Cynthia Rowley

Profile

Designer Cynthia Rowley is famous for clothes that mix whimsical fun with shiny elegance. Her flagship Manhattan store achieves the same effect with space: black floors, dressing rooms draped with shimmering curtains, and silver walls and display tables welcome visitors to her friendly shop, where the full season's collection is on display. Rowley’s famous '60s-inspired cocktail dresses hang on brass coat racks, while outerwear and sportswear lines the walls. French doors at the back separate the retail space from the boutique's showroom, where shoppers can peek at next season's clothes through the glass. The designer's colorful pumps and boots march along the floor, each paired beneath coordinating outfits. A small but vibrant handbag collection is displayed behind the register. — Faran Alexis Krentcil

The enterprising designer also sells her patterned china at Fish’s Eddy in the Flatiron District and various home stores in the Hamptons.