This list is complied by SlamHype… check it out! Slam Hype made the Best of 2010 | Magazine’s list, we knew we would miss some important stores, and this list has taken me longer than expected, as I had to break down a list of over 25 down to a reasonable number. Retail is looking up, theres a new landscape and new stores leading the way, 2010 was a pretty big year of change, not just in which stores lead the way, but how stores approached their brand lists, spaces and general philosophy. Your chance to vote at the bottom, our list is in no particular order. (Take note that in order to narrow down the choices we also left out any brand stores), we have also given you the chance to add your favourite store to the poll.
Well if you have input to this list after the jump email your suggestion with subject line Best Of 2010 Retailer to [email protected]
Opening Ceremony. Nothing overly informative or new to have OC on this list, but the concept store with LA, NYC and Tokyo locations just can’t stop. Their selection becomes finer, and they continue to set the tone for trends in 2010. Their own line grows each season, and we can’t see the momentum stopping anytime soon.
LN-CC. Without doubt the most exciting new store of the year, a brand selection that perfectly stands for fashion today, a mix of older labels, the likes of Dries Van Noten, Raf Simons and Margiela, mixed with Japanese cult labels, Nonnative and Unused, and new brands like Damir Doma and New Power Studio. Not to mention the most amazing fit out we’ve seen in sometime.
Hostem. London based Hostem took things to a new level when it opened this year. It hosts a brand list which will make any store owner gasp, from Rick Owens and Adam Kimmel through to Visvim and Stussy. Im a huge believer on mixing street and fashion brands and Hostem does it better than almost anyone. They store also plays host to Dr. Romanelli’s Prescription Shoppe and even its own One Room Hotel.
Saturdays NYC. 2010 was a huge year for the boys behind Saturdays. Their store single-handedly brough Surf culture to Manhattan and had every big fashion magazine and blog talking about Surfing, but the store is more than just a store or a brand its now an icon of NY, and a standard for others to follow in pushing sub-cultures.
Haven. Pretty much a one stop shop for modern streetwear, from APC and Acronym through to Wings+Horns and White Mountaineering, Haven has it all and with it a very smart and strong online approach.
Colette. Yeah, Yeah… I know what you’re saying, you can’t have the same winner of this sort of poll every year!? But if the shoe fits…. you just can’t stop colette, colabs out of anyones reach, profile beyond control, a webstore which pretty much acts as a whats what of cool, and a store which is as much a Parisian Landmark.
Hunting and Collecting. An amazing space, with downstairs gallery, and  a host of amazing shoes already this year, their own magazine, and a truely unique brand mix, which looks almost solely towards the future. Hunting and Collecting is without doubt one of the most forward thinking stores in the world today, and one of my personal favourites at that.
Union LA. Chris Gibbs has been around long enough now to know this game better than almost anyone and since taking over Union LA, he has resurrected a giant. Completely turning the store around to offer a new list of brands and a list of brands unique to Union, something the store has always been known for, and again now it leads the way. The best thing is the feeling and vibe when you enter the store, its like a warm family home,.. just full of the coolest shit on the planet.
Nepenthes. As Americana takes the world by storm, Nepenthes may not be the only store in NYC, or around the world to focus on bringing authenticity to the market, but its doing it in a truely unique way. Imagine a store where almost anything is available only there, the quality is superior to all, and none of your friends will be able to jump on your style, cause there ain’t anymore.
J.Crew’s Liquor store. J.Crew are either counting themselves very lucky to be sitting in the centre of an era where american classics rule the roost, or they are marketing geniuses who know exactly what cords to pull. It doesn’t matter which, the fact is they have done an amazing job of moving into this market and the product is exactly what we ordered.
The Bureau. Theres a lot of stores now around the world carrying the likes of Engineered Garments, ts(s), Trickers and the like, but The Bureau have probably the best curation bar none, reason being, this is The Bureau, not a jump on a trend, but a way of life.
Dover Street Market. Like colette, DSM can’t be ignored, the simple fact is its one of the finest stores in the world, whether it be shopping for Pierre Hardy or Balenciaga or Kitsune and Visvim, you’ll find everything and anything you need, even lunch upstairs.
Roden Gray. Pretty much a one stop shop, from Post Overalls, through to uniform experiment and Sophnet, you’ll hit common projects, robert geller and nonnative along the way. 2010 saw the opening of Roden Gray’s new Vancouver location, a pretty impressive space to host an impressive brand list.
Blackflag. The rustic ambience of Blackflag in Aoyama Tokyo is one great appreciation, if not the labels stocked are enough. Featuring WTAPS, Old Joe & Company, Wacko Maria, visvim, Rats and Wolf’s Head the store will enjoy its 5th anniversary this year.
Others might include: Project No.8, Atelier, The Department Store, End Clothing, Oki-Ni, Oi Polloi, Present.
