A Tale of One City and Two Avenues

Many notable avenues and boulevards have laid claim to the title of the world’s most exclusive shopping corridor: from London’s Oxford Street to the tree lined Champs-Élysées in Paris; and Milan’s Via Monte Napoleone. However, there is only one Fifth Avenue located in the heart of New York City.

And while it’s the backbone of the Big Apple, it’s somewhat ephemeral, responding to population shifts and volatile economic conditions. Like the fashion world it represents, it too is subject to the capricious flavors of the day. Long gone are luxury icons such as Bonwit Teller and De Pinna, while newcomers include the fast-fashion merchants of the day, from Uniqlo and Joe Fresh, to H&M and Zara.

One of the next additions to the fabled thoroughfare is a name associated with lifestyle luxe: Ralph Lauren will be opening another store between 55^th and 56^th Streets.  The space, formerly occupied by the Disney Store, is a mere 14 blocks downtown and one iconic avenue west of its women’s store in the Rhinelander Mansion, as well as its men’s store in a contemporized Rhinelander twin on Madison and 71^st Street.

Should this raise eyebrows in wonder or channel an understanding of the inherent need of a city and industry to evolve? It seems not long ago that Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue catered to the same demographic, both targeting the wealthy consumers of the Upper East Side. Although Madison still reaches out to the upwardly mobile, Fifth Avenue – while retaining its mystique and appeal – has become more accessible to larger audiences. As one of the most elegant addresses in New York and one of the toniest retail districts on the planet, it has become every retailer’s window to the world – an opportunity to project their brand name and image to the multitude of tourists who flock to this epicenter of shopping nirvana.

More and more, well positioned brands are recognizing the importance of staking a claim on Madison’s residential stronghold, as well as Fifth Avenue’s tourist magnet. Thus, two stores existing just blocks apart is becoming a viable approach in one city’s “tale of two avenues.”

Photography: Songquan Deng / Shutterstock.com