Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/408004
45 HOLIDAY 2014 | bcliving.ca noLita/ noho About 100 years ago, the women who lived in this district's tenements – mostly European immigrants – were employed as milliners, silk flower-makers, shop clerks and, of course, seamstresses and dressmakers. Bohemians and artists came to live here next, seeking cheap rent, raw spaces and distance from Uptown moirés. Although every bit as posh as Uptown today, NoHo boutiques – nestled among what remains of immigrant enclaves, successful artists, creative offices and a huge student population – are less polished, more eclectic, irreverent, and betray the zone's industrial and bohemian past. The setting might actually inspire you to take some fashion risks! House of Field Because you still associate New York City with Sex and the City, a stop at SATC costume designer Patricia Field's shop, House of Field, is a must. A recent visit revealed an amazing collection of the kinds of exhibitionistic punk looks that put Field on the map nearly 50 years ago (think light-up bras). More subtle designs are on offer, too: an exquisite hood made of chain mail; a billowing mesh maxi skirt with attached suspenders; a preppy sky-blue button-down emblazoned with tiny fast-food items. ese could have come from the resplendent, dark mind of Alexander McQueen or Sarah Burton – and all for less than the price of a cab from JFK. 306 Bowery; patriciafield.com Amarcord No trip to NYC is com- plete without a stop at a vintage emporium, and Amarcord is among the best. All the major fast-fashion chains are replicating vintage looks these days and it's harder to justify spending a lot on an "original" piece. But Amarcord's stock, which focuses on 1960s to the 1990s, consistently falls into that sweet spot of affordable and wear- able. No matter the era, Amarcord stocks pieces that look just right right now. Bonus: the hand- bags and jewellery are total outfit-makers. 252 Lafayette St.; amar cordvintagefashion.com MoMA Store Plenty of cultured New Yorkers will tell you to skip MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and head to the MoMA Design Store instead. Entrance is free, for one thing, and the offerings are incredible. From chess sets by Man Ray, a coffee service by Jeff Koons, gorgeous furnishings by Bauhausian Josef Albers – this shop has it all. 81 Spring St.; momastore.org Opening Ceremony College buddies Hum- berto Leon and Carol Lim left their corporate fashion jobs in 2002 to open Opening Ceremony on a sleepy stretch of the SoHo-Chinatown border. eir intent? To celebrate collabora- tion, friendship and a mix of established and under-the-radar fashion – with the added zing of a foreign country's best designs blended in. A hangout space for artists and friends, and with an ever-evolving display ensuring a feeling of discovery, Opening Ceremony's multinational approach hit a nerve. e store now occupies four stories and features over three floors of womenswear, a shoe gallery in the base- ment, a bookshop, a kid's corner and a men's store next door. 35 Howard St.; openingceremony.us Rachel Comey Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's creative women when she launched her namesake line 13 years ago. Her aesthetic is best categorized as vintage-intellectual: feminine flourishes are held in check by boxy, or loose, counterpoints and rare colour combinations. Fans are thrilled that she finally opened a store of her own this year (which, incidentally, happens to be next door to her apartment). Comey's shoes, the perfect marriage of 1944 and 2014, are wildly popu- lar. You shouldn't leave New York without a pair. 95 Crosby St.; rachelcomey.com 1 3 2 5 4 croSby St hoWard St Spring St boWery lafayette St 1 2 3 4 5 Rachel Comey Rachel Comey Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's creative women when she launched her namesake line 13 years feminine flourishes are held in check by boxy, or loose, counterpoints and rare colour combinations. Fans are thrilled that she finally opened a store of her own this year (which, incidentally, happens to be next door to her Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Rachel Comey garnered a cult following amongst New York's Amarcord Amarcord No trip to NYC is com No trip to NYC is com No trip to NYC is com No trip to NYC is com plete without a stop at plete without a stop at a vintage emporium, a vintage emporium, and Amarcord is among and Amarcord is among the best. All the major the best. All the major fast-fashion chains fast-fashion chains are replicating vintage are replicating vintage MoMA Store MoMA Store Plenty of cultured New Plenty of cultured New Yorkers will tell you and head to the MoMA Design Store instead. Entrance is free, for one 5 45 HOLIDAY 2014 | on the map nearly 50 years ago (think light-up bras). More subtle designs are on offer, too: an exquisite hood made of chain mail; a billowing mesh maxi skirt with attached suspenders; a preppy sky-blue button-down emblazoned with tiny fast-food items. ese could have come from the resplendent, dark mind of Alexander McQueen or Sarah Burton – and all for less than the 306 Bowery; patriciafield.com