Shop of the Week: Catherine Slip

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The storefront

Catherine Slip is only a sliver of a store, but its recent gallery party drew a crowd so large that police showed up to herd those waiting to fete the boutique’s new artwork inside. The diminutive Orchard Street shop primarily features an assortment of womenswear and accessories. Dresses from Alisha, a contemporary couture label, can be casual (like a hot pink cotton tank dress silkscreened with galloping horses) or costume-y (behold the strapless three-quarter sequined gown above; it took two months to hand-sew). There are plenty of flirty silk dresses and flowy linen pieces from designer H. Fredriksson, and the bright-colored Dolman jackets by Anya Povorovskay are perfect for spring. Reconstructed and patchwork clothing from Prescription, co-owner Christina Ewald’s own line, is original and fun.

Accessories like long satin gloves and chunky coral necklaces complement the store’s balanced clothing mix of feminine and fierce. Catherine Slip sells handbags from Michelle Vale, whose outstanding luxury line includes removable hardware components in both gold and silver, so bags can be customized according to the color scheme you fancy. Equally creative -- although far less swanky -- is the store’s selection of hand-crafted Peruvian clutches. The colored straw woven bags look like miniature Hamptons beach totes, while ones made from recycled tires and painted with exotic birds and animals are less subtle and more tropical.

But what really makes this store stand out in a neighborhood packed with little boutiques peddling indie designs is the super-friendly staff and smug-free atmosphere. In a few short months, co-owners Ewa Josefsson and Ewald have become neighborhood darlings. Their commitment to a creative collective extends beyond the store’s roster of New York clothing labels. Catherine Slip features rotating work from local artists’ on the walls, sells movies by up-and-coming New York filmmakers,and was one of the first retailers to distribute the (eco-friendly and crazy-delicious) artisan raw chocolates of Williamsburg’s Fine & Raw. Shopping the 300 square foot space is kinda like catching up with friends while listening to old 33’s and dishing about what’s fresh in fashion and the Lower East Side. 154 Orchard St., (212) 777-1776