Madame Matovu is the kind of shop New Yorkers keep to themselves. Opened in 2007 on West 10th Street in the West Village, this small, densely packed vintage store is filled with clothing and dresses, costume and fine jewelry, handbags, statues, figurines, art pieces, accessories and home décor gathered from around the world.
Nothing is arranged by algorithm; the owner's eye is the whole point, and browsing is half the experience. Pieces run from affordable trinkets to serious collector items, and no two visits turn up the same inventory.
The shop keeps limited afternoon hours Wednesday through Sunday and has no website — Instagram is where new arrivals show up — so call ahead before making the trip. For vintage lovers, stylists and anyone hunting a gift nobody else will have, Madame Matovu is worth going out of your way for.
Madame Matovu