The next Speakeasy?

Next one:

September 21, 2018

This garment district fabric and notions shopping tour will lead you to places you'll love, likely have not heard of, and didn't know existed. 10AM - 3PM with lunch! 

Regarding cancellations:

 If you have paid and wish to cancel 7 days or more before tour date - 100% refund

 If you don't come on the scheduled date or cancel within 24 hours or less - you will forfeit your refund, but can switch reservation to a future tour date.

 If I cancel a tour for any reasons not related to newsworthy acts of God or other unforeseen major emergencies, you are entitled to your choice of a full refund, or a future tour.

Note: you do not need to have a Paypal account to pay using Paypal. This tour is $160. Wanna come?  Click below.

Led a Speakeasy today (1/20) oh... and today (1/21) - oh and writing about it today (1/25)!

Took a while to begin writing this post... why?

Life's been a bit busy, I'd say!  Well, actually, that's a wildly inaccurate understatement, as I've done nothing but push through appointments, lead tours, and pound out piles of work over the past two weeks or so... but I digress...

I led two Speakeasies last week, and, just as an aside, I must mention my obsession with Wasabi, a UK based fast-food sushi place on the corner of 40th and 7th, that does their job so perfectly, I don't even know how to adequately express my fascination with it.  The lovely bites are always perfectly fresh (whether vegetable or fish) and beautifully presented in meticulously artful to-go (or stay) arrangements, and wonderfully priced for what is offered.  I really enjoy dining in or taking out, and just the speed and efficiency of this place make the whole experience enjoyable. Great energy food, by the way.

So... What happened on the Speakeasies?  Frankly, we all saw too many great things to crunch them into one blog post, so I will list the highlights... (Note: I'm mixing the days together, so not everyone saw the same stores... There's only so much time in a day!)

Botani - Have you seen their new fabric space? We (speakeasiers) casually walked past a sign boasting customizeable fabrics, just to take a peek... I asked the question, "What do your mean, customize?" - I got the answer.  All of the aspects you weren't even thinking were customizeable.  Color? Yup.  Your own color? Not a color card they give you?  Yup.  Fiber content? Yup?  Custom blend? Yup.  Okay, so they will go pretty far to meet your specifications.  When you're done you've got something no one can duplicate, because no one else had it made for them!  Totally unique.  Others can imitate, of course, but that takes time, research and investment... good luck with that, right?

Pacific Trimmings had a delightful arrangement of clasps and wildly fun things as usual. The rainbow toothed RiRi zipper option was a fun sighting, as it always is!

C&J - wowza.  As always.  A special look at the prints and specials on the shelves made the visit wildly inspiring.

B&J - Do they ever disappoint?  Nope.  I don't think so. What a glorious selection of cottons, ponte knits, printed silks, unusual blends, and beautiful colors!

MJ Trimming - While they have reduced some space and inventory, they still have great stuff to offer!  The clearance area is also particularly interesting!

NY Elegant - Upstairs always yields surprises, the rack of panels always yields sighs, and the main floor... need I say more?

Fabrics & Fabrics - What a joy. Whoever is pulling out rolls of "special" goods to highlight on the floor is REALLY doing his/her job right!

Okay, while I could list about seven or eight more stores, it was a blast for all of us on both days! Really intense visits in a tight sequence with no wasted time, tired legs, and heads spinning! It was a true fabric lovers' celebration!

When is the next Speakeasy?

You can always find out when the next Speakeasy is scheduled to take place here.

And right now, the next dates on my calendar are:

January 20, 2017

and 

April 14, 2017

If my dates don't work for you, you can request a custom tour for yourself alone, or with a group.  

If you have an idea for a tour you would like to propose, share it with me, and we can offer it, and see if it is a "go" based on interest and sign-ups.

For newbies - tales from a garment district "Buttinski"... (and a "Hug" of a Speakeasy)

**Reposting**


"Pixelated" is what I'll call it.  This fabric called to me, and told me that it has to become something.  You can't appreciate it up close.  You have to see it from a distance. A large expanse of it. Yes, it must become something.

Sometimes a fabric leaps into your arms, like this one did into mine.  Found at NY Elegant Fabrics... One of so many lovely stores in the district...

Now what?  What will I do with it? I've got a million ideas...

BUT, if I were new to or unfamiliar with the sewing world and New York City Garment District, where would I look?

I ask this question because I am constantly overhearing overwhelmed beginners and uninitiated sewing enthusiasts in fabric and notions stores, asking questions about trying to find the items they need for their projects (patterns, home sewing machines, interfacing, zippers, etc.), and frankly, now,  I often interrupt unhelpful interactions with store staffers to answer those questions myself.

Understandably, the fabric stores often don't readily refer customers to one another, and barring the big names, many of them don't direct people to the notions stores they need, either.  There is an unspoken no-handholding policy in the district.  New York is a busy place, time's awastin', and frankly, to quote a famous internet personality, "Ain't nobody got time fuh'dat!"

