So long, 40th Street...

This story can be told with a sad, wistful look at the past of a booming NY district, or it can be told with an optimistic look into the future.  In this post, I will take the optimistic view...

The last retail fabric store of 40th Street is moving

On a quick trip to the garment district on Saturday, I learned that the LAST retail fabric store on that street (between 7th and 8th Aves) is moving. Whoa.  Thrown by this news, I moaned about it being the end of an era... blah, blah, blah...

Yes.  I am talking about NY Elegant Fabrics.  That massive store on 40th Street with all of the delicious fabric eye candy in the windows.  Oh no!!!!

But wait... not CLOSING... MOVING. New location to be announced very soon!

We can't deny that this is a sad moment for this iconic block in the district.  This street once featured such district heavyweights as Rosen and Chadick, Lace Star (which is now Fabrics & Fabrics), and Sposabella... sigh....

But where are they now?  

Oh wait... They have all MOVED!

And life has gone on.  And it will continue to.  We've gotta be grownups about this. What is important, is that we know where to find theses stores now.  Then, GO to those places, SHOP, and SUPPORT these businesses to help them continue well into the future.

Deal?

And, by the way, here's a link I must share.  It helped me to see that this is nothing new... it is just a continuation of a long, inevitable change of the industry and the businesses the district can support in a brick and mortar environment.  We can still shop online when possible and appropriate, and explore new locations, even mounting elevators when necessary!

About the Spring Artisanal Speakeasy... where do I begin? (Part 1)

One of my favorite movies is "Phenomenon", which, on its face, seems like a lighthearted tale of an unusual encounter that happens to ordinary man in an ordinary town. But, hidden in this movie, are some really profound mini-stories that have made a deep impression on me, that I just can't shake.  Why do I even bring this up when describing the recent Speakeasy?

There is one important scene in the movie that beautifully conveys the power of community and collaboration.  In the scene, one of the characters is frustrated by the presence of rabbits in his garden, and needs his fence fixed.  The innovative solution he proposes, is that three different people with unique expertise to one another in different areas, offer their services to each other, helping each other in a triangular way, thus each person's practical challenge is fixed.  This kind of thinking knocks down the obstacles, and opens things up in a new way.

When it comes to creative pursuits, the value of this kind of thinking increases exponentially.  Our intimate group was inspired and excited by the experience of this two-day creative journey, and I am certain that we were ALL (myself included) profoundly enriched by it.

Did we learn?  Yes, we did.  The generosity of the garment district professionals who educated our group was just fantastic. I am actually struggling to convey in words how educational and enriching our private meetings were, but I will try.

Now, there are things I can tell you about this trip, and things I can't.  The ones I can't, were specifically because they were dependent upon relationships I have with specific people, and opportunities for a private audience I was able to negotiate on our behalf, but are not generally available to the wider public.

On Friday we got an early start, visiting an old, established business in a spruced-up, new location.  From there, we went to a private appointment with a wonderful, old, garment industry business, who showed us examples of beautiful, highly mathematic, intricate work.  Then, our genius of a host for that business revealed some wildly creative and beautiful applications of that work that would make anyone swoon. We fell in love with machinery, garments we saw being designed, some completed garments and accessories, and we gained a deep appreciation for the work and engineering involved, and then we learned how to use the services of this business in our own creative pursuits.

Then we visited another great, established/historic garment district business, where we saw the process of fabric manipulation, equipment and the fine, dextrous handling that goes into creating the amazing things that company produces.  And the conversation grew much bigger than that, too.  Industry challenges and changes, meeting consumer demand and new ways of using their products, changes in the district itself, real estate, fabrics and experiments - so much fun, and so much food for thought!

Then we had an appointment with another company who does beautiful work in a very specific and sophisticated way, placing a person with a vision in a position, where even a one-off can be created with professional quality you wouldn't have known was possible!

Based on the group's specific interests, we visited that fabric stores that served what we had seen, what I already knew about our group, the other places we visited, the educational value of the stores and their unique offerings, historical significance, and things group members wanted to explore specifically.

Which stores?  B&J, Elliott Berman, Pacific Trimming, NY Elegant, Rosen & Chadick, C&J, Manhattan Wardrobe Supply, and Sposabella Lace were our spots for what we sought.

On Saturday (yesterday), we went to the Art and Design Exhibition at FIT (separate post on the exhibit to follow), coupled with a special FIT library visit, that went slightly wrong at first, but was beautifully rescued by fabulous friend and touring parter, Cindy Chock! We were eventually able to see some pretty breathtaking stuff!

The big takeaway: There is always SO much more to learn. And, what a thrill to get a glimpse of just how vast the creative horizon is.

What would I do differently next time? First off, I think I would schedule in a coffee break or two. We simply committed to exploring 'til failure, so we had two long, full days. Wow, were we tired! (I'm just recovering right now! - 10AM Sunday) But, in the best way.

Happily, there remains significantly more to show/more people to talk to than what we saw, so I see that I can do several equally valuable versions of this tour, if demand will meet it!

Taking the temperature of the group based on what we'd seen and talked about, significantly increases the value of the shopping portion of the trip. Knowing what the group will appreciate, and taking them to the places that will serve them well (in the right order to serve their creative appetites), really proved to be a great way to shop. 

