LEFT: THE KNEE-LENGTH BLACK AND NAVY BROCADE COAT WITH A CINCHED WAIST FEATURES A FEMININE RIBBON TIE IN BACK. ABOUT $459. | L P & P, 250 LAFAYETTE ST., 221-1843

Store listings are grouped by products and /or services. Some of the department stores have "visitor centers" with programs. Most establishments are open Mon-Sat from 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an 8 p.m. closing time on Thurs. Shops on the Lower East Side often close Fri afternoons and reopen Sun.

Style on the Edge
Situated in one of Manhattan’s trendiest neighborhoods, Edge*nyNOHO (65 Bleecker St., 358-0255) is a breeding ground for fashionable, artistic minds. The co-op emporium features more than 60 mini-boutiques, brimming with men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, jewelry and art from some of New York’s most up-and-coming designers. Manager Alex Pabon
sees Edge’s unique setup as a way for creative artists to launch their fashion careers. “We want everyone to grow with us,” he says. “We’re setting a platform and do whatever we can to help promote them.” In recent months, two Edge alumnae signed deals with fashion showrooms, and one opened her own shop in Manhattan. When searching for new talent, Pabon says he looks for designers who produce quality items that will appeal to the boutique’s target demographic—professional, stylish shoppers in their mid-20s through mid-40s. Most people selling their work at Edge are
in the early stages of their fashion careers, so their wares are often one-of-a-kind and never mass-produced. “Customers can meet the designers, get alterations done on-site and discuss the products,” Pabon says. “That’s what makes Edge a little extra-special.”—Lucy Blakely