Let's say you want a velvet board, hand sewing needles, large carbon paper, pattern making paper, a stretchable zipper, tailoring weight interfacing, pocketing, ribbing for edges and cuffs, leather flowers, great scissors, lace trims for lingerie... do you know where to go? How would you find out?

How can you get what you need if no one helps you?

Okay, I get it... independent creatives, artists, and home sewers generally don't bring in enough cash on their own to keep these industry focused stores in business, but certainly, a regular stream of customers is highly valued by any business, and you can play a role in keeping these businesses alive!

So, let's pretend we are on a fabric shopping trip together.  Where will we go?

Do you have a pattern/instructions, something to rub-off/duplicate, a self-drafted design, or just an idea?

A pattern? Well, you likely bought it online, from 

• Vogue Patterns
• Butterick Patterns
• Folkwear Patterns
• Kwik Sew
• Green Pepper Patterns
• Simplicity Patterns
• Burda Patterns
• McCall's Patterns
• Colette Patterns
• True Bias
• Fashion in Harmony
• Patterns from the Past
• Onion Patterns
• Marfy Patterns

Right?

And, then you may have read the reviews and tips on Pattern Review, whose membership is now nearly half a million strong, by the way!

OR

If you bought your pattern in the garment district, you may have grabbed one from Daytona Trimming or Paron Fabrics. (There aren't many places in the district who offer a real range of patterns anymore.)

OR

Maybe you have been inspired by a book or video series, like Vionnet, or the insanely popular Japanese Fashion Design books like Shingo Sato, or exhibits at the 

• FIT Museum 
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Museum of the City of New York
• the Cooper Hewitt Museum 
• Brooklyn Museum

or any other special exhibits in near and/or far away locations...

Independent research has led me to believe that the independent creative and sewing market is a wildly strong hidden business opportunity so many retailers could easily tap into into, and benefit from, if courted appropriately, but I have yet to see many garment district fabric stores fully embrace this market.

Whether you want to get your feet wet or deep dive, I suggest you explore the district and its corners and crevices as any creative explorer would, and you'll be amazed at what you will find.  My contribution? 

I will lead a special September Speakeasy that caters to the planning steps of creating the pieces what you've imagined.  Let's look at where to find inspiration, where to find fabrics, and where to find supplies that will help you put it all together.  I'll help, consult, and cheer you on while you shop, but I will also show you where else and how to get what you need, before releasing you to shop on your own. This Speakeasy will assume you are not an expert, would appreciate a bit of guidance and possibly hand-holding, and will introduce you to professional people who will treat you with respect and patience.  Featured on this tour will be only stores with whom I have a long and loving history, guiding you through a calm and fun trip through my beloved garment district.  

Wanna come?  

Look here for more information:

September 23, 2016

Led a Speakeasy yesterday! (Spoiler alert... the teacher became the student)

I often lead private Speakeasies for groups when requested, and I must say, this particular private Speakeasy was an unusual one.  

A few weeks ago, a university professor contacted me to schedule a tour of the garment district for her group of business students, as part of a larger New York City exploration during a week's stay in our bustling metropolis. That day was yesterday. Very excited for this experience, I planned an excursion for the students to give them a taste of the layers of the district, rather than the shopping trips I usually lead.  And I'm so glad I did it. On this particular jaunt, I probably learned much, much, much more, and (quite accidentally) got more education out of this effort than the kids did...

Why?  

560 7th Ave - Parsons School of Design - now gone...

This trip made me clean my garment district glasses, so to speak.

560 7th Ave now - future site of a luxury hotel

I began my talk with them, thinking I needed to squash the idea I suspected the students are likely carrying - that the garment industry is a glamorous one, where dreams and diamonds await all who can dream up a perfect little garment...

At the intro of our tour, I referenced the documentary, The True Cost, explaining that the places I was about to show them would give a lovely idea of all of the business endeavors they could participate in, while letting them know that there is also a hidden layer that they would not see on our excursion, full of underpaid immigrants, unpaid interns, and very hardworking people laboring to keep this fashion illusion going in New York City.  I told them that the image of fashion industry success is often portrayed as local, when it in fact, global. I also explained that, truth be told, they they would probably not be willing to pay what truly ethically made clothing would cost.

This information didn't seem to really surprise them.  And THAT... surprised me. I had clearly underestimated them.

West 40th Street now has only ONE fabric store...

I pointed at offices with "for rent" signs, I indicated places which have vanished or downsized, and I was surprised to see that some of my more recent haunts had vanished, too, and showed them how some local merchants were responding to consumers' global awareness by offering eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics.

I was surprised to see troublingly light business in the places I expected to see more activity, businesses not open during posted business hours, signs of stress and decline a bit more intense than I'm used to.

I explained some of the economic challenges of running a fashion business, explaining the predatory loansharking that the practice of "factoring" brings, the intense retail schedule and delivery challenges, the exploitation of workers and businesses in the process, and the drama of it all...

At the end of our short trip, I felt prepared to eulogize my beloved district, feeling that I might be overly nostalgic for the district of my youth, which is very different than the district of today.

