'It's Just Love': Fashion Meets Family At Harlem Haberdashery
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Come for the clothes. Stay for the people.
In this installment of The Dig, CBS2's Elle McLogan visits family-run boutique Harlem Haberdashery.
"Harlem Haberdashery is the retail expression of 5001 Flavors, which is our custom clothing company that we started 25 years ago. [It] caters to various personalities in the entertainment industry," said Sharene "Shay" Wood, who co-owns the shop with her husband Guy Wood, Sr.
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The Notorious B.I.G., Beyonce, Jay-Z, Lebron James, Lady Gaga, Aerosmith, and DJ Khaled have all worn custom pieces from 5001 Flavors.
But the boutique doesn't just cater to the rich and famous.
"Harlem Haberdashery is the store that has the same unique design sensibility for people who are not celebrities but have their own red carpet moments," Sharene said. "When you come into Harlem Haberdashery, you're coming into our home, and family takes care of family."
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Designing custom clothing begins with a consultation.
"What we do is we sit and chat with the person, and we figure out what's the event they're going to, and what's the feel, what's the vibe," Guy said.
Ready-to-wear options are also available.
"You can definitely come in and pick up something real quick, and something that's different, and it's a little off the beaten path. We don't try to have stuff that everyone else has," Guy said.
The shop celebrates the spirit of Harlem.
"We are from Harlem, and we still have strong roots in Harlem, so Harlem Haberdashery was definitely an homage to the style of the '70s and the '80s and growing up... seeing how fashion and culture was influenced by Harlem," Sharene said.
"Harlem is the Mecca of fashion. Harlem is the Mecca of style. Harlem is just coolsville. It's like a little slice of heaven stuck in between Manhattan and the Bronx," Guy said.
"We want the customer to feel like they're part of this brand that we're building, and it's a real combination of fashion, legacy, history, and philanthropy because that's very important to us, taking care of our community," Sharene said. "We have a lot of really great community drives coming up through our '#takecareofharlem' organization."
Guy and Sharene say they're nurturing a sense of community.
"This is definitely a neighborhood gathering spot," Guy said. "It's just a great vibe. You come inside, and there's no pressure. We're going to laugh and talk and not even try to sell clothes. We're going to just have a good time. And that's what it's all about."
Harlem Haberdashery
245 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10027
(646) 707-0070
https://www.harlemhaberdashery.com/
What's something few people know about but everybody should? Whatever it is, Elle McLogan is tracking it down on The Dig. Join her hunt for treasures hidden across our area. Follow Elle on Twitter and Instagram.
