Store

Nicole Miller originally opened her men's clothing store because she constantly struggled to find interesting styles in Seattle for her husband. She decided to offer guys clothing beyond basic chinos and colored T's at her own shop, and her store has been a smash among men and their significant others since it opened its doors.

The space sports the ubiquitous concrete floors of hip urban shops; 18-foot ceilings; industrial fixtures such as a mobile metal staircase, which serves as a shoe display; mod, low-slung leather chairs situated around a coffee table laden with watches, wallets and belts; a circa 1980s Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga video game; and gear-and-cog wall art.

Miller has a well-rounded selection from screen print T-shirts that start at $28 to a fashionable Oliver Spencer velvet pinstripe blazer for $588. Some of the hottest lines in-store right now include Trovata, clothing that features details such as pockets lined with fabric in vintage-look prints; A.P.C., a French line of updated classics that’s wildly popular in Japan; EVER, the label guys like because everything — especially the hoodies — look like beat-up, well-worn, casually thrown-on pieces; Modern Amusement, a combination preppy/edgy/surfer line of clothing; retro-cool Penguin clothing, shoes and sunglasses (the same line your dad used to wear); and locally made wool knit Coal hats.

Blackbird also carries messenger bags and ties from Jack Spade, boxer shorts from Ted Baker of London, as well as more ties and watches. Especially fun is the funky Billykirk line, the brainchild of two Los Angeles brothers who make belt buckles featuring stylized skulls, and canvas wallets with customized doodles of trees, street signs and more.

Birgitta, the women's shop in Blackbird's upstairs loft, carries women’s and unisex clothing from Repetto, Coal, Clu and more in the same vein as Blackbird's dark, chic style.

--Kathy Schultz and Alison Brownrigg
Special to NWsource