RUEHL Week! | Ruehl No.925, Shops at La Cantera...

PRESENTER

WILL

FROM

TEXAS, USA

FEATURING

RUEHL, SHOPS AT LA CANTERA

RUEHL fans share their wonderful experiences with the brand in "Personal Recollections" at The Trubble Village Bar. This week, Will recalls the darkly romantic allure of his first night in the RUEHL Brownstones... An exclusive series only at the Bar! #WELOVERUEHL

DISCOVER NOW!

RUEHL Week! | Ruehl No.925 Mercer jeans, fine tee shirts and fleece...

PRESENTER

PETER

FROM

ENGLAND, UK

FEATURING

RUEHL PREMIUM JEANS,
TEES AND FLEECE

Head on over to The Trubble Village Bar - the hottest new spot in town! - to discover casually RUEHL cool pieces from Peter's Private Collection. #WELOVERUEHL!

DISCOVER NOW!

The Trubble Village Bar Now Open!

Greenwich Village, by Bruce Weber, for RUEHL No.925.

On this September 24, nine years after the opening of RUEHL No.925, RUEHL Week 2013 has been made exceptional with the launch of the first spin-off concept by THE HOTTEST BLOG! Ladies and gentlemen, The Trubble Village Bar...

"You will find that The Trubble Village Bar is more than just something in remembrance of RUEHL; it is an organic, lively, lifestyle dialogue all about RUEHL No.925 and New York City's Greenwich Village. The Bar takes an incomparable approach to our passion and translates this into a satisfying outcome of culture and cool. Ultimately, the Bar is the exclusive new place where a RUEHLite can dream." – C.E.R., Editor-in-Chief

Found in the expanded and renovated basement of a luxuriously modern brownstone in the West Village, The Trubble Village Bar is the ultimate fantasy for the eternal RUEHLite! Come "get into Trubble" at the exclusive Bar amid fantastic music, drinks, conversation, and dance for a swingin' good time!

Mingle with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to always be in touch with the latest happenings all about the Post-Grad dream:



Read the welcoming Letter from the Editor (here)...

#WELOVERUEHL

Coming Soon: The Trubble Village Bar...

OPENING

SEPTEMBER 23

For RUEHL fans, finally a place of their own. Culture, cool, and all that Village jazz...

Stay FIERCE!

FIERCE Guest Blogger! | G. Alexander Shares on RUEHL No.925 for 'RUEHL Week 2012'...

Foreword by C.E.R.:

As Editor-in-Chief of this modest, globally influential blog in the world-spanning A&F Fans community, I, C.E.R., have been very pleased with the positive reception of our first ever RUEHL Week on The Sitch on Fitch. A brilliant new initiative, it is a tasteful homage to the cool and romance of the incredible, timeless concept that was RUEHL. And while I have had the privilege of expressing my passion for the brand to the world, I have also invited another person on board...another wonderful, creative and full-bright mind and heart. If anyone is driven more than I by an awe-inspiring passion for a love of "A&F and gang" it is definitely this personal friend of mine. He is to this day a positive member of the Abercrombie & Fitch Company. I reached out to him and he replied with the admirable enthusiasm which I know him for. As our first ever 'FIERCE Guest Blogger' on The Sitch on Fitch, he is G. Alexander with his own personal tale of swingin' with RUEHL... Ladies and gentlemen, G. Alexander...

__________________

Wearing his RUEHL No.925 mens leather messenger bag
with in season Abercrombie & Fitch pieces.

I can remember when I first heard about RUEHL; I was working for the Company back in 2005. It wasn't until fall of 2006 that I first began to understand the magic of it all. The thing I loved and hated the most about RUEHL was it accessibility. Because it was not widespread, the closest store was almost two hours away. It wasn't as mainstream as A&F, so there was definitely an aire of mystery and I liked that it had exclusivity. You couldn't walk into a RUEHL every day, which is what made my experiences so unique and memorable – I would do anything to go back one more time.

