2 new york via london.

Byline: Lynn Yaeger

Talk to Jason Broderick, Harrods's designer-fashion buyer, for five minutes, and one thing becomes crystal clear: His client is no shrinking violet. "Whatever I buy for Harrods has to be beautiful, ornate, exquisite! Our customer wants to be able to feel her investment." In other words, understated chic notwithstanding, a lot of Harrods's ladies want to look literally like a million pounds. So it's no accident that when they're in town for New York's Fashion Week, Broderick, Marigay McKee, SVP of fashion and beauty, and Jennifer Weiner, who specializes in younger lines, go into raptures over items like the heavily embroidered, lavishly embellished sweaters at Oscar de la Renta. Such indulgences are beloved by their clients, especially the flamboyant Russian shoppers and the Middle Eastern customers who love to glam it up behind closed doors.

These same people, according to McKee, also adore Diane von Furstenberg. In New York, von Furstenberg may be thought of, even after all these years, as the queen of the eminently wearable dress, but in London DVF is an enormously prestigious label-and much sought after. This is at least partially because DVF is very accommodating when it comes to satisfying the special needs of the Harrods customer-a gorgeous sequined dress can be ordered with long sleeves and an ankle-length hem for the store's conservative Middle Eastern clientele.

But what of the London girls who appear to eschew spangles in favor of Chanel jackets and artfully distressed jeans? McKee acknowledges that yes, these girls are her customers, too-in fact, they are the very patrons who have put Ralph Lauren through the roof. But Ralph and DVF and Oscar, wonderful and steady as they are, can't be all you order when you're in New York. Part of being a buyer from Harrods-or anywhere, really-is discovering new brands: salting the classics with a little seasoning, to keep the customer on her toes, even a little off balance. To that end, Broderick visits the showroom of Marchesa, designed by-ironically enough-two Brits, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. There he orders a smattering of frothy frocks, albeit with some important modifications. An all-in-one strapless evening jumpsuit will become a dress; a beaded frock that is almost ...