The Modsushi Collection includes food tees, like the one pictured, and many other great ones as well. “I ♥ Mayonnaise,” and “I ♥ Ketchup” resonate with me. The social commentary tees are nothing if not timely: “Laid Off is the New Black,” and “Low Wage Worker.” There are also some more, well, scatological ones that clearly appeal to the less demure than yours truly: ex. “I ♥ Peeing Outside,” which, interestingly, comes in all sizes from XXL to Onesie. All t-shirts are handprinted on American Apparel, Anvil and Tultex garments.
If you’re looking for a message to wear on your chest, Chane probably has just the one. How about this one: “Your Trailer or Mine”?
The works of art by Scott Jordan of New York Artifact Art have to be some of the most fascinating objects in the markets of New York City. Scott visits construction sites throughout the city and retrieves bits and pieces of our city’s history, buried in the layers of dirt and old construction that have piled on over past centuries. Before something new gets built, Scott goes in and excavates the old buried treasures on the site.
The piece in the photograph is a necklace from the new Primitive New York Collection, made from a porcelain dinner plate shard circa 1820. Scott documents every piece he finds. This particular one was buried in a lot beneath Elizabeth Street and Prince Streets in Soho. His design partner, Dolhathai S. (aka Pooh) creates rich jewelry designs using the fragments of porcelain and glass, keys, and other objects. Scott himself creates collage art, often with porcelain dolls, pottery fragments, old pipes, shells, and so much more.
There are many wonderful and incredible aspects to Scott Jordan’s work, and his website has photos and stories that tell his tales. He also has a lovely new book out, Past Objects, which I highly recommend for history buffs, archeologists, and anyone who loves New York City.
You can meet Scott and Pooh on Saturdays at the St. Anthony’s Market on West Houston and Sullivan Streets, and Sundays at the Greenflea.
We have a new video blog! Watch this interview with Rebecca from Brewla Bars. Brewla Bars are frozen pops made from brewed beverages, like coffee and tea. They have a frozen root beer float bar that I can’t get enough of. You can find them at the Fulton Stall Market every Sunday. And please support their awesome Kickstarter Crowdfunding Project!
For my Market Picks this weekend, I’m thinking about Lower Manhattan. There are some wonderful, established markets that stay enticing and exciting by keeping outstanding sellers and bringing in new ones all the time. An afternoon stroll through all of these markets takes you through Soho, Nolita, the Lower East Side and points in between.
Saturday and Sunday
Ahkun Summer Pop Up Shop: Ahkun is a non-profit organization that connects micro-financed companies to the global marketplace. They are holding a pop-up shop at the Lower East Side Girls Club. Shop for “style with a conscience,” featuring fair trade organizations, independent designers, sustainable brands, and gourmet popsicles!
St. Anthony’s Market: I love strolling through this market on Houston Street because there are always so many interesting vendors there. Plus, it’s wide open, right on the sidewalk, and easy to get to. I bet you’ve walked by it a million times. So this weekend stop, chat and stop!
Nolita Market: The Nolita Market is on Prince Street between Mulberry and Spring Streets. This is another sidewalk market, set against the beautiful backdrop of the brick church wall at the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s a nice walk from St. Anthony’s so make sure you hit both!
The Market NYC – Young Designers Market: This is a market you have to visit on a regular – and frequent - basis because there is so much design talent in jewelry, fashion, and accessories. They have two locations every weekend now, the original at 268 Mulberry, just around the corner from the Nolita Market, and the other at 328 14th St. in the Meatpacking District.
Essex Street Market: This indoor market is a haven for foodie explorers. There’s a lot to discover, from the cheeses, the breads, and the fresh fish, to the international foods, the handmade chocolates, and the Italian gourmet food shop. It’s also the home to La Tiendita, the city’s only “girl made and fair trade” social venture business, founded in 1998 by the Lower East Side Girls Club. So visit their facilities for the Ahkun Market, and then stroll over visit their shop, La Tiendita, at the Essex Street Market for some delicious baked goods!
