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I live in the UK. I shop for fabrics in London and know my way around some of the smaller and more unusual shops. I have heard it said that the shops in the New York garment district are superior, but I wonder if this is really true.
Is there anyone out there who has shopped in both London and New York and knows which side the grass is greener?
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I've shopped in both places and prefer New York's Garment District in general. It gets discounted, couture-grade bolt ends from leading NY designers like Donna Karan, who use nothing but the best European imports. Great buttons and trims too. It's a large area that takes a couple of days to walk through. If UK exchange rates are favorable, it's worth the trip. Many of the shops are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so shop from Monday through Friday and wear comfortable shoes.
*I live in the UK but do my fabric shopping in New York, you cant compare the quality or prices .If there are comparable shops in England i havent discovered them yet
*I have thought it would be fun to take a train from Washington, DC to New York just to shop for fabric in the garment district. Could someone please tell me exactly where I should go and if I can get there by subway from the train station? And do you have the name of any of the shops so I could call first and make sure what days they will be open and what the hours are? Is any time of the year ok, or is there a better season? Thanks for any help.
*Yes! I'd like to take the train down from Boston to shop in New York, but I wouldn't know where to go from the station. In fact, I should probably choose my train by which NY station it goes to, but I don't know whether Penn Station or Grand Central would be closer. Any help?
*Take the train from Boston or Washington and get off at Penn Station. The stores are a short walk from there. Many of the great places are between 38th & 40th streets betwttn 7th and 8th avenues. My favorite is B&J but they are pricey (check out their remnants). But don't neglect the other stores. Almost every storefront is a fabric or sewing related store. Some have cheesy stuff and others have lovely stuff but it is all safe and all fun to see.
*Ghillie: I would LOVE to give you a comparison if you share some of your top shopping spots in London. I travel there frequently, as the company I work for is based there, and have been wanting to do some serious fabric buying.
*Thanks, Sarah! Maybe I'll fix my upcoming mid-winter blues with a trip to NY!
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