my thesis

Sorry i didn't elaborate before as I was so exhausted ...and still am..
the idea behind the department store hosting the space is that historically department stores have acted as a intermediary for fashion and the consumer to learn about fashion and to have educated employees service their customers.
I am thinking that a way for department stores to get back to their roots is to have them host a space in which they display not only the history of fashion but even more so the history of retail and the ways in which it has impacted our world and specifically New York City. giving a perspective on the importance of fashion as a means of design and of course relating to the architecture which houses it.
So as opposed to being just about the fashion designers it would be a museum of education about fashion and giving it a "real" meaning as an art and a driving force in our society whether we acknowledge it or not.
So many people disregard fashion as a commercial endeavor and don't realize the impact it has on us.. like all artistic endeavors.. just like painting or sculpture or architecture of course!
As this is about rebranding the department store, I also want to bring the customer service and education of fashion aspect through the use of personal shoppers who instead of using the department store as a mall.. it will be the use of Soho that the personal shoppers will bring clients - of all levels of income.
Thirdly, as part of the rebranding of the department store is to have a social aspect of the space, such as a restaurant that would bring in clientèle that might not think of entering the museum/concept space or contact the personal shopper. This idea has been done is almost every museum and department store in the country and i believe could act as an interesting way to blur the boundaries of the art of fashion with its practice on each individual everyday.
Overall it is about bringing the department store back to its roots and updating it for the modern retail experience which includes education and personal attention to consumers.
As department stores still regularly hold events this space would also have the ability to hold small scale events but is by no means about being an event space.. just another facet of the department store concept.

Jessica- thanks for your input .. it helps as I try to develop this idea. i really appreciate it.

Although Andee and I are both doing fashion we have both been making an effort to not read or listen to each others ideas as not to influence our concepts. of course there will be some overlap but i think our ideas or different enough so that we each create our own unique ideas and space.

if anyone is going to be around over break let me know and we can help each other out
have a great weekend!