By Leah Goryachkovsky

LAAMS (Top Floor)

LAAMS is a community concept store that focuses on showcasing small New York-based designers through gallery exhibitions and merchandising. The LAAMS space consists of three floors, two of which are dedicated to art and clothing, and a third which has recently been converted into a thrift shop. Their selection is continuously rotating and evolving, ensuring that you’ll always have a pick at certifiably unique pieces. I always find myself drawn to LAAMS – it satisfies my individuality complex with its immaculately curated collection of clothing, art, books, and records. Once you step into the store, you can instantly feel a sense of community cultivation, which is what ultimately will draw you back in for more. A must-visit for shopping – or just to internalize its infectious energy! 

Pilgrim

The owners of Pilgrim are incredibly sweet and welcoming, which makes this already magical store that much better. This store is entirely curated with hand-selected pieces from vendors who specialize in sourcing the most desirable items in incredible condition. Pilgrim has racks of Comme de Garcon, Issey Miyake, Isabel Marant, Maison Margiela, and so much more. They have a beautiful collection of clothing, bags, and jewelry. It’s always a pleasure to hear the history behind the shop and the decision process behind the thoughtful curation of Pilgrim. The two people running this establishment have the best taste and I truly want to become the best of friends with them. 

Harley’s 

Harley’s is a funky gem on the LES that has a rotating collection of really fun pieces. It is a shop that has a great balance of timeless and trendy items, which allows everyone to find something that suits their style. I always find myself gravitating toward the colorful, outlandish clothing items that the store has to offer. In addition to offering a great selection of clothing, Harley’s is also accepting clothing for purchase. However, it is not a consignment shop and will be offering 35% of the retail price of the item. The prices are really great, especially for how well the store is curated. If you’re into y2k and fitting into the media “cool girl” aesthetic, make sure to give Harley’s a visit. 

Ending Soon 

Ending Soon has an excellent collection of sexy, sultry clothing that will make anyone look and feel like an off-duty model. Chanel your inner Bella Hadid and check out this store in its New York or Paris location – there’s no feeling more gratifying than being the hottest person in a major fashion hub city. Ending Soon has a nice balance of high-end and local designers that allows for a fair range in pricing and opportunities to discover fantastic emerging artists. If you want to be even more sustainable, in addition to having items for purchase, Ending Soon also offers a rental service with their archive collection, which can be accessed by emailing ​​archive@endingsoon.world. Although the store is small, it packs a large punch with its stunning selection of well-crafted clothing. 

Ludlow Flea and Hester Flea

Although Ludlow and Hester Flea are two different markets, they’re within a 10 minute walk from each other, which is a good enough reason for me to pair them together. These two markets are made up of a multitude of vendors with a constantly rotating flux of clothing. The fleas are a great place to become familiar with thrifting and discover which styles do and don’t work for you. The vendors are all lovely and offer a variety of aesthetics with vintage pieces and clothing from all over the world. You can also sign up to be a vendor and host your clothing archive at these markets. The flea community is a generous and uplifting space that is incredibly welcoming to those who want to contribute to promoting the importance of vintage shopping. The one caveat is that Hester and Ludlow Flea are only open during the warm seasons, so make sure to grab some Sam’s Fried Ice Cream and head over to do some fun second-hand shopping!

Honorable Mentions 

ECDYSIS

If you want to live out your Tik Tok trendy baddie fantasy, ECDYSIS will be right up your alley. The reason I have it marked as an honorable mention is because there is a lot of potential for making an incredible outfit with some of the items in the store. They have a great selection of vintage menswear, which is comprised of relaxed-fitting jackets, cozy sweaters, and the occasional “OMG I have to have this in my closet” piece. I would definitely recommend following their Instagram account (linked below) as they tend to post some of their more sought out clothing to notify you that it’s in the store. It is a great source for understanding the vibes the store is putting forth with how its curated. The only downside of the Instagram page is the FOMO you’ll experience when the charming vintage jacket you had your eye on was actually sold at 5:35 p.m. the night before you wanted to go to the store…I’m not crying, you’re crying. With all of that being said, if you’re in the area, I would stop by and browse ECDYSIS. 

Lara Koleji

Lara Koleji is gender inclusive and carries a consistently well-curated selection of clothing. The location is small and is not incredibly well-stocked, which makes me feel the need to put it on the Honorable Mentions list. If you’re basic (not in a condescending way, because everyone is), then this store is worth looking into for building a timeless wardrobe with pieces that can be part of your everyday rotation. I can’t recommend nor not recommend this place, so you’ll just have to use your own judgment, sorry!