Who’s New on Madison Avenue and Who’s on Their Way

The appeal of Madison Avenue isn’t letting up.

Luxury and contemporary brands continue to plant stores along Madison Avenue where the vacancy rate has dropped sharply since the end of the pandemic.

During the first half, 27 businesses opened on many of the 29 blocks stretching from East 57th Street to East 86th Street, according to the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District, which focuses on that posh stretch.

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The 2025 pace of openings is on par with — or could possibly exceed — the tempo from last year, when 41 businesses opened.

“The influx of new businesses is continuing at a very strong pace,” Matthew Bauer, president of the Madison Avenue BID, told WWD.

Among those planning to open stores in the not-so-distant future are Akris, Ulla Johnson, Goyard and Loewe.

Bauer sees different segments along Madison Avenue focused on certain categories. “For example, on ‘contemporary row,’ which is between 72nd and 79th Streets, contemporary brands want to be near other contemporary brands,” Bauer said. Joining Madison’s contemporary row were Australian fashion brand Camilla at 1015 Madison; Los Angeles-based Staud at 1011 Madison, and expanded, new locations for Generation Love at 963 Madison, L’Agence at 956 Madison, and Vince, 1003 Madison.

“In the ’60s, we are seeing many jewelry brands investing in new stores,” Bauer said.

Luxury brands in general are keeping their Madison Avenue focus on that same stretch in the ’60s. As the BID’s report on the first half of 2025 points out: “High fashion has again flexed its muscles on Madison Avenue, with Dolce & Gabbana’s 5,900-square-foot new flagship at 690 Madison Avenue; Thom Browne’s stores at 898 Madison Avenue and 19 East 72nd Street; Khaite’s architectonic flagship at 828 Madison Avenue, and Kallmeyer’s ‘intimate outpost’ at 1022 Madison Avenue.”

In addition, British luxury and hospitality brands expanded on Madison Avenue in the first half of this year, with Augustine Jewels opening at 39 East 65 Street, just off the avenue; Jessica McCormack opening at 743 Madison Avenue, and athleisure brand Varley opening at 1156 Madison. For Augustine and Jessica McCormack, their Madison Avenue shops are their first stores in the U.S.

In another major opening, Robin Birley, the founder of London private members’ clubs 5 Hertford Street and Oswald’s, quietly opened the 12,000-square-foot Maxime’s at 848 Madison.

The Fragrance Foundation had its first pop-up in conjunction with International Fragrance Week, and fragrance brands Frederic Malle and Parfums de Marly opened flagships at 1165 Madison and 796 Madison, respectively.

In addition, Lalique opened Maison d’Artiste, a multifloor town house at 21 East 63 Street that features their fragrance collection and the Lalique art gallery.

So far in the second half of this year, Violet Gray cosmetics opened at 43 East 78 Street this month, and on Wednesday, Messika jewelry opened at 727 Madison Avenue.

Among the major Madison openings last year were Boucheron, Michael Kors, Todd Snyder and Giorgio Armani.

At the end of the first half of 2024, the vacancy rate along the stretch of Madison covered by the BID stood at 9.3 percent. According to Bauer, the vacancy rate is “a little bit below 8 percent. That’s a healthy percentage, and certainly we would like to see it go down even further.” In 2023, Madison’s vacancy rate stood at 10 percent, and during the pandemic, it stood at over 16 percent.

“We are continuing to see this positive trend of spaces being filled, and significant new investment taking place,” said Bauer.

According to Bauer, Madison Avenue’s growth and rising appeal will continue with a total of 13 businesses, including incoming hotels and luxury retailers taking up prime real estate. There are major mixed-use skyscraper projects under development at 625, 655 and 1128 Madison Avenue that will bring new residents, retailers, hospitality and offices to the district.

Further bolstering the avenue is the gallery/auction house Sotheby’s, which last year purchased 945 Madison Avenue, the site of the former Whitney Museum of American Art, for their new global headquarters. Famed architects Herzog & de Meuron will transform and renovate the space.

Part of the avenue’s growing appeal and improving shopper traffic trends must also be attributed to the efforts of the Madison Avenue BID to beef up its schedule of special events, including partnering with the Metropolitan Opera with installations in stores, receptions to support the opera, and singers performing on the streets; gallery walks, and Bastille Day and Chinese New Year’s celebrations.

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