STORE FOCUS

Impulse/Totokaelo

IN THIS FEATURE: Introduction Focus Focus II Vitals

f you want to find trendy stuff, this is not the place to be. Impulse/Totokaelo’s niche: basic pieces with a twist that you’ll have for the next ten years.

“When girls come in here and have a sweater with holes in it because they’ve worn it so much – I love that. They buy something and wear it out, then they buy something else. It’s all about being in love with a piece,” Wenger gushed. (We agree!)

Impulse/Totokaelo’s leading brands include European lines and hard-to-find labels, sought after by discriminating shoppers who want quality and style, as opposed to trends. A.P.C. (Paris), Mayle (Nolita, New York), Acne Jeans (Swedish), Rachel Comey (shoes and clothes from Tribeca), and Comme de Garcons (Paris) top our list of discoveries. Prices range from $240-$1200.

Impulse/Totakaelo opened in October 2003 and is going strong as a combo boutique and fashion community. If Wenger has her way, this is only the beginning. “I want to keep opening boutiques, because I think they define a city.”