In Summer of 2008, a RUEHL Roadtrip had been set in my place with my good friend Colette, who is now a district manager for A&F in Germany. We listening to one A&F song after another and she had shared many exciting things about the store's design and concept. None of which compared to actually experiencing it. The whole ride there I was filled with anticipation, like a kid on Christmas and when we finally set foot inside the Freehold Malll I basically exploded with excitement. I charged through the crowds of people with absolutely no idea where I was going. Colette told me to slow down and she calmly pointed me in the right direction. I could smell the signature cologne, not knowing what it was, but I knew I was close. I gazed with wide eyes at the storefront knowing I had arrived. It's the coolest thing you've ever seen – as I've recounted to many of my friends. The store was set back and lined with a cement sidewalk as if you were in the city. There was a brick facade with windows, steps and a wrought iron gate. It was like you were standing outside of a brownstone in Greenwich Village and if you counted, there were three homes. 921, 923 and the glorious 925. As soon as you stepped inside, the feeling only became more intimate. There was a small room, a foyer, with a single hanging light fixture, a tall vase of white calla lilies and shelving filled with expensive leather handbags where I was quickly greeted by a very attractive young man in a navy stripped polo. There were stairs and a long hallway head. Men's to the left and women's to the right. The denim was showcased in a large wall with a floor to ceiling rolling ladder, like you would find in an old library. I couldn't get over how cool of a detail that was. I slowly wandered room to room filling my arms with clothing and that's where things start to get blurry as I lost myself in the smooth music and seductive environment. I spent another two hours the store...

There were three additional trips in between, where I dragged friends and co-workers to experience "the magic." On one of those occasions I was approached by a manager, her name was Chrissy. She complimented me on my style and inquired about my whereabouts. She had tried to recruit me to work in the store – I was more excited than I was when I got recruited at the 5th Ave A&F flagship. I told her I was flattered and explained that I worked for the Company, but did not live around the area. I still have that card with the application information and store's phone number on my bulletin board. I've even called that number on more than one occasion after the brand closed, hoping someone might answer.

My final trip to RUEHL was in December of 2009. Alone. Looking back it's quite interesting to observe the bitter weather and my solidarity in comparison to the close of RUEHL. I just as quickly made my way to the store as I did on my first adventure. Once again I smelled the cologne and my heart started beating. Everything appeared the same from the outside, but it was a much sadder story inside. A large sign read "Christmas in the Village. 50% off the entire store." Before even making it into the first room, I could tell the store had a different energy. I frantically started grabbing everything in a size small – I didn't care what it was I had to leave with a piece of RUEHL. There were some rooms that were completely empty with all the lights turned off. I snuck into one of these dark rooms and took a seat on a small wooden stool. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight by James Taylor was playing as I looked around. Where were those tall, elegant calla lilies I loved so much? As I made my way to the back to make my purchases, there was a chocolate velour ribbon that had been untied from one of the wreathes. I slipped it into my pocket as a momentum. That ribbon now hangs over the doorway to my bedroom. I left the store with several large bags and made the necessary stops at Hollister and Abercrombie, only to return to walk through the store one more time. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, but it seemed I had no choice.

G.Alexander models pieces from his RUEHL No.925 collection.

__________________

 

See the ENTIRE exclusive collection of photography (here) on The Sitch on Fitch on Facebook!

Artistically Inclined! | The Art Which RUEHL Inspires...

In late-January 2011, one year after the closure of RUEHL No.925, one endearing RUEHL fan found himself, amid books of modern art and bygone bohemianism, in his room in solitude. In a high state of reminiscence, he stood up from the floor, straightened up his slim straight jeans, and picked up a “vintage” circa 2005 camera. The results of his photographic endeavor capture the concept of RUEHL as art and strikingly allude to the heritage of Greenwich Village mixed with the modern, sensual sophistication and intelligence of the Post-Grad brand...

For RUEHL Week 2012, the private photography was extracted from his archives, and elegantly edited, to be presented, for the first time, to a greater audience. With the theme of an "artistic, young New Yorker's desk", the photography pieces in this post are samples of the creative art which RUEHL inspires...

Click on images to enlarge!

