Sweet William

Profile

Bronagh Staley opened this Williamsburg clothing store for newborns through six-year-olds in October 2007, just months after giving birth herself. Noticing a paucity of stylish boys’ clothes when she was the fashion editor of Cookie magazine, Staley made an effort to offer equal amounts of apparel for both genders. In fact, many of the pieces are unisex, including little wellies by Aigle and 1980s puffer coats by French label Finger in the Nose. Bronagh fills her minimalist, birchwood-paneled shop (designed by her artist husband, Peter) with almost all organic labels, like Brooklyn’s Mor Mor Rita—which makes earth-toned, one-of-a-kind cashmere pieces—and Sweden’s Tuss, which looks like a kid-sized version the intellectual French label A.P.C. Many of the first-time parents and artistic types who frequent Sweet William are drawn in by the non-clothing merchandise, too: Erbaviva’s organic diaper cream, Atsuyo et Akiko’s precious ribbon necklaces from Japan, and a wealth of enchanting playthings, like Woven Play’s pirate and ballerina costumes and Jess Brown’s floppy rag dolls handmade from vintage fabrics. — Caroline Kinneberg