NOSTROMO MODE: LANVIN JERSEY TSHIRT RTW S/S 2010

If Bal Harbour Shops afford the residents of south Florida their closest taste to the couture of the Champs-Elysee, then the Webster is akin to a mini-Selfridges. The Webster, which sits along Collins Avenue, occupying the physical space of a Henry Hohauser 1930s art deco building, consists of three levels of the rarest of the rare of contemporary men's and women's fashion. Think: Balenciaga high-tops, Balmain motorcycle jeans, Lanvin flower lapel pins, Prada cammo trenchcoats, Spurr denim, Tom Ford tuxedos, and Trussardi feathered weekenders.

It is truly an uncommon, albiet welcomed thing, to stock all these rarities in one location. That said, it is another to be able to talk the talk of high fashion. The staff of the Webster are all completely (and refreshingly) conversant in each of the lines they carry, to include rare and obscure collaborative collection pieces. As an example, I received a sincere compliment on my Acne denim for Lanvin F/W 2009 (this is how the compliment was rendered) hightops, I was wearing at the time. I took this as a sign that we could being speaking the same language...

I had noticed that they carried Lanvin and I inquired conversationally, as to extent of their knowledge of the current men's line, to include one rare piece in particular. It so happened that, not only did they know exactly the piece of which I spoke, but that the Webster was one of the extreme select locations in the nation that had carried it. I had unfortunately not seen it hanging with the other Lanvin men's garments, but I expressed my gratitude and amazement at knowing the Webster had had it at one point. (It was like the old philatelist in Dial M For Murder who had briefly possessed, before returning them to Cary Grant's character, those incredibly rare stamps.) I continued to browse and marvel at the selection. Tom Ford suits, smoking jackets, tuxedos, velvet ties, opera slippers, etc. Yves Saint Laurent double-breasted pea-coats, tuxedo shirts, satin and wool ties, etc. Imagine my amazement when the sales associate returned, holding folded in her hand, exactly the piece I had been looking for, in my size, which had been hidden under a sweater on a mannequin.

Later that evening, the cake's icing arrived so to speak, in the form of an emailed 'thank you' for my patronage at the Webster. No, thank you.