It's Italy vs France at Elliott Berman Textiles

Eugenia at Elliott Berman Textiles recently invited me to see all the new fabrics just in from Italy and France. Head over to EBT in the Garment District on W. 35th Street before these eye-catching fabrics are scooped up. I oohed and aahed over all the bold designs and prints Eugenia showed me. We both agreed that this season the Italian fabrics have it all over the French in terms of vibrancy and imagery. Below are just a few of the prints available at EBT's showroom:

Eugenia wants you to know they still have Missoni knits. If you are planning a trip to EBT I recommend you call first to let them know what time you'll be there: (212) 764-0180.

NYC Notions Store Review: Steinlauf & Stoller

Address: 239 West 39th Street, New York, NYC
Phone: 212-869-0321
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., closed weekends.
Online site: yes, but it's not set up for online ordering. Click here.
Best for: Interfacing, tailoring supplies, and for getting snaps and grommets installed

[Apologies for not posting this review a long time ago. Somehow I thought I had already reviewed S&S.]

Steinlauf & Stoller has been around since 1947 and the W. 39th Street store looks like it probably hasn't changed much in the last 65 years. But you know what? That's a good thing. I want a Garment District store that looks like it's still sells the same notions my grandmother used. Classic tailoring supplies haven't changed much over the years; they've just become harder to find, especially beyond the Garment District. Here's hoping S&S is in business another 65 years.

Ok, let's talk specifics. Personally, I have no allegiance to any one notions supplier in the Garment District. I get some of this here, some of that there. If I want to save money on notions, I head to Chelsea for Fashion Design Books on the FIT campus, which seems to have the best prices around. But Steinlauf & Stoller is my go-to place for interfacing (especially now that Mood Fabrics is carrying less interfacing than in the past) and for having snaps and grommets installed by long-time employee Nancy.

S&S has fusible 2-inch wiggan, which I love to bolster hems in garments. (You may have to ask for this as it's not always on display.) Here's what my friend Mimi, of Find a Dressmaker, likes about S&S:

"I love shopping there because they have a great selection of bust cups, shoulder pads, different types of boning, they'll cut your zippers to size, sharpen your scissors, they have care labels that are very affordable (but sold in FAR too large of a quantity for the small business or individual dressmaker)… and there is a RIDICULOUS amount of knowledge that comes with that. I love their interfacing, sample/pattern paper by the roll, and dress weights. They also have hoops for hoop skirts! They have great closures for swim suits, and lots of good quality tools for marking (pencils, chalk and stuff). I always buy my pins there, too.… I also find them particularly affordable. The big drawback is their business hours."

Have you been to Steinlauf & Stoller? What do you buy there?

Bolts of the many kinds of interfacing S&S stocks (right foreground).

A decent selection of standard notions. Prices for packaged notions run a little on the high side here, but sometimes I'm willing to pay a little more here rather than traipsing all around the Garment District.

Excellent selection of all kinds of thread.

Here's Nancy working with a customer who wanted to add snaps to a garment. S&S asks that customers not take advantage of Nancy's pleasant personality by making unreasonable demands on her time.