Pas de Deux
Owned by the brilliant partners Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi – who have single-handedly revolutionized E. 11th Street into an East Village retail retreat as proprietors of the preeminent men's store, Odin (as well as the groundbreaking pop-up concept shop, Den) – Pas de Deux is an elegant and enchanting emporium that is carefully curated to fit its polished, petite quarters. Staffed by the most ebullient and accommodating salespeople in retail, Pas de Deux is a chic must-visit for rare collections like Chimala, Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto, FWK by Engineered Garments, Repetto, and Coventry by Matthew Terry – alongside a hand-picked selection of the best from my favored Boy by Band of Outsiders, Karen Walker and Rag & Bone collections. 328 E. 11th St. New York, NY 10003 (212) 475-0075
Opening Ceremony
Without a doubt, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have the most enterprising, innovative, and pioneering vision in retail today. It has been an honor to better get to know Humberto while I was with Chloë Sevigny shooting her Fall 2009 lookbook in Brooklyn (for her unisex collection in collaboration with Opening Ceremony); he is a revolutionary gentleman who has garnered an unprecedented assemblage boasting the likes of Bernhard Willhelm, Proenza Schouler, Schiesser Revival, Hussein Chalayan, Marios Schwab, Alexandre Herchcovitch, G.V.G.V., Jeremy Scott, Meadham Kirchoff. and their cult-venerated eponymous label – as well as my all-time favorites: Charles Anastase, Peter Pilotto, Tsumori Chisato and Rodarte! Until the eagerly awaited opening of their first international store in Tokyo, if you're in New York be sure to request their brilliant salesperson Meghan Farrell at OC: she is incredibly knowledgeable and obliging when navigating their unrivaled selection (including vintage wares) and exclusive, cooler-than-thou collaborations. 35 Howard St. New York, NY 10013 (212) 219-2688
Otte (West Village location)
Otte is a delightfully curated little boutique that carries many sought-after feminine labels that are otherwise quite rare to come by in America – including my beloved Sonia Rykiel, Vanessa Bruno, Burfitt, Catherine Holstein, Seneca Rising, and Ulla Johnson lines. My favorite Otte location is in their West Village storefront just across the street from the enchantingly twee British tearoom, Tea & Sympathy. 121 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY 10014 (212) 229-9424
OAK (Manhattan location)
Always cutting-edge, Oak is a downtown punk oasis situated on a treasured rarity in Manhattan: the cobblestone road that is Bond Street. As the ultimate destination for avant-garde leggings, superbly skinny trousers, and architecturally intriguing volumes, Oak tends to attract an unpretentious, progressive Alex Wang-esque crowd with labels like Obesity and Speed, Horace, Don the Verb, and Ilse Jacobson. 28 Bond St.
New York, NY 10012 (212) 677-1293
Mick Margo
Nestled in the historic West Village on the picturesque Commerce Street, Mick Margo's airy, light-filled boutique retains the best selection of Isabel Marant in Manhattan. I usually peruse their comely selection of antique jewelry and easy, dainty basics after wandering around Christopher Street (bursting with gems like Aedes de Venustas perfumery, McNulty's Tea & Coffee Co., Rag & Bone's flagship, and just mere blocks away from my favorite bookshops – Three Lives & Co. on the corner of Waverly Place and W. 10th St. and Left Bank Books on W. 4th St. near Bank St.). Don't forget to ferret out their Chronicles of Never sunglasses and stock up on their impressive selection of supremely supple and cozy environmentally-friendly ecowares by Araks, Royalton, and Organic by John Patrick. 19 Commerce St.
New York, NY 10014 (212) 463-0515
bB, jf
featuring
Chrissie Miller,
Chloë Sevigny...and even yours truly makes a few cameos (2:12, 3:00)
hint: a hoisted crowdsurfing bunny donning the same Rag & Bone hat as above
NYLON scan
Related:
- Julia Frakes StyleSetter interview conducted by Elizabeth Monson [StyleCaster]
Vogue Nippon spots a bunny during Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week [vogue.co.jp]
Hehe... sent to me by M: bunny BISOUS Conspiracy Theories [The Clothes Horse]
Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld presents three photographers [New York Magazine]
- Caught outside Lanvin F/W '09 by ELLE Japon in Paris [elle.co.jp]
- On my BFF Rachel Antonoff's lookbook set with Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alia Shawkat [Teen Vogue]
