Shelly Steffee
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District Type of Place: Women's Clothing Description:
We just saw a wonderful documentary called "Seamless" at the
- Pamela Grossman; April 27, 2005
Tribeca Film Festival, about the competifion between 10 designer finalists for a $200,000 prize from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and one year of professional guidance from a mentor in the field. This contest is essentially like the Olympics for designers—all the top contestants are worthy, and all have been working extremely hard for years to achieve their goals, but there's only one top prize to be taken. The documentary succeeds in capturing the attendant emotions washing over the finalists—their hopes and fears, victories and setbacks, daily highs and lows. We'll admit we had a few tears in our eyes at times, just as we tend to cry a bit during the Olympic's more dramatic moments of joy or pain: A perfect 10 and a perfect design are different in type but not altogether different in spirit. Along these lines, we'd like to tell you this week about Shelly Steffee, who might be referred to as a "designer's designer." After graduating from design school in Pennsylvania and working with Anne Klein for 5 years, Steffee set up shop on her own, designing and making clothing on site at her shop/studio. He clothes may sometimes seem a bit complex (rough outer seams, blouses with asymmetrical arms), but they're thoughtful, daring, and often beautiful. They take risks—and where is the room for greatness in playing everything safe? We liked her blouses for spring (starting at $160) and her floaty spring dresses (from $450). Her sequinned belts (check for current price) have garnered attention for their loveliness and their flexibility—you can wear them in your hair as easily as around your waist. And her pants (starting at $395) have what we overheard one fan describe as a "ridiculously good fit." A lover of art in various forms, Steffee uses her shop space as gallery space as well, helping to promote up-and-coming visual artists; and she's planning to hold literary events there as well. Check the website or contact the shop for further details.
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