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Whether you’re seeking an earth-tone T-shirt or a custom suit, Manhattan’s Lower East Side now offers a concentration of stylish stores.
By Jameson Montgomery
Jameson Montgomery is a fashion assistant at T. His last purchase on the Lower East Side was a fuzzy sweater by the label Namacheko.
At the turn of the 20th century, Manhattan’s Lower East Side was the most densely populated place in the world — a census from 1900 counted over 1,000 people per acre in the 10th ward, which included much of the present-day neighborhood. (Today, the L.E.S. averages 135 people per acre.) The area, often considered to begin south of Houston Street and stretch west from the East River to the Bowery, has since seen its tenements and factories replaced with restaurants and bars. In recent years, it’s also emerged as a shopping district to rival Manhattan’s SoHo or Madison Avenue — though with its largely independent boutiques, it’s undeniably more charming. A wave of openings on and around Orchard Street, in particular, have solidified the area as a strong destination for men’s wear. Here’s where to start:
