Steven Alan
Neighborhood: West Village
Type of Place: Designers
Description:
Locally grown produce--generally fresher than fruits and vegetables schlepped from afar, and sparing the need for toxin-spewing transportation--is a justly hot topic these days. Can a "locally made clothing" craze be far behind?
Designer Steven Alan is a native New Yorker, and his trademark Oxford-cloth-cotton items are made in Brooklyn. They're environment-friendly for us in another way as well: Classic but stylish, these clothes (for men and women) will look fresh season after season, thus reducing the waste of material--not to mention cash--generated by über-trendy outfits that are fashionable for a total of two and a half weeks.
In the Oxford fabric (prewashed, so what you buy is what you'll get), I especially loved the red-checked camisole dress, $168; the yellow-and-white-striped tunic, $185; and the white swiss-dot blouse, $158. For men, in the same material, natty plaid, striped, or solid Oxfords start at $148. (These shirts are the foundation of Alan's line; "GQ" has recommended them, and R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe has sung their praises in the press.) A knit-cotton polo-type dress ($135) is available in a few colors but especially endearing in pink. Unisex sunhats and tote bags are on offer as well; and amusing, dainty ruffled panties--*not* what most would call unisex, but hey, it's a free country, and certainly a sartorially free city--go for $33.
I visited Alan's newest location, on 8th Avenue in the West Village, a small but well-stocked space that sells only his own designs; but his larger Tribeca shop (103 Franklin Street) also features other designers, as well as bath items, jewelry, and some select CDs. In addition, there's an outlet on 82nd St. and Amsterdam that promises to be very worth a look. After your next trip to the Farmer's Market, consider checking out the wares of a dedicatedly homegrown designer as well.
Steven Alan
69 8th Avenue
(Several other locations)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 242-2677
Website
Map
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