The tours were so much fun!

 See Instagram for details, but... in the meantime, here's some eye-candy...

There's so much more to see...

In the District...

So last week, I had the pleasure of strolling around in the district, getting some errands done, and checking out some regular haunts. 

My first random sighting of the day was this sign, next to an empanada cart, with the slogan "best empanada ever", and some very unique artwork... That's quite a claim.  If I am feeling like having one, I may try the next time I pass by, because I am an empanada lover, and they are only $2 each.  I'm generally leery of food carts, but they have the guts to have a FB page, which is a bold invitation for feedback, so I feel they must be quality oriented. Looks like 5 stars is the commonly held opinion. I will try one. Has anyone else had one?

My next stop, was LoLou buttons, since I lost a button on my beloved Miyake coat, and I needed to replace it.  They no longer have the buttons I used, so I needed to look for new ones.  I found a button I love, and, without missing a beat, the owner looked at my choice and said to said to me, "Just replace the top button, and leave the others.  It will be perfect.  It is, and I thank him.

Then, while walking down the street, I ran into one of the owners of Rosen & Chadick, where I originally bought the fabric to make the coat.  We hugged, said our hellos, and she stroked my coat with love.

A picture doesn't do it justice...

Then, there were scraps of this breathtaking leather at Day to Day, which I bought as a heavily discounted pile of small pieces.  The leather is a a beautiful soft purple color, with raised silvery flowers, which is not conveyed in the photo above.  What will it be used for?  Shoes.  How long will it take?  Only the good Lord knows!  You'll know when I get there, because I'm sure I won't be able to shut up about them once they are done!

Bra closure

And this bra closure I bought at SIL Thread  for a special custom bra I'm making.  I'd share more info, but it may be in the TMI category, so I'll just keep that one to myself...

Ghosts of the Garment district

Everything must change. 

I assure you, that although it will seem so, this is not a sad post. Not sad at all.  This is progress. The death knell is tolling for many in the garment district for sure, but it is summoning the strongest businesses to resurrect and reinvent themselves.

New construction encroaches upon old buildings... luxury high-rises push others out...

And Lou Lou Buttons... the sign remains, and the storefront sits empty now, but the shuttered business is gone...  

10/14/15 - Update!  Not gone... but definitely at half-mast these days. Click here to see a recent update.  They were sidelined by a recent flood, and when I've walked past recently, I haven't seen them open, but I have been assured that they are...

And, it affects all types of businesses in the area, not just the garment-related.

And the rents push businesses out, victims of skyrocketing rents

And what will the Parsons building (below) become?  A luxury hotel, apparently... Read the NY Times article that chronicles the building's history, and you will be amazed.  See Tim Gunn's tour on Project Runway here.

Parsons School of Design building - soon to be torn down...

So, what are the resilient garment district businesses doing?  Stay tuned for the next series of posts, and I will share my perspective with you...

NYC Button Store Review: LouLou Buttons

Address: 69 W. 38th Street (near Sixth Avenue), New York, NYC
Phone: 212-398-5498

Hours:  Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Online store: n/a

Best for: the wide assortment of buttons of all materials

I am a button fanatic. I frequently replace the buttons on the clothes I buy because I feel that buttons are a detail many RTW manufacturers think they can skimp on. I cringe when I see fellow sewists create a stunning jacket and then ruin it with cheap-looking buttons. There's no need to limit ourselves to the meager selection at Jo-Ann's when places like M&J Trimming sell beautiful buttons online. And if you're visiting NYC's garment center there are several excellent button stores, including LouLou Buttons on W. 38th Street.

LouLou Buttons is small and more manageable. When costumers for stage and screen need buttons they turn to LouLou Buttons. I've chosen LouLou Buttons for several jackets and tops I've sewn and will continue to shop there.

LouLou Buttons is just one long room of buttons. But what buttons they are.