 

 

See the ENTIRE exclusive collection of photography (here) on The Sitch on Fitch on Facebook.

The photos in this post were created and are owned by C.E.R. for The Sitch on Fitch.

Featured Goods of the Week! | September 24 through October 1...

	RIDING DOWN BLEECKER STREET IN YOUR RED, CLASSIC CAR... ABERCROMBIE & FITCH – MENS Iroquois Mountain Polo (online only item) Shown in navy and red US$60 Check it out (here)!
	AN EDGY GIRL OF MODERN ART... ABERCROMBIE & FITCH – WOMENS A&F Super Skinny Jeans (flagship exclusive item) Shown in destroyed dark wash US$88 Check it out (here)!
	playing chess in washington square park... abercrombie – guys rocky falls tee shown in burgundy with crest US$19.50 Check it out (here)!
	cool afternoons with friends on a rooftop in NYC’s west village... abercrombie – girls jude hoodie shown in dark heather gray US$24.50 Check it out (here)!
	FLIP-FLOPPIN’ SoCal DUDE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE, NYC... HOLLISTER Co. – DUDES Heritage Cali Flip Lops (online only item) Shown in brown and navy US$34.50 Check it out (here)!
	CLASSY GIRL WITH A PENCHANT FOR BOHEMIAN COOL... HOLLISTER Co. – BETTYS Picnic Beach Cami Shown in gray US$29.50 Check it out (here)!
	WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FORGET AT HIS ART STUDIO... GILLY HICKS Lace Thong Undie Shown in turquoise US$10.50 Check it out (here)!

Letter from the Editor! | RUEHL No.925: Eight Years Later – A Celebration of the Launch of Refined Cool...

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very proud to introduce to you the first ever 'RUEHL Week' on The Sitch on Fitch! Henceforth, it is that special time of the year in which the ultimate fantasy of being a young adult in New York City – living and romancing and soaking in the fun and finer things in life – takes center stage, based in Greenwich Village heritage. It is when we take a walk down a dream lane, through the Village, filled with refined, casual cool; literary and modern artistic traditions of bohemian heart; swingin’ jazz clubs where the saxophone and bass make love in melody; and where is addressed that smooth bar down the street – you can hear the clinks of drinks, the laughs, and the murmurs of engaging conversation, amid an enthralling dim-light setting, enveloped by the whirls of light smoke – of where a lover awaits for the night in sensual delight... An exciting new initiative on the blog, 'RUEHL Week' rekindles and brings the romance of this iconic brand to the world!

Eight years ago today, Abercrombie & Fitch introduced its RUEHL No.925 concept to the world. And although the lights remained on for only a little more than five years, the world is still dotted with unwavering passion for this unique and timeless work of art. RUEHL never achieved international expansion, yet it commands a modest crew of fans beyond the borders of Americana. And furthermore, there are A&F Family fans of today that never got to experience RUEHL in some form, or another, but yet they still desire to know and understand of it. So very clearly, there its stands: an abstract monument to the allure of the Post-Graduate, New York fantasy.

Taking advantage of our humble worldwide influence in the A&F Fan community, 'RUEHL Week' is poised to respectfully satisfy the reminiscing RUEHL man and woman and keep the concept alive and in awareness of the thousands of minds across the globe. RUEHL is not exactly gone, and it will never be a faded fad...

I hope you enjoy our modest little RUEHL Week 2012 (September 24 –30). Themed Jazzin’ with Nostalgia..., it is a most fitting premier to what will be a tradition for years to come...

Stay FIERCE!


C.E.R., editor-in-chief


P.S. The blue group image beautifully set as the header of The Sitch on Fitch, for RUEHL Week 2012, is my all-time favorite RUEHL photo by Bruce Weber. To my personal reasoning, it embodies and exudes the entire core essence of the RUEHL concept...it is the brand’s ultimate photographic expression. Why so? Because it is the depiction of young adulthood, in a casually formal light, set in an anachronistic setting of modern bohemianism against time, and displaying the array of looks and moods, casual and professional, sophisticated and poised, of the ideal RUEHL persona...