BPD Washhouse Goes Retail With New Nolita Pop-Up
With a washhouse, an expo, classes and a wealth of knowledge on denim, it’s little surprise a pop-up shop was next in Bill Curtin’s sights.
As of last month, the owner of BPD Washhouse and the upcoming BPDEXPO, has a pop-up shop at 55 Spring St. in New York’s Nolita neighborhood.
Called BPDVINTAGE, the store is set to serve up all manner of denim fashion with creative details and customizations only a wash house could so easily offer. The shop’s décor also channels some of that creativity with an indigo overdyed American flag hanging from the wall. Those interested in snagging some of this one-of-a-kind denim might do best to act quickly, as with pop-up shops, they may not be around for long.
Carved in Blue caught up with Curtin to find out what’s in store for the store.
Carved in Blue: So how did the BPDVINTAGE shop come about?
Bill: Three reasons. One, we started selling vintage fashion at our BPDEXPO trade show. It was super popular, now all the denim B2B trade shows are doing it. It was a logical conclusion. Plus, our BPDEXPO trade show is a storefront pop-up format in the middle of Manhattan. We had so much street traffic trying to come into the EXPO, so we decided, why fight it? We now have two entrances for our BPDEXPO, one for B2B and one for B2C.
Two, all B2B formats flirt with trying to go B2C, we thought this was the perfect spinoff of BPDEXPO to accomplish this objective.
And finally, NYC is light on cool vintage shops right now so we decided to pull the trigger on retail. Since we own BPD Washhouse, we can embellish and customize the offering as well, making it truly unique and special.
Carved in Blue: As a B2B provider, do you think this will help you enter the consumer space?
Bill: Yup and it’s working. We tell a good story to our B2C customers. In a reverse twist, they are excited to be part of something that is B2B. It makes them feel like they are on the inside.
Carved in Blue: What can people expect to find in the store?
Bill: We sell jeans, tops, tees, home fashion, flags, shibori kits, vintage books, art, pins, patches, a great selection of vintage curated items.
Carved in Blue: What has the response been so far?
Bill: It’s been great. Vintage is hot right now, people come in and ask for the “five hundred and one jean,” so it has hit the masses.
Carved in Blue: How long will BPDVINTAGE be open?
Bill: We plan to be open until the end of May, but we are in discussions to continue it further into the summer.
Carved in Blue: So what about the rest of your business? You own a wash house. Do you see greater demand for domestic production? Any plans of expanding to accommodate that demand?
Bill: Yes I have run BPD Washhouse for the past eight years now. There is an “interest” in domestic production but it is small and temporary. Let’s be real, it’s cost prohibitive, no matter what Donald Trump says. We have expanded our design and development offering to include garment dye, but production is not our thing. Look what’s happening to LA, it’s shrinking and crossing the border or the ocean.
Carved in Blue: You have a lot under your belt already with the Washhouse, a tradeshow, denim development and sales, now the pop-up shop—so what’s next?
Bill: Europe, we see an opportunity.
Carved in Blue: With retail in such a state of chaos, what do you think the landscape will look like in five years?
Bill: Pop-ups and online. Online shopping will only get better. Online outlets will have pop-ups.
Carved in Blue: What about denim and sustainability—what’s your take?
Bill: Makes perfect sense. Brands want it. Consumers want it. Saves money. So we can stop having boring seminars about it and patting ourselves on the back for doing it. Everyone is already on board. The sanctimony can be nauseating sometimes. Put it into practice without calling attention to yourself.
Carved in Blue: OK, more about you. What’s your favorite brand of denim to wear?
Bill: I get this question all the time, so we decided to make our own brand, Washhouse Denim. We were in Bloomingdale’s for a few seasons. It’s the only jeans I wear.
Carved in Blue: Which item of denim have you had the longest?
Bill: My denim cap from Kapital.
Carved in Blue: When does a jean stop being a jean?
Bill: When you can do yoga in it.
Carved in Blue: What is your favorite city to visit?
Bill: Bangkok.
Carved in Blue: Who’s innovating the most in denim space?
Bill: Rachel Comey.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Bill: Getting your hands dirty, rising above the bullshit and walking the talk.