Profile

This hidden menswear store beneath vintage mainstay Eleven stitches customized and made-to-measure shirts incorporating vintage fabrics. Opened in March 2009, the shirting shop has an established degree of expertise—it’s jointly owned by vintage collector Oliver Harkness and Brazilian tailor Jussara Lee, who also runs her own eponymous boutique in the meatpacking district. Shoppers access the space through an unmarked dressing-room door which leads to a narrow, ladderlike staircase. (A word of warning: High heels and oversize handbags may pose a hazard.) The compact, dimly-lit room contains freestanding metal racks bearing button-downs and thick overshirts in various shades, stripes, and plaids. Oriental rugs underfoot and pair of facing pink-upholstered armchairs create an antiquated feel. The cotton shirts sport mismatched vintage dead-stock buttons and detachable collars backed by stiff linen—the fabric dates back to World War II and was used in Swiss Army military mattresses. Other versions incorporate World War II–era twill and heavy vintage wool. A glass display case holds model collars in various sizes and prints—individual collars are $48 apiece and are available in full-spread, semi-spread, rounded and wingtip styles. — Lauren Murrow