Welcome to Locals Only. In this series, we’re tapping notable locals in the style space to share a tight list of their top recommendations of what to see, eat, and shop in their home city. They’ll share off-the-radar recs that you won’t find in your average guidebook, resulting in digestible mini guides revealing where the city’s most fashionable residents are actually hanging out.
Get off the F train at East Broadway and almost immediately you’ll be confronted with a version of the same downtown uniform: ballet flats, a long voluminous skirt, and, more than likely, a pair of AirPod Maxes adorned with bows. For young women who spend their time strolling around the Lower East Side, Sandy Liang isn’t just a cool choice, it’s the cool choice. For those who wear it, owning a satin shift dress or pair of Mary Jane flats from the brand is like being part of an exclusive club. But despite the internet sensation her brand has ignited, the 32-year-old designer has admitted to Who What Wear that the aesthetic world she designs in—spanning everything from her childhood in the ’90s to the doe-eyed, bow-adorned characters in anime classics—is simply the only one she knows.
We’d add that her native New York, especially the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, is another reference point that continues to feed Liang and her brand creatively. Whether it’s the shopping mall filled with kitschy Hello Kitty figurines where Liang grew up spending her free time or the bustling streets of Chinatown that offer endless inspiration (“Chinatown grandmas = my favorite style icons”), Sandy Liang both the person and the brand is as much a product of her surroundings as her surroundings are a product of her. Some of the designer’s earliest memories were in the LES and, these days, a stroll down Orchard Street past Liang’s first retail store is like stepping inside an IRL mood board of her brand.
You were born and raised in New York. Which neighborhood did you grow up in and where do you call home now?
I grew up in Bayside, Queens and now I’m in the Lower East Side. My mom still lives in Bayside and my dad lives in Flushing, so I visit them a lot.
These days, where do you find yourself spending the most time?
I live in the Lower East side and work there so I spend the majority of my time there. On the weekends we’ll go wherever our plans take us. I don’t know if I have a favorite neighborhood in Manhattan—they all do different things for me depending on the time of year and how I’m feeling. I love a classic museum day uptown. I also love visiting my parents in Queens and feeling like I’m back in my childhood.
You chose the Lower East Side as the home to your first brick and mortar location. What is it about this area that embodies the Sandy Liang girl?
I chose this area primarily because I have family history here. My dad has worked here and my grandparents have lived here ever since I was little. I grew up going to school in Queens but came to the city in high school and so that’s when I really started to explore this area. When I was younger the Lower East Side was just where my dad worked and where we would visit my grandparents, but not necessarily a destination. When I started having a bit more independence I remember thinking it was just the coziest and warmest neighborhood with small shops. It made me so happy to walk around.
What does a typical day off look like for you?
I wake up and have coffee and try to take a walk either across the bridge (when I’m feeling bold) or around the neighborhood, typically around Seward Park with my dog Tim Tam. Then I walk two minutes to my office and hang out there until 5. Then it just depends on what’s happening! I love going to Essex and watching movies there. I love doing Pilates at Good Time. I like meeting up with friends and getting dinner at our little spots. Most of all I love eating in front of the TV with Tim Tam and my husband Dorian.
If you had to create the perfect afternoon for someone visiting the city with a limited amount of time, which area would you send them to and what would their afternoon entail?
I would have them start their morning in the LES for a coffee, then walk through Chinatown (stopping by Elizabeth Center) to Nolita, and then take the train uptown and have a museum day and eat a hot dog in front of the Met.
Below, we’ve tapped her to share a curated selection of her favorite NYC institutions, from where to get the best slice of pizza in the city to the underrated vintage store with plenty of hidden gems to the touristy thing that’s actually worth it. Welcome to Sandy Liang’s New York.
“I’m biased and love Congee Village for a group dinner, especially in the winter and you can order the clay pot rice off menu. I would also highly recommend making a trip out to Flushing—there is a restaurant to satisfy every craving. SriPraPhai in Queens also never disappoints. I always leave Cafe Katja with a smile on my face.”
“Depends on the occasion. When there is an occasion I’ll go to Strip House for their twelve layer chocolate cake. It gives me Trunchbull vibes (IYKYK).”
“There is so much good pizza in NYC. I love a big healthy slice of thinnish crust oozing with lots of tart tomato and the right amount of cheese. A slice of cheese with the vegan caesar at Scarr’s is my favorite combo right now.”
“The Dutch Masters collection at the Met. I always feel like wearing a big taffeta princess gown after that. And the colors! I love going on a rainy day because it feels more quiet somehow.”
“Edith Machinist is one of my earliest memories of the LES. My grandparents lived down the street and I was always so curious about it. They have beautiful pieces.”
“I love getting people flowers and their favorite food. For flowers, I’ll go to Joy Flower Pot.”
“Walk around Central Park and eat a hot dog.”
“I like Forgetmenot for when I’m feeling social and low key.”
Any other favorite places you didn’t already mention?
Soba-ya in the East Village. Veneiros for cheesecake and Italian pastries. Ravagh for Persian food. 46 Bakery in Chinatown for rice cakes. The tomato egg noodles at Spicy Village.
