Charivari (store)
| Company type | Privately held |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clothes shop |
| Founded | April 1, 1967 in New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Founder | Selma Weiser[1] |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Selma Weiser (Founder) Barbara Weiser Jon Weiser |
Charivari was a New York City-based apparel retail chain. Established in 1967, it expanded to six outlets before ceasing operations in 1998. The brand gained recognition for promoting avant-garde fashion designers throughout the 1980s. Its name means "uproar" in French.[2] The store's ascent in the fashion world paralleled the gentrification of Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood.[3]
History
Charivari was launched in 1967 by Jon Weiser together with his mother Selma and sister Barbara.[4]
In 1976, the men's section was moved into a separate store located across the street. That same year, Esquire magazine featured Charivari among America's top eight retail stores.[3] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the business expanded from a single location to five stores, four situated on the Upper West Side and one on West 57th Street.[5][6] In 1992, a sixth store was introduced on the Upper East Side.[1] The Upper West Side stores were designed by architect Alan J. Buchsbaum.[7]
Rebecca Mead reflected on the chain’s closure in The New Yorker, stating: "If during the nineteen-eighties you wanted your attire to convey that you were a) fashion-savvy; b) somewhat intellectual; and c) willing to wear garments with unfinished seams or inside-out jackets—items that might otherwise be considered fashion missteps without confident styling—you shopped at Charivari."[8]
The founders identified several factors behind the store’s downfall: inadequate financial management, the economic downturn during the 1990s, and ironically, their own success. As avant-garde designers became accessible through their own boutiques and major department stores, a specialized retailer like Charivari became less essential.[9]
The brand inspired the naming of the Charivari Detroit Musical Festival as a tribute.[10]
Activities
Charivari's retail outlets showcased a curated selection of designer apparel from both Japanese and European creators. The collections included notable names such as Azzedine Alaïa, Giorgio Armani, Ann Demeulemeester, Dolce & Gabbana, Perry Ellis, Jean Paul Gaultier, Katharine Hamnett, Marc Jacobs—who gained early experience working at Charivari during his youth—Helmut Lang, Issey Miyake, Thierry Mugler, Dries van Noten, Prada, Gianni Versace, and Yohji Yamamoto.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weber, Bruce (16 June 2009). "Selma Weiser, Boutique Innovator, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Benjamin, Claudie (June 9, 2020). "An Interview with Barbara Weiser, A Founder of Charivari". i love the upper west side. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sischy, Ingrid (4 August 2016). "The Rise and Fall of Charivari, the Cult Boutique of Fashion's Cutting Edge". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Kahn, Anna (16 July 2017). "Charivari: A fashionable upper west side story". West Side Rag. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ↑ Duka, John (17 June 1984). "A Charivari in Midtown". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Schiro, Anne-Marie (7 October 1990). "Fashion; A Kickier, Bigger Charivari". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Giovannini, Joseph (11 April 1987). "Alan Buchsbaum, High Tech Architect, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Mead, Rebecca (1 February 1999). "Rag Trade". The New Yorker. p. 24. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Foderar, Lisa W. (6 November 1997). "Charivari: Boutique Blues on West 57th Street". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Walters, Wendy S. (11 July 2023). "How a Legendary Fashion Brand Inspired a Musical Revolution". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 8 November 2024.