I was barely a teenager the first time I went to 10 Corso Como, in Milan. The out-of-the-way neighborhood even baffled the taxi driver. I remember driving around for some time until we realized it was better to find the store by foot.
It was cold and dark outside but the moment we walked in I knew I was somewhere special. It wasn’t a store layout I recognized. 10 Corso Como blended nature with fashion. Clothing and art were commingled. It was hard to know what was for sale and what was a retail prop.
After several years of anticipation, 10 Corso Como opened in New York and surprisingly maintained the same retail philosophy as its Milan predecessor in the 90s. The store is located at the South Street Seaport district, which is not usually frequented by indigenous New Yorkers. Just like in Milan, it took a moment to find the entrance. (I happened to enter from the back of this store.) The store also blends fashion, art, fragrance and home decor.
The clothing is generally what you would expect to find in an experimental retail environment. There are tiny bouti2ues to explore, like at Dover Street Market. There is a lot of Comme des Garçons, Maison Margiela, exclusive Gucci and Balenciaga pieces and a great Prada capsule collection.
In addition, there are some brands that I haven’t seen (or noticed) in ages. For example, I spotted an entire rack of Rudi Gurnreich and some incredible exclusive pieces from Alaia. Most of the fashion price points are on the expensive side but there were some surprises, like a baby soft coat in pink from Mansur Gavriel that’s under $1000. You can see pictures of some of my favorite items in the jump.
The buyers, or should we call them curators, of 10 Corso Como know that most people aren’t in the market for a $3000 reflective skit and have created a large collection of Corso Como branded items for the souvenir shopper. There are store-branded phone cases for $50, Italian olive oil for $65, logo-ed Superga sneakers for $120 and branded Birkenstocks for $240. It would really be hard to walk out with absolutely nothing. I have pictures in the jump.
Like every great destination retailer, there is a chic restaurant attached that serves Milanese style Italian food. The gnocchi was perfectly soft and the cappuccino was perfection. The only disappointment was that there is no Splenda. That being my only complaint, I would call that a shopping success.
10 Corso Como
1 Fulton St.
(212) 265-9500
Contact: Zac
