April 13–19, 2006 l TIME OUT NEW YORK 35

N/R/W

Diana Kane Sir Century 21 Barneys Bergdorf Goodman Lulu’s A.P.C. Nave Henri Bendel Forever 21

These two subway routes take you straight to the city’s best fashion. Just pack your MetroCard—and your plastic.

L

DDC Lab Buckler Cherry Men Barneys Co-op Paul Smith Underdog East Nom de Guerre Oak

Crossing the city along 14th Street, the l train offers stylish blokes a chance to stock their closets without having to venture too far up- or downtown. Off the Eighth Avenue stop, the Meatpacking

District’s DDC Lab (427 W 14th between Ninth and Tenth Aves, 212-414-5801) has togs that are both fashion- and technology-forward, with chic, futuristic duds cut from such materials as antimicrobial fabric and waxed leather. Buckler (13 Gansevoort St at Hudson St, 212-255-1596) is the flagship of Brit designer Andrew Buckler, who crafts staples such as button-downs, T-shirts and blazers that straddle the line between dressy and casual. Nearby, vintage shop Cherry Men (17 Eighth Ave between Jane and W 12th Sts, 212-924-5188) can fulfill a guy’s nostalgic needs. As a last stop before getting back on

the train, any man worth his weight in denim should hit Barneys Co-op (236 W 18th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, 212-593-7800), which has an extensive collection of jeans. Two stops over, at Union Square, Paul Smith (108 Fifth Ave at 16th St, 212-627-9770) is a mecca for dapper Dans who can’t get enough of the U.K. designer’s subtly preppy suits and sweaters. in the East Village, near the First Avenue station, Odin (328 E 11th St between First and Second Aves, 212-475-0666) has a host of underground and up-and-coming labels for the grown-up skate rat who appreciates high-quality style. Underdog East (117 E 7th St between First Ave and Ave A, 212-388-0560) is a luxe shop for modern label-hounds in search of tastefully tailored goods, such as perfectly cut blazers and button-downs.

You’ll find some of the most trendsetting men’s stores across the river in Williamsburg. Off Bedford Avenue, Nom de Guerre’s outer-borough outpost (88 North 6th St between Berry St and Wythe Ave, 718-387-3363) draws neighborhood denizens in search of au courant basics. Yoko Devereaux (338 Broadway between Rodney and Keap Sts, 718-302-1450) offers streetwear dressed up a notch or two, with sweatshirt-material blazers and soft screen-printed T-shirts. One more stop out, off lorimer Street, is Oak (150½ Ainslie St between Lorimer and Leonard Sts, 718-782-3632). The brother boutique to ladies’ shop Canary, Oak stocks a carefully edited selection of midprice casual wear. Now call a car (try Northside Car Service, 718-387-2222) to help haul away your loot. —Kate Williams

L TRAIN N/R/W TRAIN

ladies, let the N/r/W be your spring shopping guide. Starting in park Slope, hit Diana Kane (229 Fifth Ave between Carroll and President Sts, 718-638-6520) near Union Street. it’s a great place to stock

up on seasonal gear like swimwear, lingerie and fragrances. One stop up the line, at pacific Street, you’ll find Sir (360 Atlantic Ave between Bond and Hoyt Sts, 718-643-6877). Don’t be fooled by the masculine moniker—the popular Brooklyn destination for vintage-inspired threads is strictly for chicks. Next, head into Manhattan and get off at City Hall. No lover of European labels goes more than a few weeks without checking in at downtown discount palace Century 21 (22 Cortlandt St between Broadway and Church St, 212-227-9092). Myriad stores, from high-end to low, inhabit

the five-block radius around your next stop, prince Street in Soho. Among the best are A.P.C. (131 Mercer St between Prince and Spring Sts, 212-966-9685), which takes well-made basics and adds a French accent, and, a few blocks north, Nave (159 Mercer St between W Houston and Prince Sts, 212-274-1255), for chic, wearable goods like perfect cotton trench coats and distinctive silk-screened tees. if it’s supercheap, trendy pieces you’re after, then get back on the train and head to 34th Street. Forever 21 (50 W 34th St at Broadway, 212-564-2346), a three-floor megastore, hawks some of the best designer knockoffs around. Make your way to Fifth Avenue to discover the best kind of B-list: Barneys, Bergdorf’s and Bendel’s. While Henri Bendel (712 Fifth

Ave between 55th and 56th Sts, 212-247-1100) has a new “beach boutique,” complete with summer stock, Barneys (660 Madison Ave between 60th and 61st Sts, 212-826-8900) is a top spot for private-label cashmere and evening wear. Bergdorf Goodman (754 Fifth Ave between 57th and 58th Sts, 212-753-7300) just opened a Goyard boutique on the main floor and remains a label-conscious New Yorker’s go-to spot. if your stamina is as unlimited as your MetroCard, check out one more great store, at the end of the r line in Queens—Lulu’s (70-34 Austin St between 70th Rd and 71st St, 718-793-3268) in Forest Hills. it’s a haven for premium denim and sleek pieces from the likes of Frankie B. and Solo. Now give that card one last swipe and take yourself and your new clothes home!—Tracey Lomrantz

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34 TIME OUT NEW YORK l April 13–19, 2006

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