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- Fashion, stores and neighborhoods
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" 'Barneys' is a high-end department store where fashion-design students dream of being represented. The store is relatively empty because it is so expensive and wandering through the floors without crowds of shoppers is a pleasure. I've worked with many of the designers and can tell you the pros and cons of their production..." |
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For contrast: 'Century 21', a discount designer store, a few steps from Ground Zero, where change is coming at last. That can mean exploring Lower Manhattan's many neighborhoods – the Lower East Side, which Jewish writers made famous; huge Chinatown; Wall Street; trend-setting Soho... |
- An almost-hidden museum
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"There's a New York museum that is dedicated to the art of dress, which visitors rarely know about. It's part of FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), the school I attended. I would love to take travelers there, because of the excellence of its award-winning exhibits. The latest of these explores fashion's relationship to the environment, focusing on re-purposing and recycling of materials, fiber origins, textile dyeing and production, craftsmanship, labor practices and treatment of animals. Earlier exhibits have dealt with major designers, such as Isabel Toledo, who is a cult figure in U.S. fashion..."
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This museum is located in the heart of one of the most upscale areas of Manhattan - "Chelsea", in the southwest, once the plebian meat-packing district, now a place for art galeries and excellent restaurants. Many designers have stores here. To see the collections all together, go to Barney's. To see them one by one in the environment where they are worn, come here.
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- Unexpected Paris guided tours