All you gas-guzzlers out there have probably noticed a curious development over at Diesel. In the last few months, the number of U.S. outlets selling the Italian brand has dropped faster than a school lunch program from a Bush budget. What's the meaning of this? Diesel's image, we're told, is being reformulated from regular to premium. But, thankfully, basking in the glow of the Chanel and Burberry boutiques that flank it, a shiny new Diesel store has rolled out in SoHo. All things Diesel can be found in the two-story space, from a full selection of men's and women's clothes to shoes, sunglasses, bags and, of course, that trademark wall of denim. The interior design is smooth, modern and open, but best of all—and the celebrities among you surely know this already—are two VIP dressing areas with a private bathroom, a kitchen and a multi-mirrored round room, all tucked away behind a velvet curtain. Just don't be surprised who you bump into when you sneak back there, and we know you will. Diesel, 135 Spring Street, 212-625-1555.
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Sorry to disappoint adult movie fans, but Cherry Men is not the latest release from Falcon Studios—it's the newest addition to the West Village shopping circuit. The bicoastal vintage boutiques known as Cherry have long been meccas for high-end clothes, shoes and accessories from decades past. But after the closing of the Orchard Street store a few years ago, New Yorkers have had to make do with a puny fraction of Cherry's well-endowed archives, as offerings for both women and men were forced to share the same small Eighth Avenue space. To remedy the injustice, owners Cesar Padilla and Radford Brown recently snatched up the adjacent storefront and converted it into a haven for retro-loving guys, while devoting the existing boutique to the girls. Cherry Men's selection aims to span from the 1800s to the 1980s, cataloging nearly every iconic look the American male underwent during that time, from dandy to rebel without a cause, rockabilly to mod, and so on. When we visited, the racks felt like the wardrobe of "That 70's Show" but Brown promises that rare Victorian frock coats and designer pieces from the likes of Paco Rabanne will soon be added. Now that's a nice package. Cherry Men, 17 Eight Avenue, 212-924-5188. -Suleman Anaya
It's worth a wander through the woods of Berlin Mitte's fashion district to check out the new Little Red Riding Hood store and design collective. Nestled deep within the swanky mall Quartier 206, the little gem offers hard-to-find designer lines in a suitably spooky fairytale setting, complete with looming plastic trees and wolf mannequins draped with accessories. Where Little Red Riding Hood herself is hiding, we may never know, but her spirit is embodied in the selection of off-beat pieces from the concept store's own label, as well as collections by the likes of Hussein Chalayan and Raf Simons. This is definitely not grandmother's house. Little Red Riding Hood, Quartier 206/1, UG Friederichstrasse, 71 10117, 030 20455619. -Peta Jenkin
