Where This Ready-to-Wear Designer Gets Riding Boots

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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.

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Image via Virtual Tourist

Polish designer Karolina Zmarlak creates her looks with the made-to-measure process in mind, producing expressive garments that play with both dimension and shape. A Gen Art Style winner and FIT graduate, Zmarlak put in time at both Carolina Herrera and Theory before launching her debut ready-to-wear collection in Fall 2009. Her favorite equestrian shop in NYC is Manhattan Saddlery where she stocks up on riding boots with exposed back leg zippers.

This place is a total hidden gem. I just found it walking back from the dentist and it's called Manhattan Saddlery. Every time I'm there, I enjoy talking to Mike Santiago who manages the store. The shop carries an extensive variety of riding and polo wear and accessories. For us "fashion riders," they sell the most amazing riding boots called Vogel Boots and they are completely hand-made out of calf skin and for easier wear they have zippers on the back leg too. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also incredibly well-made. The pairs that you can find in-store retail for $695 but you can get a custom pair made for $1,295. Amazing!

· Manhattan Saddelry [Official Site]
· Karolina Zmarlak [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]

Manhattan Saddlery

117 E 24th Street Manhattan NY 10010