When I left high school a couple of years ago, I remember toying with the idea of going travelling. So many fellow leavers had it atop their agenda, and I always wandered whether I was being foolish in missing out. Nevertheless when London came knocking, a city with such promise for an aspiring fashion journalist, I decided to put to bed any distant dreams of exotic travels in favour of cosmopolitan career pursuits. Though I do not regret my decision one bit, as I approach my third year in London I have begun to wonder what will come next.
I suppose one should never say never to exploring pastures new and I certainly hope that there is opportunity for me to travel while I am still young. I would hate to live my life between two cities, rarely exploring anything outside my comfort zone.
Just a few years back I did not appreciate or even understand how anybody could fall so madly in love with travelling, but I have come to realise that it all boils down to the inevitable discovery of hidden treasures and simple pleasures.
This week, the boutique travel company Tuscany Now contacted SW Fashion regarding a new competition based around such hidden treasures. Although the competition requires just one spot, I felt that this could make for a nice continual feature. On my travels to date- however limited- I have found some fantastic places that I long to visit again, and there is no one I would rather share these with than you.
In keeping with this month's Holiday Wardrobe posts, I felt it apt for me to share a little boutique gem from my brief time in New York city.
For Manhattan locals, I am sure that the darling boutiques around the West Village and Nolita are daily haunts rather than hidden treasures. However, for visitors to the grand city it is all too easy to get overwhelmed by the shopping options and end up missing out on the best of the city.
In one of the charming streets just off Greenwich Avenue sits Albertine, an inconspicuous treasure trove of all things girly. Blink and you'll miss it, the clear glass facade is every bit as discreet as the inviting pieces in the window display.
Albertine was born from the vision of Kyung Lee back in 2003. Lee sought to create an elegant womenswear boutique offering smaller brands exposure, and allowing the sartorially savvy shoppers of the West Village to discover new local and international designers.
