THE CONSUMER: Fashion Fusion

Metropark mixes music, fashion and art

Jennifer Henry

"Lifestyle" is retail's newest buzzword. In this super-saturated market, it takes more than brand recognition and celebrity endorsements to sell your jeans couture. LA's Melrose and Robertson avenues are lined with boutiques that draw throngs of discerning twenty-something hipsters in search of that ever-elusive high-low mix.


With a truly remarkable abundance of flagship stores nestled in Caesar's Forum Shops, Via Bellagio, Mandalay Place, Wynn's Esplanade and the Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, Las Vegas has certainly given LA's brand-centric stores a proper turn, but Metropark is the first to offer an eclectic collection of brands aimed to please the genuinely boutique-starved mall circuit.


Lawrence Tanenbaum, Metropark's president and cofounder, conceived of a store that would fuse art, music and fashion to entice the savvy consumer. Tanenbaum knows his patrons well, as proved by the store's finished industrial interior, modeled after the sleek, modern-chic design trends in urban hotels, bars and nightclubs, replete with flat screen TVs running Metropark's stylish custom animations.


Tanenbaum's candid chat with me about his goal to offer an "experiential shopping destination" to what he refers to as "experienced and sophisticated" consumers was mirrored by Mikey, comanager of Metropark's newest boutique in the Fashion Show Mall. He enthusiastically presented the boutique, citing its unique amenities such as the lounge at the back, complete with an energy drink bar. Each dressing room is furnished with an LCD TV to ensure you're always a part of the action. He took me through the diverse collection of wardrobe staples and avante garde signature pieces, assuring me that although a few brands already have a small presence in Las Vegas, it was Metropark's skillful choice of items and trend-sensitive mix that make for a successful collection.


They carry an impressive cross section of labels, including favorites such as Diesel, OBEY and Joe's, alongside up-and-coming brands such as True Religion, Antique and Salvage. Their men's and women's accessories lines include watches from Nixon, Kurtz hats and a Las Vegas exclusive, Tarina Tarantino's enamel Hello Kitty collection. With all of this and weekly spin sessions with local DJs, Metropark is here to combine your life and style. To get a glimpse of Metropark's fashion, art and music fusion in full swing, stop by November 5 to enjoy a live set by DJ Aurijin.



Metropark, inside the Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 369-8382.



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Jennifer Henry has got the goods on what to get and where. E-mail her at
[email protected].

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