Yes, Patricia Field did exist before Carrie Bradshaw.
Back in the Gays just unearthed this mid-1980s video of the Patricia Field shop, long before it moved to the Bowery. (Their site has more info on who's who.)
Check out all the '80s "Attitude," as New York magazine called it in 1982, when Patricia Field's shop was outfitting youth culture in "high-topped black sneakers, prom jackets, tutus, polyester suits, pointed vinyl shoes, and Hawaiian shirts." (At the same time, "Fern bars and sushi have spread to the East Village [where] gentrification is sending rents skyrocketing, despite the local Hell's Angels coven and the legion of Bowery Bums.")
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a.k.a. The Book of Lamentations:
a bitterly nostalgic look at a city in the process of going extinct
- Jeremiah Moss
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Love it! I was a kid from NJ and had to come to Pat Field's and buy something- ANYTHING! At that time they advertised on a weekly midnight radio program - then a few years later I took my first line to show to Pat Field. She was one of the few people I met while showing that line who was real, and honest - rather than insulting and petty. She offered encouragement - not put downs - like several of the name stores did. And while I did not sell her that line, later on I had a wonderful working relationship with her both via the shop on 8th street and her representation of my "World Domination" line. And I credit her with my keeping faith with this industry for so long. LOVE YOU PAT!!!
ReplyDeleteSomebody in that NY article is quotes as saying she is worried about "downtown culture being gobbled up for mass consumption." How prophetic!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what year Field moved out of 8th Street?
Wow! Just wanted to point out that Lisa E. is Lisa Edelstein, way before she became well-known for her role on HOUSE. She was a club kid from New Jersey who was attached at the hip to James St. James.
ReplyDeleteI remember her. She was very good friends with James. Good memory. She was friendly with Michael Musto too.
DeleteI lived around the corner from Patricia Field's store in the 1980s. It was fabulous! I believe RuPaul worked there.
ReplyDeleteAs for Lisa Edelstein...she was a student at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts theatre school. Club kid? I never saw her out at the clubs and I was a regular at Area, Cat Club, World's End, etc.
She was most definitely at the clubs. Mostly with James.
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