The One of a Kind Show and Sale, opening last Thursday and continuing over two weekends, is a different kind of gift fair: unlike the wares at the Grand Central or Union Square holiday markets, these goods are all—as one might guess—unique. Although the show has attracted about 75 fewer vendors than last year’s (the move to a more central location on 34th Street meant losing some space from the old Pier 94 spot), the sale addresses the growing market for handcrafted goods.
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And it’s a win-win. For shoppers, there’s the chance to check out unique goodies and meet the craftspeople behind the work. For the vendors, there are plenty of plusses too. Besides the potential profits, one-of-a-kind work has its practical advantages. “There are always people who like to dress in one-of-a-kind and those are my customers,” explained Twain Revell of Twain’s Twines, a knitwear design company, as she worked on a giant teal garment that looked a long way from finished. “It’s easier to make just one!”