Not quite Dior, but distinctive

In a state of disbelief that my winter break was over, I ditched the library on Sunday to wander around the Meatpacking District. I had hardly taken three steps out of the subway when an obnoxiously red and yellow banner in the middle of block caught my eye. This isn’t a McDonald’s, I told myself, keenly noticing an absence of yellow arches in the sign. I walked closer and saw that the sign advertised not fast food, but a “great market” with fashion finds by New York’s emerging designers. Interesting, I thought. Let’s do this.

A man in his early thirties selling retro-patterned sweatshirts greeted me as I entered The Market NYC, located in the basement of a Catholic church. I walked a few steps forward, passing before rows and rows of different booths, each displaying their own unique designs. Old and new jams from Dionne Warwick to Justin Timberlake played on iPod speakers.

The market wasn’t crowded, which was a huge plus—I could actually move around without knocking into people left and right (usually the case at places like this). The spaciousness made for a peaceful shopping experience. I spent the first half hour carefully studying each individual station before I decided on my purchases.

Fortunately I had nothing else on my agenda that afternoon, so I was able to take my sweet time browsing each designer’s booth, which was helpful because there was a broad range of items in terms of type and quality.

All the goodies were on display: jewelry, handbags, scarves, vintage clothes, accessories, and some hats thrown in for good measure. There was some kitschy/crafty stuff too, but it wasn’t worth a second glance. The standout was the jewelry, and fortunately much of it was handmade. The prices weren’t cheap, but they weren’t expensive either, which is to be expected with one-of-a-kind items.

Booths to note: “The Charming Spot,” a do-it-yourself jewelry booth with handmade charms; “Daika New York,” a maker of custom handcrafted handbags and accessories; and “Anka,” a vintage collector with sweaters, tailored blazers, patterned dresses, and evening LBDs. One artist, Hiro, who prints his own original drawings on T-shirts, particularly intrigued me. Sitting at his booth was a photo of Leonardo DiCaprio wearing one of his designs: a blue t-shirt with a chimpanzee in a wide-brimmed hat riding an elephant.

But what makes The Market NYC different than, say, the Brooklyn Lyceum? For one, it was the first of its kind. According to Operations Manager Alex Pabon, the store was a trailblazer of the market concept back in 2002, when there was no space for artists to sell their work to the public.

What’s attractive about The Market NYC—and most hip markets in general—is that their unique pieces allow you to show off your individual style. A bit of an impulse shopper myself and, let’s face it, a fan of compliments, I made off with a chunky gold-plated ring for $10. Not unreasonable. And as any seasoned market-goer knows, designers are almost always willing to bargain. I got my ring priced down from $15 (props to my Jewish father for teaching me how to haggle). So chat up the designers—they’ll be elated to talk about their work, and it’s what makes this shopping experience more fulfilling than being snubbed by a cranky salesgirl at a downtown boutique. You might even land a good deal.

The Market NYC offers interesting pieces and a unique approach to shopping. If you’re in the hood, take a look—it’s probably the only place you can afford to shop in the area anyway. The designers are friendly and buying their work makes your purchases more meaningful. You’ll feel a lot better giving your cash directly to the artist sitting in front of you than you would buying a mass-produced piece at a department store. I’m also harboring a little crush on the Asian man who draws cartoons. If you’re reading this, can I have a free tee? I want to match with Leo.

The Market NYC is located at 328 W. 14th Street (between 8th and 9th avenues) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Claire Stern is a Barnard College senior majoring in English. Buyer’s Remorse runs alternate Fridays.