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Union
Category:
Men's Clothing
New York, New York 10012
(212) 226-8493
This is the independent-label version of Stussy, still in touch with the street and even flaunting a social conscience. Jazzy hip-hop beats float above shoppers' heads, and T-shirts note everything...
This is the independent-label version of Stussy, still in touch with the street and even flaunting a social conscience. Jazzy hip-hop beats float above shoppers' heads, and T-shirts note everything from "Planet of the Apes" to Amadou Diallo. Old-schoolers and fashionistas alike will appreciate the roomy (but not club-kid huge) jeans and cords, not to mention the outerwear, some of which flirts with Members Only geekdom but somehow comes off as cool.
Where else can you find terry wrist bands jumbled with technochic silver watches that harken back to the early days of calculators? On a lucky day you might find the camouflage tape used by hunters to wrap their rifles, perfect for making city bicycles look tough.
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Surly shopboys tend this shrine to limited-edition denim. The look is pure Nolita, but--surprise!--there are no hipsters behind this concept. Levis offers Selvedge as a hip alternative, we suppose,...
Surly shopboys tend this shrine to limited-edition denim. The look is pure Nolita, but--surprise!--there are no hipsters behind this concept. Levis offers Selvedge as a hip alternative, we suppose, to their giant Original Levi's Stores uptown.
Distressed jeans, some with paint marks, some with graffiti, all with artsy pedigrees; Levis' too-cool-for-school Red line and a small offering of graphic T-shirts. You could probably do much of this stuff yourself--and you'll probably want to, because we're not really sure why some of these pairs cost $500 and up.
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So your Levis aren't cutting it anymore? You're drooling over the super-stylish low-riders currently gracing the pages of fashion mags? Henry Lehr is the place for you. Like the surplus stores of...
So your Levis aren't cutting it anymore? You're drooling over the super-stylish low-riders currently gracing the pages of fashion mags? Henry Lehr is the place for you. Like the surplus stores of your youth, this tiny Nolita shop is stocked wall to wall with folded pairs of jeans. And not just any jeans. We're talking Earl, Frankie B., Seven, Juicy: The au courant styles that populate a downtown princess' dreams.
Just so you know: Henry Lehr is actually one store in three parts. 232 Elizabeth is the jeans shop; next door at 234 Elizabeth is American Colors, Lehr's own rather dull and overpriced line of basic clothing (which includes stuff for men). Further up the street, at 268 Elizabeth, is the Lehr T-shirt shop, the place to pick up that Three Dots or Michael Stars top to go with your brand new Earls.
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Flying A distinguishes itself from its Soho peers by offering downtown style at a reasonable price. Of course, top labels won't be found on the premises, but there is a wide selection of chic...
Flying A distinguishes itself from its Soho peers by offering downtown style at a reasonable price. Of course, top labels won't be found on the premises, but there is a wide selection of chic vintage duds. Some serious browsing is required here, but with a little patience and a sharp eye, a few beloved items are sure to be found.
Aside from the used Levis, battered T-shirts and '70s rabbit-fur jackets, there are plenty of brand-new items, ranging from bags to socks decorated with Japanese animated characters. Also seek out cheap fashion-watches and slick, kitten-heeled shoes--the kind that will be adored for one season but discarded the next.
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The newest Armani-related annex to set up shop stocks men's and women's Emporio Armani apparel and accessories, including watches, eyewear and fragrances.
The space is smaller to show off all...
The newest Armani-related annex to set up shop stocks men's and women's Emporio Armani apparel and accessories, including watches, eyewear and fragrances.
The space is smaller to show off all their clothes. And thus, you may need to ask for your size if it isn't out on the floor. But the staff is much friendlier and helpful than the Madison Ave or Fifth Ave stores. They actually ask if you need help with anything, rather than ignoring you until you ask them for help.
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A.P.C
Category:
Men's Clothing
New York, New York 10012
(212) 966-9685
This French outpost mixes a dash of Catholic schoolgirl with mod '60s dandy. Lots of traditional fabrics are put together in straight lines, creating smart items that border on the boring. You...
This French outpost mixes a dash of Catholic schoolgirl with mod '60s dandy. Lots of traditional fabrics are put together in straight lines, creating smart items that border on the boring. You probably don't want to have an A.P.C. wardrobe, but a perfect Oxford shirt or just-so sweater will be a real go-to item in the closet.
