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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.
Originally from the suburbs of DC, stylist and consultant Ian Bradley has worked with magazines like Nylon Guys, Vice, and BUST, outfitting some of downtown's finest in everything from Charlotte Ronson to Surface to Air to Trina Turk accessories. When he's not working at building his portfolio (he's also been on the other side of the lens quite a few times), he mans the door at Le Bain, the Standard Hotel's dance club.
Around the corner from one of my former places of employment, 205 Club, lies one of my favorite shops International Playground. I'm a fan of the year-old boutique because they feature upcoming clothing labels with a lot of promise. They have an eclectic mix of clothing from classic menswear pieces from Solland, to fun abstract pieces from Daniel Palillo and RHLS. Not only for men, they have a well-picked women's section featuring Study, Mary Meyer, H. Fredricksson, and more.
I've found myself obsessed with this line of shoes that they carry called Osborn, as they're beautifully made and crafted in a wonderful variety of colors and textiles. You can also find they carry a selection of books and 'zines from some of my favorite people and artists like Leo Fitzpatick & Ryan McGinley.· International Playground [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]