A FOREIGN EXCHANGE

A clothing and culture swap crosses the Atlantic this summer.

Blame it on the food, the water, or the time spent on an airplane, but shopping is always a bit more fun when you’re on vacation. It’s like you’ve been liberated from the guilt associated with sprees and wild spending.

Which might explain why we’re so excited about Wish You Were Here. This transatlantic exchange starts at the end of August, when a group of British independent boutiques invade New York City. From August 20 to September 7, 14 Newburgh Quarter shops will be importing their wares to the Lower East Side, with traditional English tea parties, Labor Day events, in-store activities throughout their stay. The stores range from The Great Frog, the jewelry designer behind Slash’s famous skull ring, to Chateau Roux, which prints bespoke T-shirts.

Returning the favor, a slew of downtown stores will be heading over to London in October. They’ll bring along Earnest Sewn jeans, In God We Trust dresses, Big Apple snacks (like bagels and pretzels), and Halloween party gear, since no one does commercialized holidays like Americans.

Which means that it won’t just be a clothing swap, but a culture swap—without the threat of jet lag.
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS

Visit wishyouwerehereswap.com for more info.



This story was published on July 23, 2009.