By Arthur Schwartz
6 December 2023
I started out looking for a place to repair a beautiful suit jacket after something tore a hole in the back. I went to my usual tailor, Luigi’s, on 7th and 19th and he said, “You need weaving. There’s a guy at 41 Union Square.” But that amazing weaver, Seymour Schnall, died around 2019. So, I typed “weaving repair” into Google and lo and behold, a shop came up at 28 Jane Street, just east of 8th Avenue. I walked in and met one of the owners, Emma Villeneuve, and she said, “Sure, no problem.”Eva Joan’s website says “First of its Kind. A studio dedicated to building relationships with clients and their clothing through education. Eva Joan offers a one-stop shop to explore all options on how to reimagine your garments. We believe there is a lack of knowledge when it comes to the way we consume and what it means for our identity. Clothing should be purchased intentionally, worn, repaired and eventually reconsidered into something else. We believe within this process the clothing becomes more intimately your own, suits you better and ultimately reflects to the world your visual history. This is not for the weak of heart but for the people who are committed to their items becoming their own. There are always options and thousands of ways to make something better. Repair and do not despair!”
Avelino Alfred.
Like they said, Eva Joan Repair (EJR) is on a mission to mend, not end, your favorite wardrobe items. In an era of fast fashion, consumers often discard their clothing after a few wears. EJR offers a creative approach to preserving and reimagining old garments. The shop’s goal is to reduce waste and promote sustainability by repairing and revitalizing clothing that would otherwise be thrown away. Emma told me, “We are a true mending shop. The goal is to reinvent the things you own in a way that will prolong its life, ideally forever.”The shop recently relocated to an old garage at 28 Jane Street “We are constantly required to reinvent and reimagine our business,” said Emma. “It is a work in progress. Same way we look at clothing.”
Photos by Arthur Schwartz
Eva Joan Repair, 28 Jane Street, is open noon to 7 pm, seven days a week.
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