Walking into the Urban Zen store in the West Village in Downtown Manhattan, the first thing that hit me was the smell of coffee.
Ditching my sopping coat, I was immediately greeted by a member of Donna Karan's PR team, who told me that Urban Zen is truly Karan's pride and joy. She then pointed out the Spring/Summer 2009 section of the store. Contrary to convention, they do not operate on the classic fashion calendar of being a season ahead but rather showcase the current season. Today, however, they were offering their Winter/Fall collection along with preview pieces from the Spring/Summer collection that will be available in April.
As I began to wander around the store and explore the racks of clothes (oh the fabrics!) I was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by Donna Karan, who warmly offered to show me around. We chatted about fashion week and then she outlined her vision for Urban Zen and the store. It was clear from the onset that this project is truly from her heart and soul. Her commitment and enthusiasm were palpable.
The Urban Zen store and fashion line are a part of the Urban Zen Foundation, which has a three-part mission: Well-being, Empowering Children, and Preserving Cultures. A portion of the proceeds from the fashion line benefit the Urban Zen foundation, the brainchild of Donna Karan and Sonja Nuttall. Karan explained that everything in the store, furniture, jewelry, and clothing (covering menswear, women's and children's) is for sale. They even sell coffee, worked creatively into the design of the store - beans are playfully scattered across the tables - explaining the alluring aroma and reinforcing the concept that everything in the store is for sale.
The clothing is made from beautiful, luxurious, soft fabrics and feature nice simple lines - classic Karan. Most of the items were in muted, earth tones which complemented all the Karan-designed furniture and décor of the store. Karan told me that her inspiration came from her travels, which was evident in the dark exotic woods used in the room as well as the styled manikins, displaying outfits fit for comfortable, stylish exploring.
Every inch of the place showed off Karan's vision for the foundation as well as her amazing craftsmanship. In a time of economic crisis it was a breath of fresh air to experience a very different side of fashion and fashion week in New York - fashion and philanthropy.
Check out their website or Urban Zen locations in New York City, Ketchum, or Sag Harbor for their current Fall/Winter collection and check back in April to see what is new for Spring and Summer.