En route to brunch, Jen spotted Michael a mile away and upon closer inspection, I had to agree: this guy looks sharp!
GP: I’m curious about your style; what’s with the tie and sweater vest? What do you do?
Michael: I design menswear and work in accounting.
GP: Can you tell us what you’re wearing today?
Michael: Most of what I’m wearing is J. Crew and Rugby, except for the shirt which I designed for a label I co-own, Â Bedford & Grove.Â
GP: How hear about Greenpointers?
Michael: When I first moved to Williamsburg a few years ago I chose a few local blogs/sites to follow, and Greenpointers was one of them. I’ve lived in the Greenpoint area since August.
Further down the road, we ran into Stephanie, another fashion designer and 5 year resident of Greenpoint. Funny enough we always run into her on Manhattan ave, always with iced coffee in hand and a black slip dress.
GP: What’s your favorite thing to do, besides traipsing up and down Manhattan Ave on the weekends?
Stephanie: I spend most of my time working and creating, but when I do go out I go see shows at Death By Audio or 285 Kent. Or I go to my friend Patty’s house where she cooks really awesome vegan dinners.
GP: And you design clothing? Tell us a little about that…
Stephanie: I am a designer, and I actually spend most of my time working in my studio. I went to Parsons, and after realizing I like all the phases of designing and constructing clothes, instead of just working in one niche, I started making clothes for Brooklyn bands like Vivian Girls. I launched my own line in September of this year at Williamsburg Fashion Weekend. I’m currently working on my Fall 2012 collection which I will show in February.
GP: Any thoughts about the fashion here in Greenpoint?
Stephanie: Ha, yeah I’m not super inspired by the street fashion in this neighborhood. Usually if someone blows me away she is like 80 years old and has on a dress she probably purchased from Bonwit Teller in the late 60s/early 70s. I have noticed a lot of really clean Doc Martins as of recent.
GP: Tell us about your upcoming Pop-Up Shop.
Stephanie: I’m doing a small capsule collection of dresses in the $100-200 range at a Pop-Up Shop at 330 Berry St between So. 4th & So. 5th St. The pieces are based on Russian nesting dolls and some of my favorite vintage dress silhouettes from my own closet – Dollydaze if you will. Most of the dresses are cotton or wool with folkloric embellishment. There’s also a cape dress and a mini caftan. Somehow, I’m always end up in a caftan.
Then we ran into a lovely smiling duo, Anna and Sunny in front of C-town.
GP: How do you two know eachother? Best friends?
Anna:Â At times I think we might know each other better than ourselves. It’s good motivation to constantly evolve and grow, like a race of sorts, so we can’t possibly keep up with each other.
Sunny: For some people, being nice the first time you meet = instant pals, for other people, a good duel to the death is the only way to show you care.
GP: We stopped you on the street because your style is mad. How would you define it?
Anna:Â Why, thank you. I don’t define my style, really, but I do try to match my life… as a traveling urban farmer and aspiring yogi these days. So, yes, that’s probably mulch on the heel of my shoe, and there’s a good chance of finding a set of Japanese pruners or a tin of seeds while looking for the keys in my bag.
Sunny: Mad; sounds accurate.
GP: How would you define each others’ style?
Anna:Â Well, she’s kind of a rockstar (though her musical talents transcend genres). Her style is a daily expression of art. She’s kind of a walking installation, ever-inspired by her many life’s interests.
Sunny:Â It’s like if tiger lily, poly styrene and a grandma got together and made a little person.
GP: Do you live in greenpoint, and if yes, what charms you about it?
Anna:Â Only sometimes these days. My faves are the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm and all of the amazing exotic plants people’ve managed to grow in their tiny little “yards” along the sidewalks.
Sunny: Â I come here for c town.