Have a great mid-summer weekend! And don’t forget to tell us about your own Market Haul!
Roxi Suger is the designer behind ANGelRoX, creating incredibly versatile, stylish, and environmentally friendly fashion designs. I first met Roxi when I was researching my book, and I make a point of visiting her regularly at the artisan markets, including St. Anthony’s Market, Crafts on Columbus, the Renegade Craft Fair, and other fine handmade market venues during the year.
Roxi has boundless energy and spirit, and she never fails to have a new and innovative design trick up her sleeve. Her clothing suits all body types and is made for stylish comfort. All of her pieces have more than one way to be worn, and some have 20+ different styles in just a single garment. Roxi provides fashion training videos on her site to show us how to play with her designs, and thank goodness for them!
I had the good fortune to visit Roxi’s ANGelRoX Studio at the Old American Can Factory in Gowanus, Brooklyn, and I was thrilled but not surprised to see that her creative work space reflects her design values and energy. Here are some images of highlights, details, and quiet corners of the ANGeLRoX Studio:
Roxi working at her cutting table.
Dressing room and dressmaker’s model.
Lush curtains surround the tall, private dressing room.
There is always time for joy in the studio!
The ANGeLRoX Wrap with a million and one ways to be worn.
Birdies on the door to Roxi’s business office.
ANGeLRoX tops on a vintage rack.
The ANGeLRoX logo is more spiritual than religious, signifying balance in our lives. Roxi tells me that we are all angels.
I met Aixa Sobin last year at Artists and Fleas in Williamsburg. Her leather bags, belts and bags are made from rich, buttery leathers, and she hand sews each ond of her original designs. I ran into Aixa on the the streets of Soho and asked her talk with my video camera. Two women nearby had just purchased stylish belts from her, and one of them said, “Can you imagine finding handmade leather products like this right out on the street?!”
You can find Aixa Sobin most days out in front of Balthazar on Spring Street between Crosby and Broadway.
The Old Cathedral Market on Prince Street in Nolita is picturesque against the churchyard’s old brick wall. It is a relatively small market, but it is filled with some pretty amazing handmade crafts. Under one umbrella halfway down the block, you will find Mano Jewelry Designs. This artisan creates handmade rings, necklaces, and cuffs in silver for men and women. He uses rich and unusual accents in his pieces. His silver rings and cuffs have bands of ebony wood around them. He has one large men’s ring in silver and ebony with a black diamond embedded in it. The combination of the earthy ebony with the dark diamond makes a seriously masculine statement.
The ebony bands come in narrow and wider widths and sizes, and people have chosen them as wedding bands. The silver bands pictured also come in sizes for women and men. Each piece exudes quality craftsmanship, care, and attention to detail.
Stop by Mano Jewelry Designs and see for yourself at the Old Cathedral Market on weekend days!
Grey56 Leather sells their beautiful handmade leather goods at the Old Cathedral Market on the sidewalk in Soho every weekend. Their designs are geared towards men, including buttery leather bags and masculine cuffs and belts. The bag pictured is their original design made from wool tweed fabric and soft leather, and it is fully lined. All of their pieces are handmade in Manhattan with an extremely fine level of craftsmanship.
These designers are another wonderful reason to shop at the markets of New York City to find high quality and trendsetting artisanal products.
The Old Cathedral Market is open weekend days on Spring Street between Mott & Mulberry in Soho. You can also find Grey56 Leather’s products in their Etsy shop online
Aixa Sobin makes sumptuous leather bags and belts, as well as leather-bound books, using new and recycled leather. She cuts and hand-stitches each piece, and each one is wonderfully unique. I was drawn into her shop at Artists and Fleas because of the rich colors and beautiful displays, and I was so impressed with the quality of her work. Her bags will often have several ways of being carried, such as a shoulder bag that can turn into a back pack. When Ms. Sobin is not at Artists and Fleas, she often sells her wares on the streets of Soho outside Balthazar.
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