How a Criminologist Boutique Owner Catches Shoplifters

[View on the web]( [Visit our site!]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Feature [How a Criminologist Boutique Owner Catches Shoplifters]( [Anomie boutique]( The San Francisco boutique [Anomie]( looks like any other cool-girl fashion destination you’d find in Brooklyn, Portland, or Austin. The chic, sun-drenched shop is light and airy. It has racks of neutral-colored linen clothes by indie designers like Rachel Antonoff and Miranda Bennett, bags from Clare Vivier, and tables set with delicate jewelry, home goods, and beauty products from trendy [millennial brands]( like Herbivore. There’s one hint, though, to tip shoppers off that there’s something going on inside, something more than what meets the eye. A small, cute sign that sits on the floor and faces the outside window reads: “Plz don’t steal from us because it’s a terrible thing to do... also, you’re on camera —> SMILE!” The sign is small and inconspicuous and its message is vague, so most shoppers probably won’t realize that inside Anomie there’s an ongoing sting operation of sorts, run by the boutique’s founder and owner, Chelsea Moylan. A Northern California native, Moylan opened her storefront almost two years ago, and in addition to managing a business that fundamentally supports independent or emerging designers — the store’s tagline is “We Sell Nice Things” — Moylan simultaneously works as self-employed detective, spending her nights and weekends hunting down shoplifters. On a recent summer afternoon at the boutique, Moylan relates an ongoing joke about receiving a sponsorship from Swiffer. “The other day I chased a guy who stole my bag down the street with one,” she explains with a grin. Moylan has caught nearly a dozen shoplifters in her store. While she gets a little help from her security camera and social media, she’s certainly no ordinary boutique owner; Moylan is a trained criminologist. [Keep reading >>]( [Insert alt text here] [Deal of the Day](#) Those outside of NYC might not be familiar with [Ricky’s](, the beauty institution that sells everything from [shampoo for all hair types]( to [bachelorette kitsch](, but anyone with an internet connection can shop its website, which includes a pretty robust [sale section](. Highlights right now include [NYX Cosmetics]( products for half-off (try the [Stay Matte Powder Foundation]( in Tan, $4.75), K-beauty label Peripera’s lipsticks — er, [Rouge Pang]( — for $4, and a salon-worthy [round bristled brush]( for $12.50. There’s also [pasties](, in case you’re in need. [Insert alt text here] Ad from our sponsor In the News Your First Look at Uniqlo x JW Anderson [J.W. Anderson x Uniqlo]( In many ways, the most compelling part of Jonathan Anderson’s growing retail empire is Jonathan Anderson. The London-based designer launched his experimental [JW Anderson]( label in 2008 and used that same energetic, original thinking to propel himself up fashion’s corporate ladder. In 2013, the luxury conglomerate LVMH hired Anderson as creative director of the Spanish leather goods company [Loewe]( and made an investment in his namesake business. He’s accomplished all of this at the age of 33 without being creatively trampled by the establishment, it seems. In fact, he looks to be thriving. What’s interesting about Anderson is, pretty simply, the aura of ambition and confidence that he gives off. In his spare time, he [collects objects]( for his home obsessively. His curatorial impulses have in turn infiltrated [Loewe stores]( and [exhibition spaces](. To a certain extent, Anderson seems just as much like the brains behind a rising Silicon Valley startup as he does a clothing designer — in part because, in the way of Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, he tends to dress in a casual, no-brainer uniform of navy Uniqlo sweaters, jeans, and sneakers. In March, we learned that Anderson was collaborating with Uniqlo on a range of men’s and women’s clothing, and the brand [released the first images of it]( today. There’s a lot in there for Loewe lovers and Anglophiles (ruffled skirts and tartan-trimmed trench coats), but the collection also lets shoppers hack into Anderson’s own style. There are cable-knit crewneck sweaters, colorful striped crewneck sweaters, crewneck sweaters with weird fish on them. There are T-shirts and sober puffer jackets. It’s fun and cool and all under $150. 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I’ll keep using Alpha each night and will remind myself: You can’t torch the house when someone is inside. —Lena Singer, contributing writer [More Good Stuff to Read Today](#) - [Everlane Is Opening Its First Real Store]( - [Consignment Startups Win by Breaking the Rules of Retail]( - [In Defense of Dry Shampoo]( - [Trust Me: The Best Sheet Masks Are Made From Silk in Taiwan]( - [How a 24-Year-Old Graphic Designer in Philly Shops]( Did a friend forward you this email? [Sign up for the Racked newsletter](. Ad from our sponsor From Our Partners A selection from the editors at Racked [Models in floral dresses]( [How Floristry Became a Fashion Business]( As the business of flowers becomes increasingly trend-driven and social-media savvy, fashion folk are tapping the opportunity. [Read more]( [Rome]( [Win the Italian Vacation of Your Dreams!]( Enter our sweepstakes. [Read more]( Ad from our sponsor [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. 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