Profile

When co-owners Lisa Foti and Cornelius Byrd opened Apt 141 in 1997, they stocked it with a handpicked assortment of flouncy dresses from their favorite indie designers. But after years of observing the styles and body shapes of her clientele—many of them NYU students from down the street—Foti began designing frocks herself in 2004 and replaced her store’s stock with her own line, 3Free. Working with vibrant prints and touchable, wrinkle-free fabrics like silk blends, bamboo, and ITY depending on the season, Foti produces around fifteen styles of dresses and skirts at a time, christening each with a woman’s name. The silky Emily wrap dress is polished enough for the office, while the more daring Carly sports a V-neckline and a ruffled hem. Foti also scouts vintage shops for immaculate leather handbags, Seychelles pumps, and oversize sunglasses to complement her designs, and displays them on glass shelves and wooden tables adorned with flowers. The store also features a well-edited jewelry selection, including gemstone drop earrings from Olia and exotic feather and leather necklaces from Iron & Fire. — Lauren Murrow