I encouraged the students, wished them well, told them some other fun NY activities they should seek out and explore, and bid them goodbye.

And then... I thought about it...

I wandered around a bit to shake off my malaise, went into some of my favorite spots, found some fabulous things, got my creative "buzz" going, and shook it off!

The "secret" district I am always telling you about? The district of mazes, hallways, hidden stores and undiscovered gems is still there!!!  You may simply have to take an elevator, climb a staircase, know the lingo, get a map, make a plan, but you can participate!  

So, really, do we need the "OLD" district?  Would that even make sense now? The new one has plenty to offer.  Yes, we can all embrace it. Put away your tissues. Come and enjoy!

The April 22 Speakeasy! What fun!

It was a beautiful day!

First off:

I tried to plan our excursion to avoid the problem I thought the #Hamiltome book signing crowd might cause on 40th street (evidence of the excitement if you click below)

More singalong fun happening at #Hamiltome signing... #WaitingForLMM pic.twitter.com/iLzaz1CFEE

— Drama Book Shop (@dramabookshop) April 22, 2016

Although the signing didn't begin until 1, there was a reasonable crowd of enthusiastic people who had been waiting since dawn (and some who had camped overnight) lining the street.  

Line extended right in front of NY ELEGANT FABRICS.... Hey, could you guys move over?  Yes, that was one of our stops, and a beautiful fabric I pointed out, and had purchased yardage of years ago also drew the attention of one of the tour participants, who will turn it into something beautiful, I'm sure!

So, where did we go?  Well, I had  a delightful group of artistic women from the west coast to lead, so we went to the places that would light their creative appetites with high quality goods, and great shopping environments.

We spent leisurely quality time in a few different stores - all of them brought us happiness, but... the highlight of the day?

Leather, Suede, Skins! - they never fail to amaze me with the beautiful quality skins they offer.  A dreamy teal, a strong peach, a mottled pumpkin, a dusty rose with a bold sueded purple wrong side... all of it sigh-worthy.

While they do have a website, (link above) you really have to go in person to experience the magic of this store. I particular enjoy being lovingly scolded while shopping there, with a healthy push from the owners to buy, to experiment, to dream... Their stuff isn't cheap.  Not in quality or price, but it is well worth the experience!

As for the other stores?  They have each been featured on the site before, and they were as wonderful as ever. 

The fun of a Speakeasy is the "speakeasy-ness" of it, so that's all I'll say.  Pictures were taken, but won't be shared here. And yes, we had a great lunch.

The next Speakeasy garment district fabric shopping tour will be...

On Wednesday, April 22, 2016!

(This tour is a definite "go", with several booked shoppers/explorers already.)

Look here for details! 

Fall Artisanal Speakeasy 2.0! (Another 2-day exploration!)

*Reposting*

Following the success of the Spring Speakeasy, and using its success to create the next one, I am very anxious to do another version of this tour, and implement some improvements for my next group.

I also know what aspects not to mess with:

Gotta have good food with comfortable seating!
Gotta have reasonably good weather!
Gotta have really compelling and unusual meetings with experts!
Gotta have access to exciting goods in exciting stores!

Here's the description for the Fall Event:

This will be a special Speakeasy, where participants will get to see creative workshops and technicians in the garment district who make magical things happen to fabric.  Through surveys, conversations, consultations, and experiences, I will curate a truly exciting combination of experiences and learning opportunities for a unique group of Speakeasy participants.

Like the last one, this tour is a "go" no matter how few attend, since I know some of you are "in" already (because you needed to cancel/postpone or reschedule the last one).  While I doubt this will be a problem, space is limited, though.  While I would like to invite the whole wide world, more than 20 people would make this unmanageable. 

This will be a 2-day event. The dates will be October 2nd and 3rd, 2015.   This type of adventure is as "Speakeasy" as it gets... so don't expect to get too many details here...

To reserve your space, a $50 deposit (refundable if cancelled no later than 30 days before the event) will be required. 

Balance payment will be due by September 3, 2015.  

The cost of this Speakeasy is $250.  

This includes our events, and lunches for the group on both days (with consideration for any special dietary needs/restrictions addressed in advance). I am holding the funds in a special account specifically designated for tour expenses, which I will incur as the date draws nearer, so please do not make full payment unless your plans are set to participate.  The deposit reserves your spot.

Who will want to participate in this Speakeasy?

• Someone who is a creative sewer
• Someone who is a creative designer/small manufacturer
• Someone who loves to learn, loves history, appreciates fine skill
• Someone who loves stories and creative adventures
• Someone who enjoys both old and new

*If you are someone who has spoken with me at length about this, and know you are already committed, feel free to submit a deposit to reserve your space, or submit full payment if so inclined.  In the event of my illness or unforeseen calamity, the tour will still take place with a replacement guide(s).

I know some of you will call, email or text me with questions.  I'll answer many of them, but, I assure you, I'm being secretive ON PURPOSE.  There are some HUGE surprises on this one!

Wanna come?

Payment options

Deposit $50.00 USD Balance $200.00 USD Full payment $250.00 USD