And... we ate SO well!  We had great meals, and we NEEDED them, after so much walking!

Will there be another artisanal speakeasy?  Yes, there will be.  Planning begins now. I will keep them intimate, as that seems ideal, and what the market will bear, too, apparently.

*This is the first of a few posts inspired by this tour.

A 3-D printer.  An example of innovative uses of technology in the world of design.  Seen at the FIT exhibit (downstairs)

After visiting the new Sposabella Lace...

Did you know? Sposabella Lace has moved, and on Saturday, I visited with Frank and the gang while they were both open for business and setting up in their new space.

Brightly lit and just lovely, I was greeted with the same wonderful kindness I have grown to love there.

But... get this... there is now a bridal salon at the deep end of the store.  And now, in addition to custom headpieces, they also do alterations.  Can you believe it?

This store is directed at the high-end customer, or the extremely skilled and quality-oriented creative, and it is EXACTLY what the garment district needs.

The beautiful laces are suspended on headers near the front of the store, and some are displayed in cases, to be taken out by staff members if requested.  Don't be intimidated, and be ready to talk budget, if that is a strong consideration for you.

My personal favorite thing about Sposabella are the headpieces.  I bought my own headpiece for my wedding nearly 18 years ago from them.  It was gorgeous, and absolutely unforgettable.  See their current offerings here.

For your truly special events, Sposabella has always been, and will continue to be a fabulous place to go!

Lacemaking, and what we can learn from spiders...

The art of making lace in one form or another has existed from the earliest ages. There are scriptural references to various web-like fabrics, which were made of rude construction, no doubt, but whose general characteristics were identical with those productions of modern skill which have for centuries been known as lace. Homer and other ancient writers constantly mention net-works of fancifully embroidered materials; gold thread-work was nown to thee Romans, and as Egyptian robes of state are depicted upon the tombs of the earlier dynasties as being fashioned from a looped net-work or crochet..."

-The Art of Modern Lace-Making (Butterick Publishing Company, 1891)

In an old Greek story, Arachne (uh-rak-nee) loved to weave. Her weaving was so beautiful and perfect that the goddess Athena got jealous. To punish Arachne, the goddess turned Arachne into a spider. But Arachne still loved to weave, and continued to do so, as a spider...

So, here's my question for the day... if all spiders know how to spin webs (and let's assume all do), why don't they consolidate their efforts, and some work on spinning webs, while others gather the prey? Why don't they work together?

Lace and silk from Metro Textiles

Pictured above, is a fabric combo on its way to becoming  something unique for me, inspired by a dream I had, an unrealized idea from a client I had last year, and the "Spiders Alive!" exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History.

A spider uses its own body measurements to make its web, using a very practical and ergonomic design process. The spider starts with the most difficult part of construction -- the first thread, and creates an extraordinary silken net, often as beautiful as it is functional. It is also abolutely unique and personal.

We work to create our own intricate handmade patterns, using yarn, strings or thread and fabric, and our own human hands. There is something very natural about this. Something very real and tactile... Individuality is important. Personal expression, the need to share beauty, and this sense of accomplishment are vital.

There is something so unique and special about a spider's own ergonomic study that leads him/her to design and create their own custom web; it speaks so beautifully to our unique desire to create beautifully customized garments and furnishings for ourselves. It explodes from our souls in even the most dismal of environments and circumstances. It is a necessary communication, and, as much as we need to create, the things we create NEED to be created.

I say this to reinforce the following point: There is only ONE you. If you are creative, honor that fact with what you create.  Listen to your body; the way it wants to feel, be embraced by wonderful colors, textures, and variety.  If you want to celebrate that in the ones you love, make things for them, too.


Ready, set...  

sew!

NYC Fabric Store Review: Sposabella Lace

Sposabella Lace

240W 37TH street

Store 1

New York, NY 10018

212-254-4729

It seems fitting that today, on my 16th wedding anniversary, I would feature the store that brought me so much joy and happiness about 16.5 years ago.

I made my simple wedding dress at home that hot summer, while watching the olympics, using $100 worth of materials.  Yes, seriously.

But I glammed up my whole look at Sposabella Lace.  They had (and still have) headpieces to die for.  They sold (and still sell) beautiful lace for trimmings, etc. I added about $500 worth of headgear, veil and delicate pearl edging to my simple creation, and put together a really pretty ensemble.  And I still have that tiara stored away (somewhere) for my daughter's use (maybe) someday.

Sposabella Lace is a small store, with unusually beautiful window displays.  It might feel a bit intimidating for the home sewer, as it isn't really the best place for browsing.  If you know what you want, and are comfortable asking, you will get the assistance you need.  Their salespeople are genuine salespeople, so be prepared to be asked if you are ready to purchase. They are a business, after all.  For 29 years now. And they are more businesslike than many of the other stores in the district.  There is a friendly, respectful formality there, which I really appreciate.

Their focus is mostly bridal, so you won't find a great range of colors to choose from, but boy, will you find some beautiful things!

And if you're thinking lace for me, look to this post by Peter for inspiration.

You don't need my pictures, since they also have a killer website.

They are open 9:15 to 6 weekdays, and 9:15 - 5 on Saturdays.  (I love that 15 minute buffer...)