Last month, the club-kid turned designer Richie Rich told The Local that he would be opening a studio on the fourth floor above the new location of Lucky Cheng’s, which will be departing the East Village in May.

Recently, Mr. Rich gave The Local a tour of his new digs near Times Square at 240 West 52nd Street. He and Lucky Cheng’s owner Hayne Suthon have visions of a Warhol-esque fashion factory where new merchandise for the drag destination will be cranked out on the regular. The pair are planning cosmetics, clothes, and of course, fake eyelashes bearing the Lucky Cheng’s brand.
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Stephen Rex Brown The owner of Ame Ame, Teresa Soroka.

A new store on Ninth Street takes the term “specialty shop” to the next level.

Ame Ame caters to the stylish New Yorker caught in the rain who also happens to have a sweet tooth. The name for the store comes from the Japanese word “ame,” which means — that’s right — both “rain” and “candy.”

“I want to put an end to those disposable, cheap, ugly black umbrellas,” said owner Teresa Soroka, 30, who opened the store on Nov. 16. “They’re bad for the environment, and in a fashionable city they’re a disgrace.”

So, why all the candy? “What’s better on a rainy day than a bag of candy?” Ms. Soroka explained. “I wanted a colorful, cheerful experience when shopping.” Read more…

Yesterday, The Local shared some ideas for cheap gifts around the neighborhood. If you’re up for spending a little bit more for the man of – or men in – your life, today’s your day.

Above:
1. “Walls Notebook,” $16.95 – Exit9 Gift Emporium (51 Avenue A)
2. Bear shoe horn, $32 – Odin (328 East 11th Street)
3. Raw leather belt, $90 – Oliver Spencer (330 East 11th Street)
4. “Hang Over” flask, $50 – Reason Clothing (436 East 9th Street)
5. 100% baby alpaca queen-sized quilt, $525 – Seyrig (305 East 9th Street)

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Haven’t started your holiday shopping yet? No worries. Everything that should be on your list can be found right here in the neighborhood. First up: The Local’s ten favorite gifts below the $50 mark, with more ideas to come.

1. Recycled-chain bottle opener, $9.95 – Sustainable NYC (139 Avenue A)
2. Mini coffee sampler, $24.99 – Porto Rico Importing Co. (40 St. Marks Place)
3. Flirt snap mittens (made local), $48.00 – Apartment 141 (141 East 13th Street)
4. Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, $32.95 –Lancelotti Housewares (66 Avenue A)
5. Brass & leather cuff, $27.00 – Soukou No.11 (320 East 11th Street)
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In a city where the streets double as runways, Michelle Rick shares her experience capturing local fashionistas.

“Like any girl with a TV set in New York during the 1970s and 80s, I formed my first impression of “high” fashion watching the Ritz Thrift Shop commercial. It evoked everything glamorous about that time: mother dabbing Givenchy perfume on her wrist, and Bloomingdale’s, which was the height of chic. I return to my comfort zones almost every day to take pictures; a red wall where I know how the light hits at 5 p.m., for example.”
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Lyn Pentecost, Executive Director of The Lower Eastside Girls Club, came across what some fashion lovers might consider the ultimate Craigslist find: 50 never-worn vintage wedding gowns, each with its original price tag. Looking to purchase one or two last fall, Ms. Pentecost contacted the seller (a lawyer representing the estate of a wealthy woman) who told her it was an all-or-nothing deal— 50 dresses for $2,500. She declined at first, only to hear back from the lawyer a few months later with an offer of $500 for the entire lot.

Within weeks, two boxes arrived on her doorstep stuffed with mint-condition gowns—garments that a group of teenage girls have since ripped, cut, and spray painted, putting an individual, modern twist on fifties style. Read more…

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

You may not be able to pronounce it, but Gesamkunstwerk is a boutique you should know about.

Nestled on a corner across Houston Street on the Lower East Side, this boutique voted “Best New Indie Shop” by TimeOut NY is a go to spot for locally made, conversation worthy pieces. Cooper Union grad Alexandra “Allie” Kuzyk mans the store most days and her background in visual merchandising and design makes her an expert in spotting the “next big thing”. The Local sat down with Allie to discuss why she chose her store’s unpronounceable name, where she goes out in the East Village and why she chose the Lower East Side as her shop’s home.

Where did you come up with the name Gesamkunstwerk?

When the shop originally opened in the summer of 2010, it was both a
workshop and a retail boutique. So my partner and I thought of
gesamtkunstwerk, a German word meaning “the complete art work,” because we
thought it captured the essence of what we were trying to accomplish in the
space. Now we poke fun at the name because it’s a mouthful, so we go by
“Werk” and our website is cantspellit.com.
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Street Style: Tucked In from rachel ohm on Vimeo.

Sometimes style isn’t what you wear but how you wear it. Tuck a blouse or a tank top into a skirt or dressy shorts and voila! you’ve created a slimming silhouette. As The Local wandered the streets of the East Village, we noticed that “the tuck” is both work and weekend appropriate. It lends a touch of femininity to any skirt and top combo and instantly polishes up summer-time shorts. It’s also a great way to test the waters of color blocking, as these stylish locals showed us.

