Photo: Via @GeneralAesthete."I like attractive things, so should you," reads fashion and lifestyle blogger David Tripp's Twitter bio. But, don't try his alleged approach to shopping at home — or anywhere, for that matter.
According to The New York Times' Crime Scene column (cue the Law & Order "dun-dun"), Tripp was charged with identity theft and grand larceny, and later released on bail, for reportedly using strangers' credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars of designer clothing. His largest haul (to the tune of $5,841.14) came after he called the Jil Sander store in Soho, claiming to be Johnny Depp's stylist. "[T]he staff went into fill-the-order-now-ask-questions-later mode," Crime Scene recounts. "One question they never got around to: Can I see some photo ID?" Dun-dun.
Tripp's spree ended last month at Marc Jacobs on Bleecker Street. He had phoned the shop in advance to quote-unquote prepare a selection for The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. "The guy knew all the style names of the pieces of ready-to-wear that he wanted," remembered manager Brian Britt. "He was calling out the styles themselves. 'Oh, do you have the pinwheel shirt in agave nectar?'" Britt noticed a misspelling in the cardholder's name, tracked her down online (yes, her), and had Tripp arrested upon his arrival.
The Times adds that Tripp continued to update his site, The General Aesthete, while he was thieving, with posts on Swedish beauty products and National Fragrance Day. He communicated via email, "I can say that the narrative in which I've been placed is unequivocally inaccurate and unjust." Yeah, yeah. Save it for the commenters. (The New York Times)
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