I'm going to stick my neck out here and recommend TWO Fabric stores. I live in New York and I've been a costume designer since 1968. I'm one of those people who doesn't think the shopping is over until I've hit every store in the city. But here goes: B&J at 525 Seventh Avenue on the 2nd floor. B&J is almost always the place I end up buying Really Important Fabrics. Their fine linen is the finest. Their silk taffetas are the nicest. I have dealt with the owner, Mel Cohen, for thirty years and I know he will bend over backwards to help you get what you want. The store is "new" because the building they were in on 40th Street has been leveled. In the old store it was a crawl-and-peep-under shopping experience. The new place is set up differently and I've come to love it. Instead of looking at bolts, you now go through hanging swatches (LARGE swatches - maybe 1/2 yard), much like going through a rack of dresses at Macy's. If you want to see the bolt, they'll gladly get it out for you. This fabric is not a bargain. It's high quality stuff for a fair price. Mood at 225 West 37th, 3rd floor. This is where you may find some real bargains. I recently got a silk for $35 a yard that was $125 a yard at the Scalamandre outlet. Scalamandre had it in six colors, Mood had one. The store is huge and gets better and better. They now have wonderful silks in the home furnishings department and they've got all sorts of leather. It's funky and you're bound to have fun here. If you have time left over, go to 39th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues and just pop in every single store. That's what I do... Martha
_______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume