It’s a testament to Alber Elbaz’s magic that those notoriously fastidious ladies-who-lunch were willing to forego lighting and air conditioning (in triple-digit heat, no less) to peruse the racks of a not-yet-open Lanvin boutique over the weekend. It seems the stuff of fashion legend that they would brave heatstroke and even sweat to get their manicured hands on the newly arrived fall merch, but these are the rumors swirling around the new Upper East Side location, Lanvin’s first in New York.

Fortunately, the new store has now thrown open its doors officially, and under much more humane conditions. Occupying a lofty Madison Avenue brownstone, the space offers three glorious levels of pure Lanvin opulence, packed with the signature collection, accessories, menswear, a denim capsule collection and, of course, a few whimsical Elbaz-flavored touches, such as umbrellas, stationery and playing cards.

In typical Lanvin style, the space itself is a study in contrasts, with wrought-iron fixtures and art-deco flair putting it somewhere between Edith Wharton elegance and film noir perversion. We suggest you make the trek as soon as possible, as fall’s savage luxury is already calling from the windows. Are you fit enough to survive?