The SoHo district of New York City is a famous district, distinguished by its historical reputation, trendy fashion shops and designer boutiques, entrepreneurship and an environment inspired by art. The district is situated to the lower side of Manhattan. This district is historically known for its artistry such as museums, art galleries. However, over the years, the district has evolved into an economically vibrant place. Trendy boutiques, some of which are international chain stores, big enterprises, fashion and historical centers have all been established in the district. This has made the district a cultural, socio-economic, political, as well as, architectural center hence; the district now attracts millions of people yearly for various reasons.
The district’s historical reputation and buildings are rivaled by none because of their ambience. The architecture is elegant cast iron with cobblestone streets. The artistry in the whole SoHo district is distinct, giving it a feel and look that no other New York neighborhood can rival. This has earned SoHo the reputation of a landmarked district. The original artistry can be purchased directly from artists or business stalls found on the Prince, Spring and even the high traffic side of the streets outside designer stores.
The district has a huge shopping grid, from the Sixth Avenue to Broadway and Canal Street to Houston Street. This is a show of the district’s entrepreneurship potential which rivals other major districts of New York. For instance, Broadway is heavily commercialized, with reputed names such as Hilfiger, Club Monaco, Levi’s, Guess, H&M and Bebe. H&M is an economical department store owned by Swedish entrepreneurs. It has a variety of the latest and best fashion outfits. Furthermore, Bloomingdale’s owns a branch along Broadway, while other stores such as Prada have spacious and amazing designs designed by Dutch designer, Rem Koolhaus. Along that same street is the two story premise of Pearl River Mart, a Chinese emporium that has Chinese clothing such as silk cheongsam.
The district also boasts recent and modern joints where fashion is displayed, for example, the colorful Desigual from Spain on Broadway Street. There are also Japanese fashion stalls as well as the brilliant Topshop of London, which is a mega clothier for ladies. Additionally, there is the Yellow Rat Bastard, which is a place where urban, hip hop or skate board style fashions are found at pocket friendly prices.
In this district, one can also find many designer boutiques for all kinds of outfits. Amarcord Vintage Fashion designs European clothing and accessories for women and men. It has trendy and rare collections of footwear, handbags, jewelry costumes, inspirational pieces and chic accessories. Other major designer shops in SoHo district include DIGS SoHo, Onassis, Legacy, and Original Penguin SoHo among many others, which deal in different accessories and fashion. A visit to the Fire Museum that has horse and hand drawn engines as well as other equipment used in firefighting, dating back to 300 years ago. The museum also has Comic and Cartoon artistry that showcases animators’ and cartoonists’ work in exhibit form. The Franklin 54 Gallery houses contemporary fine artistry of both upcoming and established artists.
Therefore, SoHo district of New York is a unique district in the United States that reflects history, art, fashion, economics, and social diversity. It is a district that houses the world’s most expensive and quality entrepreneurships. Its economic vibrancy over the recent years has put the district into the limelight as New York’s best place to shop for fashion while enjoying the historical and artistry touch of the past.
Works Cited
Fairchild, Jill, Gerri Gallagher and Julie Craik. Where to Wear New York Shopping Guide. New York: Where to Wear International Ltd, 2005.
Goworek, Hellen. Fashion Buying. 2. New York: Blackwell Publishing, 2009.
