Here’s Lo-Down contributor Jessica Delfino’s weekly roundup of Lower East Side shops, sales and new collections.
GeorgiaNYC (27 Orchard St.): This hip little vintage fashion store has been open for three weeks, but some of the finishing touches are still coming along. A hand-painted window will make an appearance alongside the wall of photos from the store’s original vision board, featuring Brigit Bardot, Twiggy and photos of customers looking good in items they’ve tried on. Store racks resemble the backstage of a cabaret, and feature sequins, short, showy dresses and brightly colored tops collected from around the world, starting at about $45. Stop by Saturday, July 12, and enjoy a beer or pineapple cocktail while perusing. Plus, take 10 percent off all purchases. Website coming soon. GeorgiaNYC is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. and closed on Monday.
A.W. Kaufman Designer Lingerie (73 Orchard St.): Half a dozen or so random, under-elaborate lingerie stores pepper the Lower East Side. They look like they’ve been here for a hundred years, and most of them have. One of them is A.W. Kaufman designer lingerie. The website advertises lingerie for “men, women and babies,” which is quite an interesting claim, but they mostly specialize in perfectly fitting adult bras, all imported from Europe. I have friends who will not buy bras anywhere else. The place isn’t very fancy, but it has managed to stick around for 100 years by doing what it does well—selling good-quality lingerie at affordable prices. A.W. Kaufman Designer Lingerie is open Sunday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closed on Saturday.
Michele Olivieri (118 Orchard St.): Right around the corner from Moo Shoes is Mo’s Shoes, a.k.a. Michele Olivieri, which specializes in fine men’s shoes by top European designers. You want a pair of snazzy alligator numbers in pretty much any color? This is your jam. They also sell gift sets, including items such as belts that match the shoes, as well as socks, shoe horns and other accessories. They have two locations, one in the Lower East Side and one on Philadelphia’s South Street. I enjoyed this anecdote from a customer: “They broke into my house, left the TV, VCR and the stereo, but stole all my shoes.” Michele Olivieri is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on weekends.
