NY City's Garment District

       Most people visit NY City for the big stores, awesome museums, the theatre etc.   Although these are wonderful, the real gem for me is the “Garment District” located from 34^th to 40^th street between 6^th and 8^th Avenue.

        My first brief glimpse of the garment district was in the late 80’s.   It has changed!    The days of seeing racks of manufactured garments moving quickly from showrooms and warehouses across the busy streets are gone.   It’s much quieter now, but still has the charm of days past.

      The stores are long, narrow, old, and stuffed full of every type of fabric you can image.   For the serious seamstress…it is a shopping paradise!   Think of the direct opposite of fabric chain stores like JoAnn’s.   It is a treasure hunt.  No signs directing you to neat displays.  No computers to ring up your sales, and mostly likely not even listed prices.  I was lucky enough to be escorted by a native New Yorker who had attended the fashion magnet high school nearby.    

       We began our outing at the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu/ ), located at 27 Street, which is one of the few “free” museums in the city.    The exhibits change often.  From there, we walked up grand 7^th Avenue.  During the brisk walk, my friend tried to give me a crash course on how to “bargain” in the garment district.    Her first words of advice were…… never accept the first price you’re quoted.

        The real excitement began when we left the wide busy 7^th Ave and turned on to 34^th street.  It was like walking through a Harry Potter’s “porthole”!    The little stores didn’t have flashing neon lights or beautiful window displays.   In fact, it was just the opposite.    It was almost as if they were hiding on purpose.  Sort of like……  “If you’re not smart enough to find us ………. Too bad”!

         There is so much fabric crammed into these little stores that you honestly can’t tell what color the walls are painted.    I am usually a very take charge person, but in the Garment District, I let my guide do the talking.  She was a pro!

       After visiting the little shops from 34^th to 38^th St, I decided that I found what I was looking for and the price I was willing to pay back on 35^th St. at MODE FABRICS.   When the nice man asked what I wanted, I smiled and said…”all of it, but I can only buy what will fit in my carry-on luggage”.    I ended up purchasing fabric for the snoods and jersey scarf-turbans that you see on MysCap.etsy.com.    I will definitely be back!

    

Just a sample of my New York City Garment District treasures!