Rapisarda

Profile

Pulsating with the bright hues and vibrant style of Brazilian Carnivale, this women’s accessories and clothing boutique brings a little piece of owner Claudia Rapisarda’s native São Paolo to Brooklyn’s Court Street. Claudia made her name designing eclectic collections of colorful hats, jewelry and accessories (sold at such high-end stores as Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman and Harrods of London), but she opened her namesake shop to try something a bit different�both from what she’d done before and from what anyone else was offering. So, in addition to stocking her own beautiful velour felt fedoras and cloche caps, woven bags and chunky, jewel-toned acrylic and plastic jewelry and accessories, Rapisarda offers original products from other�mainly Brazilian�designers. (Her overarching selection criteria? �I like it, I buy it.�) Everything has an artisanal quality, from embroidered tops to intricate jewelry to bags made of soda can tabs; there are also plastic jelly sandals, an array of flip-flops�including the Ipanema line, designed by supermodel Giselle Bündchen�and a bunch of fun clothes. It’s quite a mix, but it’s all held together by a passion for color, panache, and the whimsically unexpected.

Sales in January and August.