When you live on 25th Street like Yigal Azrouel does, a pit stop at the Chelsea Garage flea market quickly becomes a guiltless, weekly routine. “I come here pretty much every week,” says the Israeli-American designer as we walk over to the outdoor market. “It is THE New York flea market. Before the high rises came in, there were about 4 more lots to the market. This is really one of the last pieces of what was one of the best markets.” Yigal draws a lot of, but not exclusively, inspiration from vintage for his seasonal collections. What he mostly appreciates about vintage is “the craftsmanship and attention to details. I love pulling the pieces apart and seeing how they were made.”

And oh the joy of shopping with a model in tow! This really changed my whole blogging experience. I realize that I am practically styling mini fashion shoots. There I am, in a fabulous vintage store, like Marlene Wetherell’s at the Showplace, with racks and racks of the most amazing garments, accessories and shoes at my disposal, with a beautiful, tall girl like Alisa Bachurina, who fits everything impeccably and brings the clothes and looks to life as if you were in a studio, putting together a story. Only I didn’t have to do any shlepping, fedexing, or begging! Most of the store owners are very cooperative in fact. A little bit of charm goes a long way… Now I just need a better photographer… (wink to self)
What we had planned as a 2-hour research trip quickly turned into a whole afternoon shopping extravaganza. “It was a lot of fun,” said Yigal at the end of the day. “I go out with my team maybe once a season but it’s great to get the perspective from someone who has a great and different eye, like you (Natalie). Your enthusiasm was also contagious!”

LET’S DO THAT AGAIN!