Calvin Tran

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This venue is closed.

At first glance, the inventory at Calvin Tran's airy SoHo boutique seems a mish-mash of differing colors, textures, and prints with little in common: blue and black plaid ruffle tops mingle with sparkly black party dresses and pale pink sweater shrugs. The common thread between them is body-skimming, shapeshifter design. At least half of the designer's pieces function in more than one way—for instance, a full skirt transforms into a poncho, and again into a cape. Because Tran’s pieces have few seams (in fact, many have none at all) the drapey, form-skimming sihouette flatters many different body types. Tran designs year-round, so the inventory in this flagship store is constantly changing; in addition to his own line, Tran carries denim by Red Engine and chunky gem necklaces by Faux Real. The clothier, who splits his time between his New York, San Francisco, and Chicago locations, is enthusiastic and hands-on, often helping customers drape garments or find a size. — Amy Wilkinson