Clemens en August S/S 09 © Alexander Brenninkmeijer GmbH & Co. KG. Model: Laura Käding (seedsmanagement). Photographer: Alexander Brenninkmeijer

There are two reasons why fashion lovers will be unable to refrain themselves from clapping their hands in delight tomorrow. One is that TopShop is (at long last) opening the doors of its New York emporium over at Broadway and Broome Street. The other is that the Clemens en August tour will be hitting London’s Notting Hill district with its scrumptious S/S 09 collection. It will be a day that will certainly witness its fair share of its extremes, whether they be geographic or stylistic.

By now, the TopShop-in-New York frenzy has reached fever pitch, and Manhattian fans of this British retail giant are stumbling over themselves to ensure they bag a top spot in the crowd to witness Mademoiselle Kate Moss cut the ribbon at 11 a.m. (although knowing the fashion clique’s love of–excuse the pun–fashionable tardiness, we anticipate this will probably occur a little later than planned.)

With its four floors brimming with British fashion and a whole host of exciting extras, such as Style Advisors and in-store pampering sessions, TopShop will offer New Yorkers a piece of the London high street experience right in the heart of Soho. As certain as this store opening will satisfy the cravings of countless of US TopShop fans, we hope New Yorkers will not forget that their local fashion scene, packed with unique and talented designers, is infinitely more exciting and stimulating than any cookie-cutter store.

And if there is one fashion label that is anything but a cookie-cutter, that is Clemens en August. Discreet, refined and oozing a quasi-artistic sophistication, this Munich-based label has been selling its collections via pop-up stores across the globe since 2005. The brand’s distinct philosophy permeates every aspect of its structure, from its advertising campaign–it has none–to the subtle, 100% EU crafted threads. Only a small quantity of clothes are produced each season, and because these are distributed exclusively through tailor-to-client sales, prices are extremely contained. It should therefore come as no surprise that this glorious fashion gem has caught the eye of everyone from Claudia Schiffer to Lily Cole and Rhys Ifans.

Its S/S 09 collection features clean cut silhouettes, splashes of framboise and a refreshing simplicity that frankly, if I were a New Yorker, I would be boarding a plane to London just about now. Because when it comes to making a choice between fashion extremes, Kate Moss can wait.

The Clemens en August pop-up boutique will be located at the 20th Century Theatre, Westbourne Grove, London W11. April 2-4 2009.

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