Walk This Way: Boutique Shopping on the LES
Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Bode and more—we’ve rounded up our favorite LES-based boutiques for your shopping pleasure.
Over the past five-plus years, some of the city’s most exciting local fashion designers have set up shop on the Lower East Side, in turn, making the neighborhood a destination for those in search of clothing that is at once unique and intrinsically New York. On the corner of Norfolk and Rivington, you’ll find the cool-girl label fronted by the original cool girl herself, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, while just a few minutes up the street, Assembly promises a curated selection of emerging and established local designers, vintage, and accessories. Additionally, Only NY, Bode, and Eckhaus Latta are all close by, not to mention, many of downtown’s best cafes to keep you sustained along the way. Here, we’ve rounded up our favorite LES-based boutiques for your shopping pleasure.
Tucked away on a quiet backstreet is the first flagship from New York luxury menswear brand Bode (pictured above). Founder and designer Emily Bode has created a space where customers can enjoy a private shopping experience as they peruse the selection of one-of-a-kind items, designed and tailor-made in New York. The interior designed in collaboration with Green River Project was inspired by an old American hotel lobby and features details aligned with Bode’s singular vision: wood-paneled walls, tole chandeliers, seating upholstered in vintage fabric, and a forest-green accent wall. Each and every piece in the store tells a story making this is a must-visit for that reason alone.
58 Hester St, New York; T. (929) 888-4512
Streamlined, pared-back, playful—Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s namesake label takes a less but better approach to fashion and footwear. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in the early 2000s, MNZ began designing clothing inspired by her own wardrobe, which was highly populated with vintage gems. Her line of ready-to-wear catered to like-minded individuals and eventually led her to open her LES flagship; her footwear collection came shortly after. The store itself is spacious, filled with natural light and an eclectic curation of both her own creations and clothing and accessories from a variety of MNZ-handpicked brands including Baserange, Eckhaus Latta, Jacquemus, Priscavera and more.
123 Norfolk St, New York; T. (212) 673-6405
Only NY opened the doors to its LES flagship in 2012. The independent skate brand was founded in 1997 by childhood friends Micah Belamarich and Julian Goldstein. The concept behind the business was to create something intrinsically New York from which their own personal interests could bleed through. The pillars of inspiration over the years have been New York, nature, fishing, skateboarding, graffiti, sports, art, and photography with an overall vintage aesthetic.
176 Stanton St, New York; T. (646) 649-5673
Assembly has been a go-to for designer clothing, accessories and vintage pieces since 2008. Founded by former gallerist Greg Armas, the store has a unisex vibe, house-brand items, and a selection of independent designers chosen for their emphasis on craft and design as an ethos regardless of trend. Brands include Collina Strada, Baserange, Comme Des Garçons, and Staud, to name just a few. In 2009, Assembly introduced the his/hers collection designed by Armas and constructed in New York with a focus on minimal personal details and a more quiet authority.
170 Ludlow St, New York; T. (212) 253-5393
Special Mention: Eckhaus Latta
Eckhaus Latta’s flagship lies just a short walk beyond the bounds of the LES, located above the “Chinatown Mall” marketplace and directly underneath the Manhattan bridge. For the past six-plus years, designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta have designed their wares from a white-walled studio in Chinatown—so it makes sense that the duo, who struck up a close friendship at Rhode Island School of Design, would choose to open their first Manhattan outpost in the neighborhood they are so deeply acquainted with. The store functions like a blank canvas for their vibrant clothing—silk blouses, thick knit dresses, patchwork tops and pants, playful denimwear—with a distinct artistic, homespun feel. Tucked away on the 2nd floor and with no signage to guide the way, the store is a serene escape from the city’s perpetual grind—ambient music plays on the speakers, and wellness products and flower arrangements are dotted throughout. In the back, you’ll find a ‘denim bar’ housing the brand’s popular jeans in every size.
75, 206 East Broadway, New York; T. (212) 796-2400
PHOTOGRAPHY Bodenewyork.com
