Liv Tyler left with a large bag and Mica Ertegun bought a denim jacket on the opening day of business of the brand new Alexander McQueen boutique in New York's meatpacking district.

Designed by McQueen himself and architect William Russell, the 2,600 square-foot store is an original blend of novel Italian terrazzo, sloping retro modern walls, Plexiglass covered lighting and concealed hanging racks, where the dominant color is dove blue, McQueen's favorite color.

Alexander McQueen's Flagship Store, New York
Photo by FWD

"It's sort of our mother ship," smiled the ever more slimmed down McQueen, as he corrected a few final "teething problems," in the store on its opening afternoon.

"It's the mirror image of our new store, where the shapes will be reversed. Like a belly button that suddenly comes out of your stomach," explained McQueen, referring to the New Bond Street store due to open in January.

The store manages to capture the designer's unique mix of luxury and eccentricity.

The terrazzo floor, for instance, is composed of crushed pearl shells from Tahiti mixed in with cement.

Located at 417 West 14th Street, the store is on the same block as uber-boutique Jeffrey and the upcoming shop from McQueen's Gucci stablemate, Stella McCartney.

Lee, as even the workmen referred to the designer, got the idea for the beautiful resin mannequins with a chiseled vine motif that hang from the ceiling from the 18th century artist Gibbon.

Alexander McQueen's Flagship Store, New York
Photo by FWD

Their actual form is based on the torso of model Lauren Morgan, who opened McQueen's fall/winter 2002 show in a purple leather cape, two Alpine wolves in hand.

The original models are made of wood and reside in McQueen's first store in Tokyo, but they were so prohibitively expensive to carve that he replicated them in resin for the New York boutique.

Reflecting the craftsmanship of the collection, prices are fairly steep - high-heeled shoes retail at $450, while a lush black wool cape is priced at $2,300.

The house of McQueen is planning a major opening party for early September, certain to be one of the major bashes in New York's fall fashion season.