Mayle's Final Hours, Part I

Here are, as promised, photos of Mayle's last hours. I'll include more in subsequent posts as there are too many for one page. These were taken between about 6p.m.-7.15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. I'll include photos of the final Votivo Red Current candle, the merchandise, the changing room on the left and pictures of all of us in the store, including Elise, Christina and Sumer. I took some photos of myself in the mirror, not for narcissism's sake but to remember the hours spent checking out new arrivals, future purchases, and sometimes errant styles. I hope that this gives you a flavor of how the store's last minutes felt. If asked, I'd say surprisingly normal and surprisingly quiet. It was hard to believe that these minutes were being committed to memory. As the photos show, we were all light-hearted. Elise, Christina, Sumer, Cindy, Chelsea, Monica, myself and others toasted Jane Mayle and ate cupcakes while discussing past favorites, items we loved, those we missed and pieces we hoped would still be recut.

Monica wore Ignacia and Cindy wore the Michaela recut in Rio Plata and both looked beautiful. Cindy wore a fabulous combination of a Rio Plata top and Gaia pants with some killer heels. Cindy and one other girl (whose name I forgot, sorry) had fabulous LD Tuttle heels--it turned out the designer went to school with Christina too.

As we reluctantly left for the final time--Monica, Cindy and I were the last customers to leave--it seemed impossible that anything could change. But the end is here: Christina and Elise were going to paper over the windows after we left, and the store would start to be dismantled. Those walls we know so well will soon be gone, the pictures removed, the counter and chairs moved out and the candle finally snuffed out.

I can't really believe it. I don't think I can walk down that block on Elizabeth Street again before the sample sale. After that, I will be giving 242 Elizabeth Street a wide berth, keeping the time capsule that Mayle has become pristine, hoping that in some alternative universe, everything is still ticking over as normal, new items are coming in, each collection better than the last, delivering delicious items that capture my imagination, fancy and bank account.

Thank you, Jane Mayle, Elise, Christina, Doris, Vanessa, Alize, Summer and all of you for such a wonderful 8 years (I know it was longer, but for me, it was just that). If I could have a few wishes, I'd have a healthy baby of my own first, but Mayle's return--in the same space, with the same aura--would be near the top.