Post On the Cusp

Back in July, I wrote about how department stores, which have traditionally focused on middle aged consumers, are beginning to target younger customers in earnest. Where Bergdorfs has the youth-focused 5F (5th floor) and Barneys has the Barneys Co-op, Neiman Marcus now has the Cusp store. Given that one of the first Cusp stores opened in nearby McLean, VA, I promised a review--and now I'm delivering!

Photos from the Cusp website, which, incidentally, is a blog.

The verdict: I'm impressed. When I first read about the Cusp concept, I was tempted to write it off as Neimans' version of Barneys' Co-op stores; yet another variation on Scoop or Intermix. I admit I arrived at the store not expecting anything new or exciting.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. While the Cusp is very similar to your average Barneys Co-op (or Co-op competitor), a few features set it apart. First, the Cusp store carries more premium designer shoes and bags than the Co-op. There were about eight pairs of Louboutins at the Tysons Corner location when I visited--including such hot designs as the Prives. Why is this significant? Louboutins are widely available generally, but the hot ticket pairs are generally hard to find outside major fashion locales. The shoe and bag selection goes beyond your typical Co-op/Scoop/Intermix offerings of Chloe and Chloe-esque "it" shoes and bags. (Note the red Pedro Garcia Pump and Chanel Coco Cabas bag pictured above.) In terms of clothing, you'll find clothes by more designers than the usual suspects such as Vince, Cynthia Vincent, Graham Spencer, et. al (not that their stuff isn't nice--I have a Cynthia Vincent dress that I love), and you'll also find an amazing denim section. For instance, I found Superfine jeans in the impossible to find size 24 at Cusp (well, the salesgirl summoned the manager who went and found them for me). Barneys Co-ops in the DC area have carried one style of Superfines, but the Cusp store has many (sadly, not the wax finish). Cusp also has Rag & Bone and other new, cool denim labels (no Sevens in sight if I recall correctly). If you're looking for black skinny pants, the Cusp store not only carries Theory but also has pants from Rachel Roy and others. There were also many, many beautiful dresses towards the front...though the designers' names are escaping me at the moment. Finally, the service was exceptional when I was there. In any event, if any of you have been to a Cusp store, I'd be very interested in hearing what you thought. For now, Cusp is one of my favorite stores in the Washington, DC area.

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