The Local’s Rachel Ohm reports.

On a recent afternoon in the East Village, the sun shone relentlessly on the sidewalks and streets of the neighborhood — to the dismay of some and delight of others (perhaps having the proper headwear helps?).

A light hat in the style of the fedora, made from paper, polyester or other lightweight and breathable material (one gentleman sported a chapeau of Siberian horsehair!) may be the secret to a stylish and shady summertime stroll.

In one interview, the East Village ambler in question was so attached to his wool hat that he insisted on wearing it year round. He noted that it was a “stogie fedora” because the brim was so small, and he wore the hat as far back on his head as possible. The name for this type of hat is actually the “homburg,” and it is characterized by the brim fixed in a tight, upward curl — an adaptation that suits it for summer in the city.

The Local’s Rachel Ohm reports.

Peppy patterns are all over the runway (and the sidewalk!) this spring. One of our favorites here at The Local is stripes, and we’re not talking about the blah black and white versions in the back of your closet. Stripes this season are either wider, with varying widths across the fabric, or a mix of horizontal and vertical across the body. Some of the most interesting variations also play with color, either bold primary colors, classic muted tones or bold neons.

Take a look at some of our favorite takes on this playful and fun summer trend!

The Local’s Rachel Ohm reports.

Joshua Davis East Village boutiques have thrived by offering low priced merchandise to its customers. Still House, 117 East Seventh Street, sells artwork and jewelry by local artists.

With reports of hard times for struggling Lower East Side boutiques, The Local paid a visit to merchants on East Seventh Street to see how their businesses are faring. But rather than echoing the frustrated voices of Lower East Side merchants, many of whom have closed or moved to Brooklyn, the East Village is holding steady and even opening new stores.

The secret: low prices.

Here is what some local shopkeepers had to say about starting up and surviving in the East Village.

Rena Reborn and Still House, both at 117 East Seventh Street

Two newcomers to the block, both stores opened within a week of another last month, and both specialize in selling goods from local artists and designers. Rena Reborn, which sells new and recycled jewelry and clothing for women, draws many of its customers with $5 and $10 racks.

“Low prices keep us in business,” says owner Rachael Rush.
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The old maxim goes that when hemlines fall, so does the economy. But what are we to make of widening trousers? Perhaps we could say that as the temperature rises, the leg gets less lean? The look on the street these days is not skinny jeans and jeggings but pants that billow and bend in the breeze, keeping us cool while looking hot.

The Local investigates ways wide-leg pants are being worn in the Village — from 70’s retro bell-bottoms to lightweight polyester boyfriend trousers and cargos.

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm reports.

Ladies of the East Village, it’s time to stash your stilettos away and save your flip flops for the beach. This season is all about chunky heels, whether they are giving some lift to a pair of gladiators or height to your favorite strappy sandals. On the street, the wedge is a walking shoe with the height of high heels and all the glitz too. It’s sure to be seen as summer rolls around.

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm reports.

The “maxi” dress, as its name implies, represents the fact that it’s cut at the maximum length possible. While often form fitting at the top, the maxi dress and the similar maxi skirt is long and flowy, covering up the legs and letting the toes peek out. As these East Villagers noted, the conservative cut lends well to funky patterns and its name also supports another of its virtues — maximum comfort! On the street the Local was not surprised to see these East Villagers looking stylish while staying cool and summer-minded!

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm and Claire Glass report.

Spring colors are abounding and on the runway they’re brighter than ever. From the storefront to the street you don’t have to look hard for neons because they definitely pop!

The Local takes a look at how some trendy East Villagers are livening up their wardrobes for spring and (dare we say!) summer with some fluorescent flair.

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm and Claire Glass report.

We at The Local have spring fever. And as we scoured the streets for this week’s Street Style, we noticed that the warm weather is starting to take effect on fashion. Whether in the first shorts of the season, white denim or light jackets, plenty of East Villagers are taking hold of fashion’s ubiquitous denim and stylin’ it up for spring.

In fashion, utility often takes a backseat to stylish – but it doesn’t have to be so. As spring rolls on, stylish East Villagers are playing up what winter wear remains with zippers and buttons that are both functional and fun. Accents on coats, boots and bags have a purpose whether it be to stash keys or sunglasses or keep you warm, but they can also spice up an outfit. The Local hits the pavement to find out what accents serve the dual purpose of functionality and fashion forward.

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm and Claire Glass report.

This week’s Street Style features menswear including sporty jackets and accessories and vibrant colors and patterns (neon in winter?) that we expect to see more of this spring.

Classics like a vintage backpack, straw fedora and tailored jackets are always in style, as are clothes that fit well and reflect personality — whether that be in a hairstyle, handmade jewelry or clothing that is so well made it has lasted years and still fits.

Street Style hits the pavement with some locals to find that in the East Village the average man on the street is anything but.

NYU Journalism’s Rachel Ohm and Claire Glass report.

From fox to Mongolian lamb to tiger print, fur fashions can be seen all over the East Village this winter. PETA lovers need not fear because it doesn’t even have to be real to be warm, stylish and a great transitional piece as we head into spring.

NYU Journalism’s Claire Glass and Rachel Ohm report.