Bloomingdale’s to Put Its Best Feet Forward

When Bloomingdale’s opens in Newport Beach on Nov. 16, shoppers familiar with the famous retailer will discover that, like many East Coast transplants, Bloomie’s has changed its look to fit Orange County’s lifestyle.

To be sure, the new store in Fashion Island, along with three other Bloomingdale’s opening in California next month, will have many of the same features that have made the 59th Street store in New York City as much of a tourist attraction as the Statue of Liberty. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan--all of the big designers one expects at Bloomingdale’s will be represented.

Yet in keeping with its sunnier surroundings, the store’s interior and its mix of merchandise will be lighter and brighter than the original Bloomie’s.

“It will have a New York and California feel,” says David Ender, director of stores/public relations for Bloomingdale’s.

Many of the clothes will be lighter weight and more colorful than the merchandise back East, Ender says. With the warmer climate, there’s less demand here for thick wool coats and sweaters.

The Newport location will also boast an expanded shoe department--the largest of any Bloomingdale’s. People here treat their shoes not as a utilitarian accessory but as a focal point of their outfits, Ender says. They also don’t have to hide their footwear from the rain, salt and other harsh conditions of New York City streets, so they tend to wear more shoes in a wider variety of colors.

The look of the store will also reflect the sunny Southern California environment.

The once dim interior of the 172,600-square-foot former Broadway has been demolished. The surroundings are light and airy, with white walls, cream-colored manufactured marble flooring, light tan carpeting and display cases made of light-hued woods such as rosewood and honey-colored oak.

Here and there are spots of bright desert hues--a vibrant red jewelry case, a green wood floor and, in cosmetics, a chair with hot pink cushions. Still, as a reminder of Bloomingdale’s heritage, one area of the first floor is paved in black and white checkered tile, just like the New York store.

“Customers want to see 59th Street here,” says Kathy McDonnell, Bloomingdale’s general manager.

Only the pale yellow exterior of the old Broadway remains--but it will receive a jolt of color thanks to banners made by Laguna Beach artist Christopher Karl.

Inside, there’s still plenty of work to be done--hammers pound and saws whine almost continuously; protective plastic hangs everywhere, and the mannequins are naked. Only a few departments have clothes hanging from their racks.

To figure out what merchandise to put on those racks, Bloomingdale’s has spent months studying Orange County style.

“The first thing we looked at was everyone else,” Ender jokes. Executives and buyers for Bloomingdale’s came out West to see how people here dress.

“The second thing we did was conduct a series of focus groups. We asked people about shopping and about what they expect from Bloomingdale’s.”

In February, Bloomingdale’s mailed surveys to local residents, many of whom already owned Bloomie’s credit cards or subscribed to the store catalog. The surveys asked a battery of questions, such as what vendors residents liked, how often they shopped and how much they spent. The results were surprising:

“We went in thinking this was a conservative market, but we came away with an understanding of a more contemporary customer and a more casual lifestyle,” says Michael Lindblad, Bloomingdale’s regional vice president.

Many respondents appeared hungry for more forward fashions. Some even sent letters in with their surveys explaining in detail exactly what they wanted to see at the new Bloomingdale’s.

“Many said, ‘Enough with the black,’ ” Ender says. “They want more color.”

To satisfy demand for more adventurous fashion, Bloomingdale’s has signed on young, forward lines such as Laundry, BCBG and Max Studio, Lindblad says.

The Newport store will have a different mix of designers and merchandise from even the new Sherman Oaks or Century City Bloomingdale’s. Among the California vendors that will be featured: Irvine-based Mossimo.

Still, shoppers can expect many of the classic collections expected of Bloomingdale’s, such as Ralph Lauren, Ellen Tracy and Dana Buchman. Just like the New York store, the collections are arranged by vendor in individual boutiques throughout Bloomingdale’s--almost like stores within a store.

“Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street is a series of shops,” Lindblad says. “We’re trying to create that same identification for important vendors here. You’ll be able to go from shop to shop. It’s the most recognizable part of Bloomingdale’s. People who have been to the New York store will remember it.”

On the first floor, shoppers will find cosmetics, jewelry, a Bloomie’s shop that sells merchandise festooned with the store logo, the Men’s Store, denim collections and the 59th and Lexington cafe.

The second floor will house women’s designer collections, including shops for DKNY, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi, Ellen Tracy, Tahari and others. Bloomingdale’s Paradox shop will include a variety of up-and-coming designers--”the younger, fresher, lesser-known designers mostly from Europe,” Ender says.

Shoes take up a good deal of real estate on the second floor. Ferragamo, Fendi, Via Spiga--most of the big designer names are represented, and there’s a shop devoted to Kenneth Cole. Men’s furnishings and clothing collections by Versace, Mondo di Marco, Calvin Klein and DKNY will also be here.

The top level will carry active wear, contemporary sportswear and a large section devoted to social dresses by designers such as Nicole Miller and Tahari. There’s a petites department with Calvin Klein and other collections and a Shop for Women featuring collections by Eileen Fisher and others in sizes 14 to 24.

Many of the store’s features are designed for customer interaction. The cosmetics department encourages shoppers to play with the makeup. Many cosmetics will be out on shelves for them to reach instead of protected inside showcases. Customers can receive make-overs in a special area surrounded by glass that can be darkened for privacy.

Throughout the store, mannequins stand at eye level instead of on platforms to provide a “fashion theme” without blocking view of the departments, Lindblad says.

“We want customers to see how the garments look on,” he says.

Although the bulk of the accessories are on the first floor, they’ll be displayed throughout the store so shoppers can see how they work with the clothes.

Customers can receive full-on pampering such as facials in private treatment rooms. If they need assistance with their shopping, they can summon a personal shopper from the At Your Service department.

A separate Bloomingdale’s Home Store will open in the Atrium Court in the spring.

Bloomingdale’s will host an Ultimate Premiere gala at the store Nov. 14 to benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the Orangewood Children’s Home. For $125 a ticket, guests can be among the first to see the store.

“We’ll be open to shop, for those who can’t wait,” Ender says.