Shop Talk: Amy Sall, Pas de Deux

Helmed by the brilliant partners Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi -– who have single-handedly turned E. 11th Street into an East Village retail retreat as owners of the preeminent men's store, Odin (as well as the groundbreaking pop-up concept shop, DEN) -– Pas de Deux is an elegant and enchanting womenswear emporium that is carefully curated to fit its polished, petite quarters. Staffed by one of the most ebullient and accommodating teams in retail, Pas de Deux is a chic must-visit for rare collections like Chimala, Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto, FWK by Engineered Garments, Repetto and Coventry by Matthew Terry –- alongside a hand-picked selection of the best from the likes of Boy by Band of Outsiders, Karen Walker and Rag & Bone.

Name: Amy
Age: 19
Occupation: Student and sales associate at Pas De Deux since September 2008
Side-gig: Working on my blog Je Suis Amy.
Work "uniform": Alexander Wang tees and tanks, Repetto Zizi oxfords, 3.1 Phillip Lim
Dress down "uniform": pretty much the same!

What is the typical customer that comes into the store like? Do you have a mostly uptown or downtown clientele?
Because our East Village store is our only location, we have girls and women coming to us from all parts of the city. We cater to both the uptown and the downtown girls... and all the girls in between! Our favorite customers are often the mother/daughter duo -– it's cute when girls shop with their moms.

Of the brands carried at Pas de Deux, which is the most exclusive and rarest to come by around New York City?
We exclusively carry Entermodal and Engineered Garments' women's line Fenwick; in addition to that we also have Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto. We also have a wide selection of Repettos which are rather hard to come across in the city.

What is currently the most coveted item of the staff?
Collectively, we are coveting Philip Crangi jewelry.

...and for you personally?
I sort of have my heart set on some pieces from Coming Soon.

Of your Fall/Winter 2009 orders, what are you most looking forward to arriving in stock?
I am eagerly anticipating the shoes that we have coming in: shoes and boots from Rag & Bone and Alexander Wang and pony hair oxfords from Repetto. Also, the impending Richard Chai pieces for next season are really pretty –- so, I'm especially excited about them as well!

Who is your favorite designer carried at the store?
That's tough because each designer we carry brings something different to the table... and they all seem to make their way into my wardrobe.

How would you describe the shop's aesthetic?
I think that Pas De Deux is very Parisian boudoir-esque. We like to believe that it is every girl's dream closet!

What do you most enjoy about working in the East Village?
The East Village is a little escape from the hustle and bustle of New York City. It's quiet and I like to think it's the quintessential neighborhood. Good people, good food, cute dogs.

If you could choose any under-the-radar designer to "inhabit" DEN, who would you choose to pop-up?
I wouldn't know which up-and-coming designer to feature, but If I could do whatever I wanted with DEN, I would convert it into a doggy day care. My love for dogs has exponentially grown since I started working in the East Village. At Pas De Deux, we know pretty much every dog that comes in by name. We like to give them treats and spoil them!

Pas de Deux
328 E. 11th St.
(212) 475-0075

***
Previously on Shop Talk...
Rachel Kichler, Rag & Bone
Meghan Farrell, Opening Ceremony