A New (Old) Way to Shop
Outline trades online retail for a print catalog.
My earliest memory of being a shopper is poring over the Scholastic Book Fair catalog. I spent hours looking at every single item, weighing my options, circling what I wanted. When it finally came time to pick up my order, I’d get nauseous with excitement; it was the highlight of my year, no question. So, when Outline told me they were scrapping their online operation in favor of a print catalog, I felt giddy again.
If you’re an avid reader of this newsletter, you know that Outline is one of my favorite stores in New York. Founded by longtime friends Margaret Austin and Hannah Rieke, it’s where you can buy everything from a Flore Flore tank top to a Super Yaya dress to a Row bag, if you’re having that kind of day in Brooklyn. It’s also where I met Elisabeth Weiss, New York’s most stylish dog trainer (who is now based in Vienna, but is still working with dogs), and where I hosted Shop Rat’s one-year anniversary event.
After launching e-commerce last year, Outline decided to go in a different direction this year because the process felt too disconnected and impersonal. “We felt like it wasn’t a good representation of the warmth of the store and the casual vibe,” says Margaret. The space is light-filled and open, with a garden in the back. “But we still wanted something to show for our customers who aren’t in New York.”
Instead, they decided to send out a print catalog twice a year—in the spring and in the fall—with the first issue revealed today. Photographed in a Brooklyn home by Tess Ayano with set design by Noemi Bonazzi and creative direction by Carmen Hall, stylist Juliana Salazar helps you better understand how you might wear Outline’s new pieces in your everyday life.
As soon as I opened it, I got out a pencil and started circling. Prices range from around $36 to $6,000, featuring a mix of small home goods, approachable ready-to-wear, and harder-to-find luxury labels. I was happy to see New York-based names like Colleen Allen, Attersee, and Lauren Manoogian, as well as names like Auralee, Wales Bonner, and Dries Van Noten, in case you don’t feel like going to Manhattan. In the store, there are also some new brands, including Namacheko, Kiko Kostadinov, and High Sport, which is unsurprisingly flying off the racks.
I still get some catalogs sent to my house, but the idea is that you really spend time with this one. There’s a section for notes at the front, and once you've zeroed in on what you want, you can call, email, DM, or submit your order online through the Outline website. "We would really like it to be more of a personal conversation," said Hannah. "That's what we like so much about having a store,” Margaret added. If they can’t meet a customer in person, they’d at least like to be able to correspond with them in some way, and this new format forces that.
Personally, I enjoy this slower form of browsing because I’m less likely to make impulsive purchases. I can study my options, tally up my budget, and be more strategic about it. Well, at least in theory… Flipping through the catalog just made me want everything, of course. But dreaming is half the fun. If only Super Yaya cost as much as a Scholastic book…
To get a copy of the Outline catalog yourself, submit your address online or via Instagram, or pick one up in the store.
Happy browsing!
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Trading e-commerce for a printed catalog? Yes, yes, yes! A decade ago, I worked at a successful, high-end outdoor company that had long refused to go online. I was amazed by how many customers came to the store every week to chat and sip an espresso with us without any pressure to check the racks. The level of genuine care for them, first as individuals and then as customers, was so authentic. The company's owner feared that online would dismantle that human connection and make everything more impersonal, affecting the company's long-term success. Some of my favorite boutiques scattered around Italy invest a little to nothing online, so I keep returning to them when possible. The atmosphere and level of curation for both the merchandise and the people who step in would never be achievable online.
Seeing actual handwriting gave me a little frisson