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 |  Lizzet Pulido, 20 What inspires your style? "When I plan my outfit (which can take 20min-1hr), I like to pick pieces that stand out- and here, that's easy... Most people dress to be casual and fit in. Sometimes I think the less it matches, the better".  |
| Miaja, 16 Student What drives your outfit choice? "Comfort. I'm lucky my job lets me wear spandex and a hoodie. Add sneakers and that's my go to outfit." What articles of clothing are most important in Harlem? "Sneakers. People get real serious about their sneakers around here. They can customize them. It's a way to express yourself. For me, I like the nike roshes - black, and simple."  |
 | On a bright and sunny Wednesday afternoon, I took a stroll through the Harlem Market. As I walked among the vendors, I noticed a lot of different goods being sold, and not just African clothes - t-shirts and hats were emblazoned with bold New York and Harlem logos, reminiscent of clothing typically seen in stereotypical Harlem culture. However, upon my inquires with a vendor, she directed me to talk to her manager, Ruli who politely informed me that neither she nor the vendors were allowed to talk to people about the nature of my work - I could shop, but I could not talk. She stated that she had to have permission to talk to me, otherwise she could lose her job. Thinking to myself, I thought that maybe this was a result of the current racial tensions between the African American community and the outside world, and that she was afraid that anything she or the vendors said could somehow be used against her. With this in mind, I tried to clarify the nature of my project, yet she still would not allow me to interview anyone. She was very gracious about it though, and I left the market with that experience in mind. Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market, West 116th Street, New York, NY, United States |
 | Fred and his Puerto Rican friend Fred is the owner of a dress shop on 116th between Lexington and Madison. The store was opened and kept by his family for 61 years. His friend, who did not want her name to be stated, had moved from Puerto Rico to Harlem when she was a young 6th grader, and has lived in Harlem ever since. She was a judge. Both were in their late fifties-early sixties. How do the dresses in your store reflect Harlem fashion today? The Puerto Ricans flocked to Harlem in search of jobs and education onwards from the 1940s and 50s. While the men went off to work, the women stayed home and cooked and cleaned. What did they wear at home? [flourishes his hands across the store] We sell dresses that women, back in those days, would wear - light, cheap and comfortable. Back then, these dresses were worn as a necessity - because it was cheap, women were able to wear it. Nowadays, they represent leisure for women's fashion. These dresses are for women who have TIME to stay at home instead of working. In our store, we sell dresses that were worn by Puerto Rican immigrants when they first came in. What is the primary demographic of women who buy your dresses? Do you still sell as much? The primary demographic that come in here are middle aged, mainly Puerto Rican women, but we do have women of other ethnicities come in here - African American, and white. We don't sell as much anymore because these clothes represent the old generation. Before, there was a men's clothing store and a shoe store. Now, it's T Mobile and a cafe. This neighborhood is gentrifying, and doing away with the past and bringing in all this new stuff. And girls today want the NEW generation stuff - their miniskirts, their H&M, or Gap. How has the Puerto Rican fashions mixed with the fashions and culture from African Americans? Well, jazz had a big impact on the design and styles of Puerto Rican clothing; the Puerto Rican designs are traditionally based on the Caribbean, where it's hot. So the designs are very floral and the like, and so they bear a strong resemblance to African designs since Africa is a hot and the designs are based on nature there too. So some of our designs might look a lot like the designs you see at the Harlem Market.  |
 | Unknown, 17 119th and Malcolm X Boulevard Where'd you get your shoes? I got it at Homeboy Sneakers on 116th. Can you tell me a little bit more about them? How important is it to your outfit today? Everything man, these shoes are everything. These are my Lebron 12s, my favorite shoes. These shoes are the most important part - I don't really care as much about everything else I wear, but these shoes, I do. Do you wear them to play ball? Hell no, dude! Don't wanna get them dirty. So you wear them for style only, then? Yeah. Do you know a lot of people who are like you and like wearing sneakers? Why do you think that is? Yeah, my friends, they all have like 10 pairs of shoes, everybody I know has Jordans, Lebrons, Kobes. I think we all wear ball shoes because here in Harlem, basketball is the number one sport, so even though we don't got much money we spend it on Jordans and stuff, cuz of Jordan and Iverson (famous basketball players) and everyone wanna be like them, you know? So we wanna wear their shoes so we can be like them.  Homeboy Sneakers |
| Green hightop nikes matched with a green sweatshirt  |
| Al, Sales Associate: Kilimanjaro Fashions What makes this store unique? "Our merchandise is all customized. People come in and create what they want to wear- colors, patterns, fabrics." How is business? "Business is really good, people come from out of state to get clothes from Iba. Sometimes they even come from Africa."  |
|  2164 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
| Unknown, sales clerk at a local tailorshop What kind of suits do you sell there? We sell all kinds of suits, these general suits over here and then these special ones with more color and fancy designs that we put in the window to attract people - you know, people walking by and they see these special suits and they say "Oh that looks nice and come in." Do you sell more of these special suits or the regular ones? Special, because people like to wear them to parties or on the streets, you know they have a different look and make people stand out. these regular suits we don't sell as much because you can get them anywhere. How have you seen the fashion of Harlem change? I've been here for twelve years, and you see the new buildings, new buildings means new people. Now, the customer you get now is not like the customer you get before, because before you maybe have alota customers but a little bit of money. Now I see people changing, like a little bit higher class people come, there maybe a little bit less work and people but a little bit more money.You understand? It's like that kind of change. It's like building rent, before rent here can be around 500/600 dollars, now its twelve hundred dollars. So would you say you changed your selling tactics to serve these people? Yeah, we use more higher quality material. You have to now, because you have more big customers coming in here. |
|  Tyrone, 53 Do you mind if I take your picture? "well, of course, you like my style?" I do, do you like your style? "yes ma'am. My clothes are my pride, I have to show people who they are messing with" And who would that be? "I am a man of Harlem. I must represent Harlem." Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Unknown, 21 "your kick game is almost as strong as mine" Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Betty, 54 Do you mind if I take your picture? "sure honey, I dress for moments like this" Thank you so much. "when you're become famous, make sure you let everyone know that Lady Betty runs these streets" I will be sure to "I've always wanted to make it big. I'll look for you baby girl." Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Jacob, 24 Lenox, 25 "the uniform kills our vibe but we still got that brotherly love" Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
| Unknown "you always have to look good in Harlem" (left) "I'm a nurse. I dress for comfort and style" (right) Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  JK, 56 Owner of Timeless Fashions "It's all in the name baby, our clothes are timeless" What does that mean? "I would say, it's old school new school swing" Do you think that reflects this neighborhood? "Well, of course, look around you, everyone is wearing my clothes" Do you? "Yes ma'am, all the time. I love being a part of this neighborhood. It is actually more historical than you think" I have heard... "This is actually all owned by Muslims and the mosque. The Imam is doing a lot of work in this community to empower and help each other prospier. Not only do we sell clothes to sell, its samples of wisdom. Actually, my family is Muslim "Well, Assalamualaikum" Walaikumwasalam "This store is aimed for the general population as well as modern day Muslims" Is it popular? Of course. People come here to get clothes they can't find anywhere else.  Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Unknown "Take my picture all you want, baby. But, I'm not stopping" Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Unknown "Cameras make me feel like I did something wrong. Quickly. Please." Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
|  Swan, 31 "I shop hear to keep myself in check. To know where I came from" Do you think the Harlem market does that? "It does its best to remind me of my African brothers and sisters......do you need a story? Because I got a good one to tell" I'd love to hear it. "I got to go right now, catch me in 5 minutes" Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY, United States |
