was the suited-up moment that she gave a refresh with a surprising shoe choice.

Working with stylist Kate Young, Gomez wore a checkered, double-breasted suit by Frame to cap off of her slew of winning looks. She accessorized it with a black Alexander McQueen bag. But it was her unlikely footwear that made the whole look feel fresh and modern: she slipped on leather mules by Proenza Schouler that had a twisted upper and mirrored block heel. It was a fresh departure from the simple pumps or masculine brogues that celebrities often wear with suits.

The fall season has already had its unexpected shoe moments—see Ariana Grande in Crocs, or Rihanna in flip-flop heels—but Gomez’s unexpected accessory is surprisingly wearable, too. Consider it a seasonal guide to suiting: just pop on a fun shoe, and you’re ready to go.

A$AP Rocky Makes the Case For Yet Another Unexpected Men’s Accessory Trend

In case you missed it, A$AP Rocky has firmly made himself known as a babushka boy. Since he first reinterpreted the matronly headscarf—most notably, perhaps, with the floral silk Gucci scarf he wore to a LACMA gala in Los Angeles last year—Rocky has continued to break out the unexpected accessory on a regular basis. Just last night, even, Rocky went to a Fenty after-party in the midst of Paris Fashion Week wearing a sleek, black patent leather Marine Serre raincoat which he paired with, yes, a red babushka-cum-baseball cap.

For Rocky’s latest appearance at the Loewe runway show earlier today, though, the rapper swapped out his go-to accessory for something a little different. With a caned bag slung low on his hip and his pants cinched at the ankles, Rocky walked into the Loewe show with an opalescent, almost Victorian looking choker firmly set around his neck. It’s a bold styling choice, especially when paired with a men’s blazer as Rocky did, but it’s certainly fetching on him. When he first debuted the babushka headscarf last year, the response was divided, but since then the look has been sported by the likes of Jaden Smith and Marc Jacobs—could Rocky be patient zero for a menswear accessory trend once again with the choker? For that, we’ll have to wait and see—but don’t be surprised if he writes a song called “Choker Boi” now, too.

Why Lenny Kravitz Is Still a Menswear Icon

I love Lenny Kravitz. I love his attitude. I love his look. Ever since he made his debut with Let Love Rule in 1989, the singer has cultivated the same love-worn, pheromone-soaked and unbuttoned style. And it still looks fresh, too. Last night on the VMAs red carpet, a place crawling with teenage YouTubers and Insta-celebs, Kravitz stood out once again. The 55-year-old rock star (and father!) stood there with his hands holstered into his pockets, wearing a pair of faded jeans paired with a vintage Levi’s vest from What Goes Around Comes Around with shorn-off arms and a distressed, fraying collar. Call it a Canadian tuxedo à la Kravitz.

And there’s more: On his torso was a delicate golden halter top that appeared as if it was spun by gilded spiders from heaven. (Zoom in, and you can see that the threadlike, ready-to-snap strap was connected by a large safety pin!) His footwear was the ultimate signifier of male confidence: pointy-toe white boots. His hands were laden with kingly Southwestern jewelry that included a massive turquoise ring and a glittering pinky ring so big that it was reminiscent of a miniature pavé disco ball. Around his neck hung an abstract fist-size gold medallion that appeared to be handmade.

Every detail merely amplified the singer’s style legacy. Kravitz has been a seemingly ageless heartthrob with an unapologetic oft-shredded style to match since before some of last night’s nominees were born. He is the purveyor of the flare! The mesh tank top! He has always shown off his sculpted biceps and Zeus-like pectorals, and why not? Kravitz has it; he should flaunt it, and he has, memorably, in his everyday style and in his own videos.

Take his “I Belong To You” (1998), specifically the moment when Kravitz biblically emerges from the sea like a ripped, saltwater-drenched Moses, sporting a soaking white shirt and a chain choker with a bone carving dangling from it. He’s also wearing sunglasses. It’s as ridiculous as it is blindingly hot. Who wears clothes or sunglasses when submerged into saltwater? Who cares! He sports a similar look on the cover of his Greatest Hits album from 2000, but in that instance, it is a pair of low-slung, partially unzipped jeans with the waist torn off. Like I said, Kravitz loves his wardrobe to be slightly beat-up, as if he’s been walking through the desert and his wares have been organically wind-blasted for 40 years.

But there’s far more to Kravitz’s style, and I’m not just talking about the multiple ear piercings, stacked like beautiful, tiny wedding bands on his lobes. Or his double nose ring: a hoop and stud. Nor the nipple piercings. And that other newsworthy piercing. There is depth to his look—a natural laidback appeal that is so far from try-hard. Go back to the music video “Again” from 2000. In it, he plays himself, a rock star who at the time was dating actress Gina Gershon. Then he becomes enamored with a waitress at a diner. We can see that Lenny is struggling with fame: He doesn’t need the glitz and the glamor of a penthouse apartment! That’s not Lenny! Instead, we see that he’s the type of guy who can pluck out a white ribbed tank from his underwear drawer and simply get on with his day. And that’s just what he does: The penultimate scene when Kravitz runs out of that sterile apartment to pursue his love interest, he wears a plain tank and regular jeans. It’s smoldering. Lenny doesn’t need the clothing labels to make a statement. Come to think of it, it’s hard to recall any designers that he wears on the regular, except for the occasional Saint Laurent. What’s more elevated rock ’n’ roll than that brand?

This is not to say that Lenny doesn’t do excess well. He’s always had a knack for reviving that wild and groovy ’70s rocker style and making it his own. He showed up to the Betsey Johnson Fall 1998 show wearing a Western-type jacket made from fur and leather that was only fastened by one button along with a pair of happy trail-baring red leather pants. (He also wore the same aforementioned bone-carved necklace!) Way back when, he donned a corset contraption and skin-tight paisley print. He even memorably wore a blue-tinged Global Coffee House art-style crop top. In one undated image from a concert presumably in the early ’90s, Kravitz is pictured in a suit of the palest blue with a scooping fur-trimmed collar, not unlike a look that David Bowie or Prince might have worn. And remember that humongous brown knit scarf Kravitz wrapped himself in while braving a chilly day in New York in 2018? It was crazy, bizarre, and also so Lenny.

Men’s looks in music have always been changing. There are boy bands who shoot to fame, and then the members assume other styles off-stage and as the time goes on. There are standard rock bands with unremarkable wardrobes. But just as Iggy Pop performs shirtless in a pair of jeans threatening to fall off, or Bono is never without his trademark sunglasses, Lenny’s style is iconic and seamless. He wears these looks off-stage and on-stage. He is the precursor to the millennial sartorial powerhouses that we know now, like Post Malone with his honky-tonk garb or Bad Bunny with his hyped-about dorktastic get-ups. Kravitz knows himself, feels good, and looks phenomenal in his clothes. What’s to change? For Lenny, nothing.