New York clothing resources: Places to clean, alter and repair

June 10, 2024BruceDayne

New York clothing resources: Places to clean, alter and repair

Monday, June 10^th 2024Tags:

Alterations and care

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Looking after your clothes well has always been central to the PS philosophy - it’s not enough to buy better things, they need to be cleaned, altered and maintained. This requires time that many of us seem to have precious little of these days, but it’s worth it.

To that end, we’ve always maintained a London page that lists the places we recommend for cleaning, repairing and altering. Readers ask about it so often that sometimes I think it should have a permanent link in the menu - and people don’t seem to always find it that easy to find.

Anyway, a bigger failing is that we don’t have a list for other cities, so I asked a few brands, tailors and readers in New York which places they recommend, and have put together a list on that basis.

It is by no means comprehensive, so please let everyone know in the comments which places you recommend. And I wouldn’t be afraid include anywhere in the US, given we’re not going to expand to other US cities soon.

If enough people recommend somewhere, I will add it to the main list. Please suggest anything for cleaning, repairing or altering any type of clothing.

TAILORING: ALTERATIONS

Sam Wazin
57 W 57th St, Suite 1212
(212) 752-2239
285 West Broadway, Suite 450
(212) 226-6168
samwazin@gmail.com
sam-wazin.squarespace.com

The name that comes up most for tailoring alterations, and used by a lot of the shops and brands. It also has two locations, one in midtown and one in Soho. The only disadvantage of its popularity is that it can get busy and have longer lead times.

Allen Tailoring
150 Allen St
(212) 475-2454
Eduardo150@hotmail.com
@allentailoring

Recommend by a few people for its alterations, Allen Tailoring is run by Eduardo Morales. Located on the Lower East Side, which used to be full of similar places - also recommended for specialist leather cleaning.

Noe Rodriguez
766 Madison Avenue
(212) 988-5085

Rodriguez used to make his own bespoke suits, so knows bespoke inside and out. Not one for cleaning, just pressing or alterations.

Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Ignacio's (also does alterations for some of the bespoke tailors), L&S Tailors, Shop Boy, Felix Tailor Shop, The Tailoring Room, Chasing Tailor (Williamsburg), Stanton Tailor Shop

TAILORING: CLEANING AND PRESSING

Hallak Cleaners
1232 2nd Ave
(212) 832-0750

There are lots of dry cleaners in New York, including some very high-end ones. The issue is that there's nowhere like The Valet in London that does all the pressing for the bespoke tailors and also accepts private work. Most of the tailors do their own hand-pressing. The one that comes closest though is probably Hallak, which offers a full range of services from a simple shirt to a spot-clean and press.

Rave FabriCare
8480 East Butherus Drive, Scottsdale
(480) 443-1005
www.ravefabricare.com

As a result, some people send their things to Rave FabriCare - all the way in Scottsdale, Arizona. It operates a national clean-by-mail service (and indeed international) and has the best reputation in the US for maintaining and pressing handmade bespoke.

Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Bahman Cleaners, Kingbridge Cleaners (does Anna Wintour's clothes), Renew Cleaners, Neet Cleaners (also does darning), Madame Paulette

REWEAVING / DARNING

French American Reweaving
119 W 57th St, Suite 1406
(212) 765-4670

Known for both darning of knitwear and reweaving of tailoring. The latter in particular is hard to find people for, and can be expensive, but always worth it if it saves an expensive suit.

SHOES

B Nelson
140 E 55th St
(212) 750-0818
bnelsonshoes.com

The best-known and one of the biggest locations for shoe repair in New York. Recommended for high-end shoes in particular, and adjustments like installing flush metal toe-taps.

Hector's Shoe Repair
11 Greenwich Avenue
(212) 727 1237
@hectors_shoe_repair

A smaller operation that Nelson and not so specialist, but comes with solid recommendations.

Cowboy Shoe Repair
396 Broome Street
(212) 941-9532

A Soho specialist in cowboy boots, and popular for them, but can also do regular leather-soled shoes.

Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Vince's Village Cobbler, Jim's Shoe Repair

DENIM

Todd Martin Studio
451 Fairview Ave, Queens
(845) 272-2356
www.toddmartinstudio.com

A denim specialist, the kind of place you can get jeans hemmed but also altered and repaired, as well as buying some denim shorts if you want. Based in Ridgewood, but worth a visit for that level of work.

Raw Meat & Repair Company
89 Grattan Street, Bushwick
(929) 900-4052
rawrepair.nyc

More a general repairs shop, but does a lot of denim as well as things like Barbour and Belstaff jackets. Based in Bushwick.

Self Edge, Blue in Green etc
Self Edge: 157 Orchard St, (212) 388-0079
Blue in Green: 8 Greene St, (212) 680-0555

A lot of the denim-specialist shops in Manhattan will do chain-stitch hemming, and some do repairs - Self Edge is a good example, darning both their own jeans and those of others for a reasonable fee ($40 for their own, $50 for others).

OTHERS

Tiecrafters
1232 2nd Av
(212) 629 5800
tiecrafters.com

Cleaning silk ties or scarves is quite complicated, as it often requires taking the tie apart and remaking it. The advantage of that, though, is that if you can take it apart you can alter it in the process.

Modern Leather Goods
2 W 32nd St, Suite 401
(212) 279-3263
www.modernleathergoods.com

Does shoe repair and clothes repair as well, but best known for leather bags, suitcases and leather garments.

Madison Avenue Furs & Henry Cowit
118 W 27th St
(212) 594-5744
www.cowitfurs.com

A fur specialist, particularly useful if you find yourself in possession of an old fur and don’t want it to go to waste - for example by remaking it into a coat lining.

Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Artbag (leather goods)