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The Times recently sat down with Jen Mankins, the shop owner of Brooklyn's own three-pronged mini retail empire, Bird. In addition to detailing her transition from med school to fashion, the article bestows upon her a pretty serious title: the "curator" of the "Brooklyn look."
To define exactly what that means, the Times consulted stylist Mary Alice Stephenson. She explains: "It's glamour but it's less perfect and polished than what you might find in Manhattan." She adds, "It's gold lamé, but it's cut into a classic shirtdress."
As for Jen, the Times mentions that one big contribution she's made to the borough's style is the proliferation of Rachel Comey. The story goes: "Ms. Comey credited Ms. Mankins, now a close friend, with her own recent retail surge. 'I've gotten stores in Denver and London because they know I sell to Bird,' Ms. Comey said. 'Jen has a ton of energy. Because she's always active, she keeps things interesting.'"
Of her own personal style, Mankins says, "I love oversize things and Japanese style and muumuus. One of my friends was like, 'Thank God you're already married, Jennifer.'" Other fun facts: she's from a town called Texarkana—the name of which is a combination of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana—her dad "raced cars on the side," and her mom was a barrel racer.
· The Curator of the 'Brooklyn Look]· All Bird Coverage [Racked NY]