Although Turnstyle Designs (learn more) might be relatively new to the women’s fashion shopping scene, the clothing and accessories boutique has already managed to captivate a widespread fan base. That’s because owner Stephanie Robb has been working her design magic in Buffalo for years, starting with jewelry design before eventually opening up a fashion forward business on Lexington Avenue called Turnstyle Designs.
From the start, Stephanie told me that she was interested in exploring fashions that could not be found anywhere else. One of the directions that she wanted to head was the vegan clothing and accessories route. Since opening a little over a year ago, Stephanie has been creating a bit of a buzz with a couple of animal-friendly lines of products. For instance, one of her latest acquisitions is a vegan line of ‘leather’ bomber jackets that I swear looks like the real thing (but better).
It is impossible to decipher that the skin of the jackets is not authentic animal hide. For that matter, the silky smooth feel of the faux leather is just as convincing as the coloring. To top it off, the jacket runs a manageable $108, so you can feel good about the purchase and a save some money at the same time.
Also be sure to ask about a yet-to-be-named line of leather handbags that are constructed from discarded scrap pieces of leather that were previously wasted. Stephanie has commissioned five men (all by the name of Angel) who work at a small tanning company out West to collect the scraps and custom make the line of bags. “They were just throwing out these smaller pieces,” she told me. “Now they’re turning them into bags for me. I figure that is you are going to carry animal products, then you should be aware of how to best use the resources that are available. Plus I’m supporting the workers who are very happy to be making some extra money while using their own unique design skills.”
Turnstyle Designs – facebook | 298 Ashland Avenue | Buffalo NY 14222 | 716-362-0790
Before and/or after shopping at Turnstyle, you must stop on over to The Place Restaurant for a Tom and Jerry drink – it will warm you up in more ways than one, and will get you motivated to continue on with the shopping ahead of you. The Place also has great food if you’re shopping around dinner time or on Sundays when they serve up a great brunch!
The Place Restaurant | 229 Lexington Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 | (716) 881-1178
For more holiday gift suggestions, check out the rest of the BRO Holiday Shopping Guide…
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