Twill Dress and Georgette Blouse by Tulle
on dalaganyc

How great is this photo on Dalaga's new Website? And by the way, how great is Dalaga's new Website and Blog? I am adding both to my shopping links and blogroll right now. I am very flattered to be credited in writing their About Us. Thanks so much for the link Michelle and Bob! I loved writing that piece and interviewing Michelle. Her story is quite inspiring.

Dalaga is open until 9pm. I am off to do some night shopping. That is one way to beat the duldrums of the time change. I will let you know what goodies I find.

Dalaga
150 Franklin Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222
877.287.8395
G to Greenpoint Ave

The designer clothing business is certainly booming in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I am so happy to see that my neighborhood is supporting these individually owned, designer-run creative retail projects. Both Dalaga and Alter, at 150 Franklin St and 109 Franklin St respectively, have expanded their shops this month.

I reported on the Alter alteration on Tuesday. On Friday, I checked out the new and improved Dalaga which expanded its retail square footage significantly this past month. When you enter the new store, which has doubled in size, you won't believe your eyes. The store is positively cavernous. Owner Michelle is certainly doing something right. It is exciting to watch her business grow.

Michelle has invited me back this week to take photos, after the final paint is applied and all the finishing touches are in place. So stay tuned. But I had to say 'wow' in the meantime. If you want to see for yourself, take the G to Greenpoint and have a shopping day.


Dalaga
150 Franklin Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222
877.287.8395
G to Greenpoint Ave

Dalaga, 150 Franklin St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Click for shopping hours and start planning your visit.

Dalaga means 'quintessential woman in her prime' in Tagalog.
A view of the store in the afternoon sunlight.


Some skinny belts displayed on the Victorian armoire.


Spring Trend: Print & Pattern
Michelle will focus on circle prints and Mod looks.
I love the alcove and hanging photos in the dressing rooms.


One of Michelle's trend picks for Spring: sexy platforms!
New deliveries are expected throughout the season.

Dalaga opened its doors just 10 months ago, but there is already talk of expanding the boutique, devoted to designer women's and men's clothing, shoes and accessories. "The store gets really crowded on the weekends now with lines for the dressing rooms. We had to start a sign-in sheet so people can keep shopping comfortably," says owner/designer Michelle Mangiliman. Michelle always has an eye on her customers' needs, and has a talent for creating a warm and inviting shopping environment. This coming Saturday for example, all are invited to join Michelle at the store for cupcakes, cocktails and discounts as part of a 5-day birthday sale she is running, beginning today! I'll be there.

I was happy to hear that Dalaga's following just keeps growing and growing. I consider Dalaga to be the trailblazer of the new Franklin Street, ushering in what I believe will be many more small creative retail projects in the coming future. The instant success of Dalaga on a street with sparse foot traffic seems to prove the adage, "If you build it, they will come." I sat down with Michelle to talk about how Dalaga came to be and about her vision for Spring/Summer 07.

EP: Talk about your design philosophy and your concept for the store.
MM: My ideas about clothing are changing all the time, so when it comes to designing or buying for the store, it's all about filling the need. I feel like the store is an extension of my own closet. The decor concept for the store is 'boudoir meets mysterious interior garden,' a private space where you can feel free and comfortable to reinvent yourself. [Note: the store fixtures are part of a Victorian bedroom set, which includes armoire, end tables, dresser and headboard which are adorned with silk flowers.]

EP: Tell us about the name, Dalaga, and what you carry.
MM: Dalaga means 'quintessential woman in her prime' in Tagalog. We currently carry 3/4 women's and 1/4 men's. Clothing, denim, shoes, belts, jewelry, bags. We're always looking for Greenpoint designers. People really get into the fact that the person who made this lives in the neighborhood. In the beginning we also carried designers from the Philippines which sold really well. We are working on sourcing more. And of course we carry the Dalaga label which I design.

EP: Tell us more about your design background.
MM: I started sewing at 10, took a Fashion Marketing program in high school and designed my first collection. I attended the San Francisco Academy of Art with a major in Fashion Design. In San Francisco, I was lucky to fall in with a collaborative underground boutique where I developed and produced my designs and showed them at a local club. I followed my [now fiance] to New York and worked as a freelance designer for a missy/juniors start-up for a year. After that I continued to pursue my own label [Dalaga] and tried to find partners. In the meantime, I held sample sales once a month in a warehouse on Green Street [in Greenpoint], which I promoted on Craig's List. I have always thought about having a store, but thought of it as five years down the road. Then one day, much sooner than expected, the time and place were right.

EP: How long have you lived in New York?
MM: Three years, all in Greenpoint. July will be the one-year anniversary of the store.

