Bespoke Cocktails

Mulberry Project 149 Mulberry between Grand and Hester

646-448-4536

So the other day I was trying not to get soaked in the rain by dodging into stores, I had just turned off Chrystie and was walking south towards Delancey when I came across Against Nature a clothing store I have always admired since it opened about a year again, but had only been in once.  This seemed like a perfect opportunity to visit again and stay dry!

Against Nature is on the second floor, it's very fancy but in a funky fun sort of way and very much out of my price range.  At first glance it seems to sell mostly suits, a small selection of high end footwear, ties and a few well curated vintage accessories (I want one of the old leather Swiss messenger bags) .   I got chatting to the sales woman and she told me that what the shop specialized in was "bespoke" clothing.   

Bespoke? You mean like custom made?  No not really... bespoke is made for your specifications, made for you.  Even with custom made there is a template of sorts, she tells me.  The suits on the wracks where just suggestions. To be changed and altered to your needs. Somehow it was hard to wrap my head around.

Bespoke.  I pondered the word and wondered if I'd ever really heard it before.  Here is what Wikipedia says:  Bespoke is a term employed in a variety of applications to mean an item custom-made to the buyer's specification (personalized or tailored). While applied to many items now, from computer software to luxury car appointments, the term historically was applied only to tailored clothing, shirts, and other parts of men's apparel involving measurement and fitting.

The distinguishing points of bespoke tailoring are the buyer's total control over the fabric used, the features and fit, and the way the garment should be made. More generally, bespoke describes a high degree of customization, and involvement of the end-user, in the production of the good.


Then I get home and am reading about Mulberry Project a speakeasy type cocktail bar in Little Italy that makes Bespoke Cocktails.  I'm going tonight, having already searched it out, I didn't find it so easy to locate, it's south of Grand, on the West side of the street down some stairs....look for the red door.

What they do at the Mulberry Project is list ingredients behind the bar (I'm going tonight so will have more details later) and you just tell the bar tender what you feel like:  Something with Scotch, spicy but not sweet, something I can sip.  And they make it for you!  All cocktails for $14


How fabulous is that?  It's so bespoke! And it's just down the street!