A belt may be a small detail in a person's wardrobe or outfit, bit Yinon Badichi is building his business on belts. He stocks about 100 leather straps at his SoHo store, Badichi.
And there are several hundred buckles. Don't be surprised if the owner is eyeing your waist.
"You know it's not the right area to look at, but this is my job," he said.
And he will help you sort through those buckles - the funny ones, oversize and slightly bizarre. They measure you, size the leather, add the buckle and you've got a belt in two minutes flat.
Badichi is located at 159 Prince Street. For more information, visit BadichiBelts.com or call 212-533-2107.
Further south, in Chinatown, Alya Kazakevich works with leather to craft shoes, belts, bags and even journals. Her shop, A.B.K. Custom Leather Craft, looks like it's straight out of the early 1900s. Alya steers away from trendy and opts for styles that are timeless.
The shoes, and pretty much everything else, take a lot of time to make, and the work all done by hand, even the stitching. The least expensive item is a $45 journal. The most expensive is a bag for $625.
The idea is that you have them forever, assuming you don't mind a waiting list to get what you've ordered.
It's about a three week wait for the custom-made leather goods. And while it takes just two minutes to measure and assemble your belt at Badichi, it could take you hours to choose from the selection.
ABK is located at 105 Henry Street. For more information, visit ABKNYC.com or call 646-479-6035.