EP: Name the hottest 3 designers you carry.
MM: CASTE by Micah Cohen out of L.A. He does menswear. DALAGA. MADE IN HEAVEN which is a line of high-rise skinny jeans, recently revived by the daughter of the label's original spokesmodel.

EP: What are the trends you will capitalize on for Spring/Summer?
MM: Cute, sexy platform shoes that are walker-friendly and wearable. Primary color dresses in bold yellow, blue, and red, with a very mod look. Circle prints. And we'll continue the prairy, lacey, eyelet-y looks that we always have going on in the store.

Thank you so much Michelle! As I finish writing up this interview, I am eager to get back to your store and see what's new. Happy Birthday! See you on Saturday for cupcakes, but I think I'll pop in today for a sneak peak.

Dalaga
150 Franklin Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222
877.287.8395
G to Greenpoint Ave

DALAGA is the first store portrait in our new "Shopping on Franklin" special feature. Watch for a new store portrait next Thursday.

Two of my favorite details in the store: the Victorian tin ceilings
and the elaborate carving above the register
[actually an upside-down headboard-- part of a Victorian bedroom set
which serve as the store fixtures. So clever!]


Fun prints, fun shapes for Spring/Summer 07

Some of the shoe selection at Dalaga. There are many more great bags too.

Shopping On Franklin: 1. Word, 2. TBA, 3. TBA, 4. PA Grocery,
5. Alter, 6. Dalaga, 7. Pencil Factory, 8. The Queen's Hideaway,
9. Greenpoint Coffee House, 10. Franklin Corner Store,
11. Brooklyn Label, 12. Casa Mon Amour, 13. Hayden-Harnett

With a flurry of recent retail activity, Franklin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn* (see map) is developing into a new shopping destination. Just a year ago, Franklin Street was entirely dusty and dug up by road crews, and looked more like the urban frontier. The only retail activity happening during the weekday afternoon was at the corner bodegas, laundromats and the seemingly single 'outpost of cool' Greenpoint Coffee House (#9).

There were also some hidden gems though, like Rudy's, where I would get the best egg sandwich with the tastiest hot sauce and delicious coffee (now sadly gone and changed hands to Brooklyn Label, #11) and the Franklin Corner Store (#10; still in business, thankfully), with an extensive menu of creative sandwiches at great prices, from $2.50-$7. I recommend the "New Mexico" with black bean dip, eggplant, tomatoes, hold the lettuce, pepper, jack cheese, avocado, jalapeno and pressed for $5.50. Delicious. But I digress.

I thought it necessary at this point in Franklin Street's retail development to create a new feature for the blog, Shopping on Franklin. For the past weeks, I have been out taking photos** and gathering field notes about this new retail culture. I will be bringing you individual portraits of four new stores***, which I think you will enjoy.

• Dalaga. Opened June 2006. Designer-owned boutique featuring the Dalaga label and other hot women's and men's clothing collections, jeans, shoes, handbags and jewelry. Very affordable. Nice surprises. (#6 above)
• Hayden-Harnett. Opened March 2007. Designer-owned boutique featuring the complete Hayden-Harnett luxury leather goods collections including handbags and small accessories (also carried at Barneys Coop!) and showcasing their complete clothing line, which is not to be missed. (#13 above)
• Alter. Opened February 2007. Designer-owned shop featuring the deconstructed/reconstructed Alter label, jewelry, denim, and affordable men's and women's clothing. (#5 above)
• Word. Opened March 2007. A bookstore featuring the latest fiction and non-fiction, stationery, gifts, tees by Modern Planet and a dedicated children's section. (#1 above)

Stay tuned!


*Greenpoint is my neighborhood and Franklin is my street. I can give you the day-to-day blow-by-blow.
**How do you like my Franklin Street storefront collage?
***Four new stores at the time of this post. As more stores open, I will bring you the news.

Bread for dinner!
Not the slices, but the restaurant in NoLita.
This recommendation from Michelle, owner of Dalaga.

Cabana for lunch!
A pan-Latin menu with great salads.
This recommendation from Beth.
I will be meeting her for lunch at Cabana next week.

Dalaga for shopping!
That recommendation comes from me.
I just got the greatest pair of dark blue metallic flats there.
Michelle has a great eye. The clothing selection at her Greenpoint, Brooklyn boutique will get you hooked and keep you shopping week after week. Check out this week's feature about the store in AM New York, page 48!


This idea just came to me for a regular blog feature. I will expand this post later with more recommendations from friends. I have very creative friends who have very good ideas. Enjoy these 3 for now.