Zac Posen's New Digs

Fall shopping season is here, and as always, I gravitate toward retail boutiques offering a unique experience for the senses. For fashion trendsetters and style scholars, Zac Posen's new Z Spoke deserves a visit. Located in the Meatpacking District, Z Spoke features Posen's beautiful, lower-priced line, as well as heaps of rare fashion books and magazines curated by Mike Gallagher, the renowned fashion and photography archivist, researcher and photographer.

Gallagher's yen for books is well-known in the fashion world; he was commissioned to create the personal libraries of Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Steven Meisel and Anna Sui, amongst others. A native New Yorker, he has known Posen since his teenage years and believes he is the most talented young designer working today.

Zac Posen and Mike Gallagher (Photo Courtesy of Billy Farrell Agency)

I asked Zac Posen about his new retail venture:

TG: Why did you select Meatpacking District and not Madison Ave?

ZP: The location chose me!

TG: How did your love of interior design play into the store?

ZP: I have always be influenced by architecture, and similar to designing a dress, I love the opportunity to play with space, color, and form. Specifically, I wanted to keep it simple with pops of red, post-modern furniture, and crown molding to create warmth and intimacy.

TG: How did you decide to bring Michael Gallagher into the mix?

ZP: I'm a New Yorker -- he's a New Yorker. For the past four years I've been avidly searching for, and collecting rare books on fashion. I couldn't think of a more authentic New York character to collaborate with and create an ongoing style installation.

TG: What are some of the must-have pieces for a soulful wardrobe from the store?

ZP: A swing coat! It has a kick and character to it.

TG: As a born and bred New Yorker, how does your store reflect the sensibility of a New York woman?

ZP: It's a one-stop-shop!