WHY LINE & LABEL’S KATE O’REILLY HAND BUILT HER IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION AND HOUSED HER BOUTIQUE IN THE HEART OF GREENPOINT

BY CATHERINE GIGANTE BROWN

By the age of 10, I knew I wanted a career in fashion, but never thought I’d have my own line or my own shop,” offered Kate O’Riley, founder and owner of the Greenpoint ready to wear maker and retailer, Line & Label.

Many of the items there including handbags (from clutches and belt bags to weekenders), clothing, and wall jewelry are designed and crafted by O’Riley herself, who explained that the beauty of having a studio in your shop is that after a piece is made, it heads right onto the showroom floor. “Going into fall, handbags and jackets are the biggest things,” she said. “And handbags are probably my most satisfying pieces to make; there are no fit issues, and they’re so utilitarian.” What are among Line & Label’s most popular items?

“Definitely the convertible backpack ($189),” O’Riley said. “For New Yorkers, it’s super convenient to have a bag that’s both a backpack and a cross body bag,” adding that “I’ve recently started doing embroidery on vintage military jackets. That’s getting very popular.”
The owner’s greatest challenge is deciding what to produce, in part because her brand encompasses such a wide swath. “When it comes to items like clothing and handbags, I follow current trends,” she explained. “Every season, I design several silhouettes, then experiment with various fabrics in each. And if I can’t make something myself, I get it somewhere else.

“Meadowlark’s jewelry is a good example,” O’Riley detailed of a line carried at the store. “It’s so different, yet classic, and has a distinct Art Deco vibe. I also carry fantastic denim and knitwear collections. It’s important to note, too, that ninety eight percent of everything in Line & Label comes from women owned businesses, and that you just won’t see anything I carry in other local boutiques.” The business also offers a custom bridal line.

“I just finished my sixth dress,” O’Riley stated with pride. “It’s a lengthy, three to four month process, but I enjoy it immensely because its so unlike the one applied for the casual clothes made for the shop. I start by taking bridal clients fabric shopping. We discuss what silhouettes they feel most comfortable and confident in, then I present them with a handful of designs. I do the muslin fittings, pattern correction, and the final dress. I’ve created quite a range of styles, but they’re all feminine, beautiful and unique.”

O’Riley’s sensibilities and techniques were honed at the Art Institute of Chicago. After college, she was nabbed by a high end women’s designer. A decade later, another opportunity resulted in a move to New York, and a rapid realization that her skill set as a designer/patternmaker/fabric consultant, plus managerial chops, gave her the expertise to start her own catalog and shop.

Immediately upon moving to Green point from Chicago in 2000, she knew it was the perfect neighborhood in which to make her mark. In June of 2013, Line & Label was launched. Five years later, sales are still strong.

“It’s the old saying…I’ve really built this business one customer at a time,” she beamed. “I work seven days a week, but it’s different working for something that’s yours…that you’re so passionate about. I’m extremely lucky that I get to go into my studio, create beautiful things, and meet wonderful people every day. It honestly doesn’t feel like work.”

Although surviving in the retail world can be difficult, O’Riley has a solid support system among local businesswomen. “I’m always brainstorming with peers,” she said. “I’m constantly thinking of new products and new ways to get more clients in the door, to get my brand out there. A huge effort needs to be made to stay relevant and exciting.”

In Line & Label’s future, O’Riley sees wholesaling the collection as a possibility. “I’d also love to open up a second shop. I just did a pop up in Paris, and hope to do that again,” she said.

Line & Label
568 Manhattan Avenue / 347.384.2678
lineandlabel.com