New York’s Upper East Side is known, among other things, for some fabulous shopping and the pedigreed pups that elegantly make their way down Madison Avenue – the chicer, the better.

Thom Browne just upped the ante with his first two stores on this tony part of Manhattan: one, at 19 East 72nd Street, houses the brand’s men’s and women’s ready-to-wear; the other, around the corner at 898 Madison Avenue, is focused on the brand’s whimsical and often animal-themed accessories. The latter marks the designer’s first leather goods and footwear-focused concept – cue the famed Hector bag inspired by Browne’s own Dachshund who, effective immediately, is the chicest pup of them all on this retail strip.

The rtw boutique is located within a New York architectural gem—an exquisite limestone constructed by architects Rosario Candela and Mott Schmidt between 1936-1937. The store’s floor-to-ceiling gray marble interior, including shelving, pays homage to both the brand and art appreciation.

The jewel box-sized accessories store, located around the corner, offers the full range of leather goods and footwear. The space highlights the brand’s collection of iconic animal bags with foxes, sheep and bears joining the famous Hector bag, which is available in classic pebble grain leather and novel versions in navy tweed or studded with pearls, for example.

Highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship, the footwear collection includes heritage trainers, signature brogues, and wingtip heels, rounding out the offerings.

To celebrate the opening, Browne hosted an intimate cocktail featuring a hedge-sized dachshund topiary which paid homage to the Hector and the bag, which is 10 this year. Guests such as Walton Goggins, Christine Baranski, Juliana Canfield, Louisa Jacobson, Trammell Tillman and Alina Cho beat the dog days of summer in classic Thom Browne seersucker and crisp cotton styles.