Members Only: Insiders are snagging invites to Suite 1521’s popup sales

In 2013, an age of clickand-it’s-yours shopping, two fashion aficionados went analog, hosting invite-only designer trunk sales out of a chic Upper East Side salon.

The members-only space, known as Suite 1521, sets the stage for two-day events that typically pair a ready-to-wear label with an accessories brand; about half the time the designer is there, meeting customers. Membership costs $500 annually. Since their launch, founders Lizzie Tisch and Kim Kassel have added names like Bouchra Jarrar ready-to-wear, Anya Hindmarch accessories, Barrie cashmere, Maison Michel millinery and Causse gloves. They have now doubled their designer list.

“I love what they have created,” says member Emily Davis-Gerson, a New York fashion executive whose scores include a Roksanda Ilincic top that she had made in two different colors. “For me, Suite 1521 is all about having access to a collection a few weeks after the runway show. Lizzie and Kim have created a beautiful setting that offers a unique opportunity to see, touch, feel a collection, and then be able to place an order.”

From the beginning, the partners have featured New Establishment designers from Britain, especially those sold in few US stores. “We were looking to Europe for what was underrepresented here,” says Kassel, a Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Tuleh alum. “We began with a focus on the British, as we felt that there was a new energy and design direction developing there.”

In April, Suite is hosting Fashion houses including UKbased Peter Pilotto, Antonio Berardi, Giles and Ashish. For the designers, the sales mark an opportunity to meet the Suite elite. “You learn a lot about your customers and it’s invaluable experience,” says English talent Giles Deacon, whose fourth event is next month. “A brilliant thing about the clients is that they’re all very, very savvy. They want something individual and not just readily off the peg.”

Tisch and Kassel developed the business out of their shared frustration with the limited assortment in department stores and to offer customers an unparalleled level of service (an event typically offers three times more of a designer’s pieces than a department store might carry). Members can customize pieces — adjusting length, for instance — and, depending on the designer, request more significant changes. Deacon actually works with clients on demicouture pieces inspired by his runway.

Suite also holds interactive events where customers can get creative. Last spring, hey held a K. Jacques presentation where members picked the leather and colors for their sandals. “Customers loved it,” says Kassel. They also applauded when Suite 1521 hit the road and held events in Palm Beach early this year. “Some of our members were very upset that they missed Libertine in December,” explains Kassel. “So, we took it to them in January.”