Lucy Barnes Moves Up
By: Tanya Jensen
Photo below: Lucy Barnes in her boutique.
Photo by Tanya Jensen

NEW YORK, Jan 12,2002 --- "Things are a bit cramped at the moment," says designer Lucy Barnes, nodding to the assembly of brimming clothing racks in her showroom and workshop on West 15th St. She has just closed her store, which was a few doors down, and is in the process of transferring clothes. Barnes is planning to open a new location at 117 Perry Street in April.

"I think there will be more foot traffic there," she said.

The new store will house the current collection and some specialized wares such as beaded leather and lace cushions. The move comes at a time when things have been increasingly busy for Lucy Barnes and her small team.

"We started the wholesaling immediately after September 11th, which was not the best time," she said. "But the orders have actually followed through."

Barneys is one of the stores who picked up the Lucy Barnes line, and during a visit to her showroom, the Barneys buyers witnessed a wedding fitting (Barnes designs exquisite wedding attire and recently designed a dress for the wedding of artists Rachel Einstein and John Currin).

"They saw the dress and loved it," she said of the buyers, "so I will be designing wedding dresses for their bridal boutique."

Barnes was born in Edinburgh, and after a stint at the University of Northumbria in the north of England, she worked for Barneys as an assistant designer in New York in 1989. The position was eclipsed by the birth of her first child, but she began selling sketchbooks to fashion houses and today still works with Anthropologie and The Gap as well as designing her own label.

"I like to use unusual things -- beads, buttons and fabrics -- and work old techniques. We are always on the lookout for vintage fabrics, even scraps, as we've now found someone who can reproduce them. It is becoming increasingly hard to find -- we have been looking forever to find a lace factory and only recently stumbled across the last lace-maker in America. Apparently people from France come here to buy it, and we only just found it. We are a company which is very home-based -- we try to source everything in America -- but it can become very difficult."

Everything is designed and hand-sewn in Barnes' loft studio. It's quality and originality Barnes excels at: Beautiful vintage silks and lace, delicate beading, handmade buttonholes and antique buttons are routine in her designs.

But the down-to-earth designer is quick to point out, "Our designs are best worn with something simple so the look isn't too done: a handcrafted antique lace blouse with jeans, a layered organza skirt with a vest."

Despite the delectable designs and workmanship, Barnes' pieces are affordable, and her diverse client list is as dedicated as she is.

Until April, visit Lucy Barnes at 408 West 15th Street, New York City.