Friday, April 26, 2024

The CambridgeSide Galleria is getting three new stores, all making their first foray into the area: Aldo Accessories, Hollister Co. and Wild Pair. Two also add designer themes to the mall atmosphere.

Wild Pair is described as a “Moroccan bedroom” and follows through. The store is rather dim, with indirect red lights. The store sells mostly shoes and a few sneakers in its loungelike atmosphere; there are also accessories such as bags and belts. Wild Pair is a division of Bakers Footwear, which is in Natick and Braintree, but this is the first Wild Pair in the state.

Its urban, clubby footwear does bring something to the city, although variations on its wares can be found at stores such as Berk’s (50 John F. Kennedy St.), which also offers a vast range of footwear and rainbow of Converse sneakers.

Hollister Co., a subsidiary of Abercrombie and Fitch Co., which recently fled Harvard Square, is coming to the mall with what’s described in company literature as “the newest southern California lifestyle [clothes] geared towards energetic and outgoing boys and girls.” Although not open yet, the store is said to resemble a beach house. Much of their clothing has been vintage washed and they offer distressed denim.

And, just like Abercrombie and Fitch Co., the clothing tends to be worn by those older than the intended audience of “boys and girls.”

Proletariat (36 John F. Kennedy St.) sells vintage clothes with a different angle. Keep in mind the store’s name and it’s obvious the message of its clothing is unlike Hollister’s. Consider the “Salesman Hoodie,” which has printed gold watches on the inside similar to a sidewalk Rolex salesman. The store also sells tees with Proletariat’s unique prints, some of which question corporations’ roles, along with authentically used tops, jeans and (new) skateboarding goods.   

Aldo Accessories sells belts, bags, hats and a few coats, similar to Jasmine Sola (29 and 37a Brattle St.). This is Aldo Accessories’ first Massachusetts store, and its opening offerings are most noticeably very gold and brown, very much in line with Aldo Shoes.