& Other Stories' Newest Store Debuts Lingerie, a Green-Leaning Lending Library

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The & Other Stories midtown flagship, which opens to the public at noon today with complimentary mint tea all day and gifts for the first customers, has an immediate noticeable difference from its sister brand next door: a second floor. When you enter the 9,700-square foot space with super-high ceilings and familiar design touches from the Broadway store (poured concrete floors, bleached wood fixtures), you're going to want to head to those escalators first.

Make a hard left and follow signs to the fitting room to find a separate area for the Swedish-French hybrid label's lingerie — it's the first time it's appeared in a stateside brick-and-mortar store. The sensible prices you find on apparel and shoes carry over to this category as well, with silk and lace briefs going for $19 and soft bralettes for $39 in neutral colors like black, beige, and a warm deep green shade.

Backtracking, you'll find a big area to play with the brand's beauty products, plus reminders that you'll get a 10% discount if you bring back old containers for recycling. This is also where you'll find the store's cutest touch, a lending library. It's a nod to the New York Public Library across the street — and, not discounting Bryant Park, its theme is green. Customers are encouraged to bring a botanical-themed book in to swap with one already on the shelves, which have been anointed with stamps and comment cards.

This theme ties in well to the plant-based installations that Green Fingers' Satoshi Kawamoto has been busy setting up this week. You also see the green motif in the succulents and foliage dotted around the store (including a fruit-bearing tree next to that library) and in some of its fall fashions, like this prairie dress with a sheer top.

& Other Stories has its Financial District store on the calendar for next year, but that might not necessarily be the next store we see — the brand hinted to us that other locations may be in the works.