This Event Planner's Garment District Party Secret

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New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.

Image via Mokuba New York

Jung Lee is one of the co-founders of Fête, a full-service event planning firm that's been featured in magazines like W, Allure, and Modern Bride. She and her business partner live by two rules: Great parties do not happen by themselves, and there is an art to entertaining. But if they had a third rule, it might be this: You can never do too much with ribbons.

When you're in the business of creating innovative aesthetics, as I am (particularly those that can be undone as quickly as they're created), few things come in handier than some gorgeous, handcrafted ribbon and trim. Japanese company Mokuba's store in the Garment District is hands down my favorite resource for high quality, and often, very expensive, ribbon, organza, grosgrain and such. It's the ultimate non-committal tool.

I'll often select from Mokuba's 50,000-plus styles and finish off plain tablecloths (ribbon can demarcate a place mat on a runner), create designs on upholstered chairs, make effects on walls, and so forth. Designers like Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier have also proven that ribbon is valid in the contemporary fashion world, too, so I'll occasionally use it to belt a simple sheath dress. Best of all, when I'm done, I can roll it up, save it, and use it another time.

· Mokuba New York [Official Site]
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Mokuba New York

137 W 38th Street New York NY 10018