As I pushed open the door, I thought that I had a few minutes to peruse the stock then come back another day to fully investigate. However, when I walked into the store, the displays and the charm of the store made me linger.
The buttons and snap area
Bridal laces and trims at the rear of the store
Vintage trims and yardage
The embroidered ribbons
I approached a sales girl and asked if I could take some pictures. She kindly said yes and as I wandered around the store...more infatuated with each step I took...Donna, the store manager, came up to speak to me.
One of the things that entranced me about the store was that I felt that I knew or had seen the trimmings before. Come to find out I had. Donna explained that a lot of the vintage trim was the stock from the old Hyman Hendlers store. This store use to be located at 38th and Avenue of the Americas and was a treasure trove of vintage ribbons and trims.
Vintage silk trims including silk piano fringe
Kewl neon funkiness!
Donna further explained the history of this new store, how she purchases trims and the restoration process of some of the vintage trims. The pieces contained in the store are just awesome.
Now this is the place where you go to get that special trim for a wedding or prom gown...or if you're looking for something amazing to complete an outfit. It's not a Pacific or Daytona where you're buying basics...this is the place to get the trimming/embellishment that takes your garment to another level.
So the next time you're in the Garment District, please stop by and visit Donna and her very helpful and welcoming staff.
The East Coast Trimming Corp is located at:
142 West 38th Street
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212.221.0050 or 212.221.0052
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday: 10:00am to 6:30pm
Saturday: 12:00 to 6:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Or online at: eastcoasttrimming.com
The online store is not up and running yet. However, there are some great shots of the store's interior and the about us section is really interesting.
I was now 20 minutes late for my dinner reservation but everything was so fascinating about the store...or maybe I'm just an embellishment junkie! *LOL* So as we were looking at one of the vintage ribbon cabinets, Donna asked me which one I'd like and how I would use it. My first response was to suggest a skirt with the trim added to the hemline. A very basic and easy to make skirt...then she pulled the ribbon out and cut me 2 yards!
Not only was I soooooo appreciative but you know I thought about that ribbon all the way home and have come up with a totally different use for it. So my to-sew list has been revised yet again to include a garment featuring this amazing piece of silk ribbon.
Oh one last thing...I did a post on a garment I made pre-blogging days...using ribbons for the jacket front. You can read about it here. See ribbon and trimmings have been a part of me forever!
Now that I've fully disclosed my connection to the store...please go by and check them out! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
...as always more later!
Oh my! I've never had the pleasure of visiting the garment district but just seeing the selections here would boggle my mind! Same with some of the fabric stores I've seen posted on blogs. Making sewing/purchasing decisions is a major effort for me ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great find - is I'll add this to my list when I come again in May to visit son,DIL & DGD 😍
ReplyDeleteOh, my. I need to start going to NYC more than once every five years! I would be in heaven in that store!
ReplyDeleteI have to check them out when I am in that area.
ReplyDeleteI would if I could! Love your ribbon and look forward to seeing what you do with it.
ReplyDeleteI live about as far from New York and the garment district as you can get - Alaska - but I LOVE reading about the stores and seeing the pictures. You definitely got my imagination going! Thank you so much for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteOh, we are going to put Donna in the hall of store manager fame! That's how you work a customer, and make them your pal for life. She didn't give me anything and I adore her!
ReplyDeleteMust check this place out!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I want to play!
ReplyDeleteI was at East Coast trim on a mad dash mission, but I like the vibe of this place. No so garmento as some places. There is also a new-ish trim store on 38th next to the Juice King. Love snoop shopping especially at Saks.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely shop! All you ladies in New York and the rest of the US are so lucky that you have these great fabric and trim stores available to you. Here in Australia most of these type of shops have closed down and we home sewist's are limited to buying our fabric from a handful of shops or on line.
ReplyDeleteToo bad they aren't on-line ordering yet. I've a couple of flower girl dresses for my granddaughters for a wedding in July. Looking for a pretty fabric lace type for the bodices. :)
ReplyDeleteI will have to put it on my NY shopping list. Thanks for sharing,
ReplyDeleteOoh! This looks AWESOME!
ReplyDelete