Rosen and Chadick - Off the beaten path

Update:  Sad to say, Rosen and Chadick closed for good this weekend.

THIS.

AND THIS.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Rosen & Chadick? What I can say for certain, is that quality and beauty still rule here.  You've gotta know what you like, be willing to pay an appropriate amount for it, take your time, appreciate quality, and understand the PROFOUND difference between this store and many of the (remaining) others in the district. It is absolutely one of the best kept secrets in the district.  For good reason.

Once housed in a HUGE space on West 40th Street, they have since moved twice in recent years.  The business has changed.  The customer has changed. Their eye for gorgeous stuff has not.

My heart skips a beat when I look through their offerings.  The shirtings, the woolens (which work in all seasons, you know), the denims that least forever and wash like a dream, beautiful silks and specialty silks for ties... all sigh worthy.  Long enduring relationships with suppliers from around the world make their unusual inventory possible.

Big broadway musicals, movies, plays - the wardrobe and costume people come here. The people who want to make to make luxurious clothing for themselves, for clients, for museums, with archival reasons in mind.  They have been working with the best suppliers FOREVER.  When is "forever"? 1952.  Nowadays, that's forever...

It is quiet in this space, which is perfect for the peace-seeking creative.  Do they have EVERYTHING?  No.  But that is why they are perfect in their selection of what they do have.  There are no endless piles of ANYTHING in the store.  Just the diamonds.  

Go. You won't be sorry.

Rosen and Chadick

108 W 39th St #13

New York, NY 10018

M-F open 9-5:30 

Off the Beaten Path... Mendel Goldberg

If you want to make a Chanel-inspired jacket, this is the place!

A New Yorker all my life, I had never actually ventured all the way down to Hester Street to see Mendel Goldberg Fabrics for myself. 

That is, until yesterday...  

Yes, I've heard it is a great place, highly praised by such quality sewing professionals as Susan Khalje and Claire Shaeffer, but, until now, I simply hadn't explored why.

While inside this delightful, quiet store, I had a wonderful conversation with Alice, the host, great-granddaughter of Mendel Goldberg, and personality of the shop, who greeted me warmly and explained what sets her family business apart from the garment district fabric stores.  

Now, I understand.

In business since 1890, this small boutique fabric shop is a carefully and beautifully curated collection of exquisite fabrics hand selected by Alice (Goldberg) from the finest mills in Europe.  A New York Times article written about the store gives a beautiful impression of its history.  I saw wool guipure, brocades to die for, and colors and prints that are absolutely swoon-worthy. No kidding.

Pictures of the fabrics don't do them justice.  Visit, see, and touch to learn for yourself!

They do not sell notions or trims of any kind, so plan accordingly, as you will only be shopping for your "star of the show" fabric here, and will need to purchase your other supplies elsewhere.

I was fortunate enough to accidentally eavesdrop on an appointment with a shopper (yes, they do allow appointments) during my visit, and was truly impressed by the level of customer service the client received. Advice like, "I would not suggest that fabric for you.", and "You'll need more yardage to create that." was offered with a firm and patient tone, and she even went the extra mile to give more suggestions, which included products inspired by the client's requests during the appointment, which were then happily retrieved from the downstairs inventory.

Where they win: Quality, Curation of goods, Shipping options and Customer Service.  If you are the right type of client for this shop, this is a unique and fabulous resource.  I must have touched just about everything they have to offer during my visit, and was truly thrilled with the experience.

This is a place to go for fabric to create special-occasion wear or high-end pieces. Before visiting, be sure to note the prices of the fabrics on the website, because that is the ballpark range you should be expecting to see when shopping there.

Mendel Goldberg Fabrics

72 Hester Street

New York, NY 

Tel 212-925-9110

Worth noting - this business has been in the same location since 1890.  That means, in addition to all of the changes our city has faced since then, it has survived BOTH 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy.  Now, that's resilience!

Things to inspire... things to share...

To inspire:

I think this movie may be a game-changer for the public interest in dressmaking.  Remember "Titanic" and the garment fantasies it inspired?  This movie, which gives 40 year-old Kate Winslet a 25 year-old love interest (Hemsworth) may do the trick.  No official US release date yet... but we'll be waiting!

And when you see it, I suggest you dress for the occasion! The description alone will kill ya...

In the 1950s, Myrtle "Tilly" Dunnage returns to her hometown, an Australian country town named Dungatar, to take care of her ill mother, Molly, from which she was sent away at the age of ten because of false accusations of murder. Tilly, an expert dressmaker trained by Madeleine Vionnet in Paris, transforms the locals with her couture creations and in the process, exacts revenge on the people who wrongly accused her of murder all those years ago.

Who can help you get the dreamy fabrics and tools this film will inspire you to use? Well, in the garment district, there are many, but the best of the best map will guide you in the right direction.

Also to inspire:

Here's a great article on dressing your body... or anyone else's for that matter.  It will inspire you, and make you feel the value of your work as a garment professional, hobbyist, or artist, wherever that lands you!

To share:

Now, food for thought... what kinds of things can become fabrics?  Should they be making fabric using discarded animal parts?  Hmmmm... If not, why not?  Talk amongst yourselves, people.

A quote from the article linked above:

...one kilogram of gelatin can yield one kilogram of wool. That 1:1 trash-to-apparel ratio puts the process on par with a Nike project that converts plastic bottles into a polyester thread used for soccer uniforms. Unlike Nike, though, Stark and his team will need to find a manufacturing partner who can help develop infrastructure to produce the new fibers at scale. Because the foodstuff is derived from animal by-products, and gets made in bulk, it’s a more cost-efficient material than the merino sheared from sheep one at a time. At present, though, the European companies who manufacture gelatin do so only for niche products like gel capsules and Jell-O.

Also to share:

Are you looking for sewing classes in New York City?  Here's a site with a list of options...


Now, take a deep breath, have a good stretch, and do something meaningful.  See you later!