Elliot Mann
Neighborhood: East Village
Type of Place: Women's Clothing
Description:
OK, so, yeah...it's freezing. So cold that I (almost) don't care what I'm wearing, as long as it's warm. So cold that I can’t bring myself to care about look-cute efforts (though I fully credit the girls, and guys, who are keeping up appearances), and my hair is in a permanent state of hat-head. So cold that I wish I could just stay home and have shops, and the rest of my work life and social life, meet me here. But last I checked, that's not how it goes. And so I trek into a tundra-like Sunday evening to see what I'll find.
The East Village window of bohemian-chic Elliot Mann catches my eye immediately. Pretty much everything I can see there, from the chunky-wool knit bags to the embroidered dresses to the jewelry, is something I’d happily claim for my wardrobe.
Inside, heat-starved girl meets football-starved guy. A football-starved guy in a dress shop on a playoff weekend? What’s going on here? Turns out a staffer has recently gotten a new job, and this guy, the designer’s husband, is holding things down as a sort of emergency measure. He has brought a portable TV from home, but alas, it’s getting no reception. And so, the furious contest between the Cardinals and the Packers continues on without him, though he’s doing his best with updates online.
So he won’t feel utterly adrift, I summon up everything I can think of to say about the teams involved and football generally. Meanwhile, his friendly chatter takes a bit of the chill from my bones, and so we’re on buddy basis by the end of my visit. That’s New York for you.
Swell, Pam, you say—but what about the clothes? Ah, the clothes; the clothes will certainly not leave you cold. Designer Louise Paul (the line is named for two of her mentors) creates effortlessly pretty designs that have made her a hit in the U.S. and abroad (she shows her lines in Paris twice a year). I loved a one-of-a-kind hand-knit bag in thick, yummy hot-pink wool ($109); a pleated black skirt with red and maroon embroidery ($149); a ribbed modal jacket in ivory, violet, or black (the orange is currently sold out; $189); and the “Loops” dress, with a modified empire waist and embroidery on the bottom, in navy, turquoise, or maroon—a lovely item that will work with boots and leggings now and (someday, someday!) with bare legs and sandals when it’s warm again.
The sale rack offers further gorgeousness and incredible deals, such as a quilted-silk peasant dress (half off $275) and the “caliba” knit cardigan (made in Nepal, from lamb’s wool) in lilac, lavender, pink, and ivory (half off $149).
I could keep going, taking notes on more clothing and the jewelry, but it’s closing time…just as Green Bay ties the game and puts it into overtime. No way will I linger when my compatriot has a chance to get home and catch the last precious minutes. So we brace ourselves and hurry out into the weather. On the way to the train, I think about sweaters, dresses, football, and on which day I’ll be returning to Elliot Mann as a shopper. - Pamela Grossman; Jan 11, 2009
Elliot Mann
324 E. 9th St.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 918-9113
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