Ducking into the back room, a showcase for the store's lifestyle tastes, including a wall of CDs (albums range from '60s Italian movie soundtracks to the latest in French electronica), high-design T-shirts, a red-cross-shaped metal medicine cabinet and red Japanese record players made of plastic. The red-canvas couch looks improbably broken-in since perusers are definitely too cool to sit down.
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Supreme
Category:
Men's Clothing
New York, New York 10012
(212) 966-7799
White walls, a chrome interior and neat displays let you know that Supreme is serious about its thing: skating. Pro-skate videos play on televisions; the store also mounts rotating art exhibits....
White walls, a chrome interior and neat displays let you know that Supreme is serious about its thing: skating. Pro-skate videos play on televisions; the store also mounts rotating art exhibits. It's the coolest, most streamlined and well-designed view into this subculture. The staff is knowledgeable and very attractive, which sort of makes up for the moderate level of friendliness. Clientele includes Japanese hipsters who want to be down, pro-skate cuties and the occasional "Kids" cast member (they're everywhere).
The Goods
Supreme offers skateboards and wheels by Girl Chocolate, Zoo York, Infamous and City Stars, and the store will put one together for you for $120. Check out Supreme's cleverly designed in-house brand of T-shirts, clothing and accessories, along with labels like DC, Lakai and Good Enuf. Also find skating sneaks by Gravis and Axion.
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Fabulous fashion forwardness lies beyond the shiny steel, pipe-like funnel entrance that is the door to the only Comme des Garcons store in the States. The building is old and charming, but the...
Fabulous fashion forwardness lies beyond the shiny steel, pipe-like funnel entrance that is the door to the only Comme des Garcons store in the States. The building is old and charming, but the interior is nothing but new, with huge sweeping abstract shapes that cut the space into little rooms and sections. Devotees of the avant-garde fashion scene come here to be inspired by minimalism with a touch of the absurd.
Comme des Garcons is known for pushing the fashion envelope and creating wearable clothes that look more like the art on the walls of neighboring galleries than anything you'll ever find at the Gap. Clothes are displayed in requisite sparse form, hanging from curved racks or stacked neatly on shelves. Expect odd color and fabric combos--and steep price tags to match. Don't miss the great unisex fragrances and occasional, unpredictable kid's clothing.
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Prada
Category:
Men's Clothing
New York, New York 10012
(212) 334-8888
A giant wooden wave dominates Prada's massive Soho outpost, stretching from the upper level to the lower. On the down slope, shoes are displayed on stadium seats, while an amorphous sculpture hangs...
A giant wooden wave dominates Prada's massive Soho outpost, stretching from the upper level to the lower. On the down slope, shoes are displayed on stadium seats, while an amorphous sculpture hangs above the up slope, which incorporates a fold-out stage. The shop feels less like a place in which people actually purchase things, and more like an art installation that explores the idea of consumerism (in keeping with the theories of its designer, ultra-fashionable architect Rem Koolhaas). It's almost too perfect that this was once the commercially-minded Guggenheim Soho space.
The entire Prada line is here--ethereal peasant dresses, trademark Miuccia uniforms, sumptuous leathers, a mind-boggling array of bags, games, home stuff, skincare and, of course, shoes. Clothing hangs on racks alongside video monitors playing endless loops of Prada stores, street scenes and classic movies; changing room settings can be adjusted and the full catalogue is digitally browsable, too.
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Seize sur Vingt means 16 out of 20, a near-perfect mark in the French grading system, but we think owners James and Gwendolyn Jurney are being a bit modest. Their clean, beautifully cut men's and...
Seize sur Vingt means 16 out of 20, a near-perfect mark in the French grading system, but we think owners James and Gwendolyn Jurney are being a bit modest. Their clean, beautifully cut men's and women's Egyptian cotton button-downs have found a burgeoning market among young and old in their Nolita and Miami locations. (Think Thomas Pink, but cooler.) Pristine yet warm and welcoming, the minimalist space consists of a few rolling racks of perfectly pressed ready-to-wear shirts, pants and suits in various colors with the back third of the store devoted to the shop's first-rate made-to-measure business.
The Jurneys have expanded their business to include suits, sweaters, boxer shorts and leather goods. But don't pass up the shirts: Ready-made ones cost about $140-$220; custom shirts range from $160 to $290.
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