Georgetown is just killing it lately when it comes to shopping. In the past year alone, the label-heavy ’hood has welcomed Calypso St. Barth, Tory Burch, and Frye, as well as massive DSW and H&M outposts. Next up in the queue, developers announced Monday, is Alice + Olivia.
The store—slated to open in the 2,400-square-foot corner space at 3303 M Street, Northwest (the former home of Qdoba), this fall—marks Alice + Olivia’s first standalone location in the region. That Georgetown is a destination for the brand’s brick-and-mortar shops—which also pop up in such high-fashion neighborhoods as Beverly Hills, the Hamptons, and SoHo—says a ton about how far our city has come in recent years: Is the uptick of upscale, trendy retailers putting us on track to becoming a fashion destination?
Apparently Stacey Bendet thinks so. Alice + Olivia’s eccentric yet impeccably dressed designer’s energetic pieces—think in-your-face patterns and funky-classy silhouettes—are welcome additions to Washington, where we’re always looking for ways to sneak a little flair into our workwear. Bendet is also known to design each store herself, sneaking in some of her non-A+O favorites such as Dylan’s Candy Bar treats and Malin + Goetz beauty products. We’re eager to see what’ll pop up in our local store.
Alice + Olivia. 3303 M St., NW. Opening September 2014.