Art to Ware Will Turn Your Wardrobe Into a Wearable Masterpiece

For Black History Month, we’re profiling Black-owned businesses in the neighborhood. Find the whole series here. 

Lesley Ware has loved DIY fashion for as long as she can remember. 

“I liked going to Jo’Ann Fabrics with my mom and picking out buttons and fabrics and trims for her to sew clothes for me,” the Michigan native recalled to the Downtown Alliance. 

Art to Ware, Ware’s upcycled fashion boutique located in the Oculus, is somewhat of a childhood dream realized. Growing up in a small town, Ware always loved creating and collecting unique pieces, but didn’t know it could be an actual career.   

The fashion bug followed Ware to New York City, where a corporate job at Girl Scouts had her working out of an office in the Garment District. The location was a source of inspiration. “I found myself leaving work to go to the button store. I was like, ‘I need to start a blog!’” Ware said. 

So, she did. Ware launched “The Creative Cookie” on Blogspot around 2008, and it helped connect her to a scrappy but robust group of fellow fashion bloggers, as well as netted her invites to runway shows. The blog was enough of a success that eventually Ware decided to leave her nine-to-five job to see if she could turn her lifelong passion into her main gig. 

“I took a risk on being myself full-time,” she said. 

After making that jump, Ware wore a few different creative hats. First, she had a stint teaching sewing to kids — and published five sewing activity books, including “Black Girls Sew: Projects and Patterns to Stitch Your Own.” Later, she got an opportunity to apply for a storefront startup with ChaShaMa, a non-profit that provides spaces for artists. Ware pitched the non-profit an idea that had been long brewing: an upcycled boutique that would showcase designers focused on sustainability. Her application was accepted, and the first incarnation of Art to Ware was born in May 2021, at 21 Greenwich Ave. in the West Village. The store’s early days harkened back to Ware’s Creative Cookie era: “In the beginning [the designers] were all my friends from the fashion blogging world,” she said.

The West Village lease was only for three months, but when it was up, Ware felt like Art to Ware was just gaining momentum. She contacted ChaShaMa founder Anita Durst about keeping the project alive, and went on to open a store in Chelsea before landing at Port Authority (still open today) and the Shops at the Oculus in summer 2022.

Today, Art to Ware showcases unique items that Ware describes as “wearable art.” “Everything here is one of one,” she said. Take a statement piece, like a custom-painted jumpsuit by designer Parron Allen — you can wear it, but “it’s almost something you can hang up on your wall and appreciate.” 

In the shop, you’ll find curated racks teeming with fun, brightly colored, creative reimaginings, like Beau McCall’s triple t-shirts (three thrifted shirts sewn together into one garment, paired with a styling guide), or Alayna Roe’s one-of-a-kind, zero-waste pieces constructed out of used fabric scraps. Items hover around $75 to $100 on average, with jewelry and accessories starting as low as $6. To keep inventory fresh and give new designers a shot, Ware hosts an “American Idol”-style open call in-store twice a year. Each designer presents five original items, with three or four new designers making the cut to showcase their collections in the shop. 

Perusing the racks, it’s hard not to get ideas for how to upcycle your own closet. Ware hopes the brand will inspire young designers, and anyone who wants to shop more sustainably. “Younger generations can help save the planet and make better choices,” Ware said. “I hope this catches on as a way people can be mindful.”

Stop by the shop, and look out for upcoming in-store events. And pencil May 4 into your calendar — Art to Ware is hosting a big celebration for its fourth anniversary.