Express Edit Store Opens on Walnut Street
The mall-favorite shop steps up its service while staying true to its style.
Express Edit is now open on Walnut Street on Rittenhouse Row / Photography by Laura Swartz
I’ll always think of Express as the place to buy going-out tops and tanks in college — and past that, finding super-flattering high-waisted or distressed jeans on a perpetual 40 percent off. So, when I heard that an “Express Edit” was opening on Walnut Street in Center City, I was intrigued. I headed down to the new Rittenhouse location on opening day last Friday and found a very curated, almost calming store with wearable items impeccably organized for a pleasant, successful shopping experience.
The pared-down store represents the best of Express. Rather than endless racks to sift through, I found a small two-level shop (women’s downstairs, men’s upstairs), with fashionable, wearable ensembles to take you from day to night (high-waisted wide-leg jeans, yes please!), pieces that could pass for business casual, and the trusty New Year’s Eve-style showstoppers we’ve come to expect from the brand—like a silver sequined pantsuit and a black sequin one puff shoulder top.
The second-floor men’s department
Having just binged The Watcher, I was pining for Naomi Watts’s character’s style of effortless neutrals and found that Express had plenty to choose from — perhaps not cashmere or wool, but passable poly-blends (as most clothing is these days when you’re not shopping vintage). My colleague found a lovely cocktail dress to wear to an event, and we both put pink rhinestone-embellished flats on our wish lists. One surprising feature: with a section of the store devoted to accessories, you can finally see Express’s shoes and jewelry, where they might have been lost in a more cluttered store.
The Express Edit concept debuted in 2021, to bring in new customers in areas with high foot traffic. Stores are generally between 1,400 and 4,500 square feet, allowing for more presence in city centers instead of shopping malls. The brand anticipates that 11 such stores will be open by early 2023. “The store’s style matches the urban, downtown feel of Walnut Street with a modern design and color palette, creating a unique experience for customers with a custom curated product assortment,” an Express rep told me. “Express Edit locations not only offer a more modern shopping experience and a perfect mix of style, service and convenience, but also present it in a carefully selected area of the city.”
And yes, everything was inexplicably 40 percent off.
Express Edit is located at 1521 Walnut St.
