Better Than Jam

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When Karin Persan needed a name for her label to match the whimsical aesthetic of her clothes, she recalled the old saying, “Better than jam on toast.” Eleven years later, Better Than Jam the clothing label has grown into Better Than Jam the designer co-op, selling exclusively local, handmade clothes and accessories to the women of Bushwick. The store’s offerings hew to the casual side—sundresses and swingy skirts made from cotton, graphic Ts from the Brooklyn label Kimmchi—but you can find elegance as well, like the surprisingly demure silver charm necklaces shaped like hearts, bombs, and meat cleavers hand-cut by the husband and wife team at Caja Jewelry. The shop is one of the corner anchors of an interior mall, which also houses a yarn shop, a vintage furniture store, a hair salon, and a laundromat, in addition to several artists’ studios. Watch the store’s calendar for classes on silk-screening, metal-etching, and book-binding. — Jillian Goodman