YLLI Store Launch Party Williamsburg, Brooklyn October 12 th, 2006 Written by Bob Bland Photographed by Ian Bone

Williamsburg is indisputably one of the hottest Brooklyn neighborhoods, and now trend-setting residents and visitors alike have another reason to shop with the opening of YLLI, a spacious high-end fashion mecca only one block off the Bedford L train. The term “boutique” is misleading; at 5,000 square feet, YLLI feels more like an enormous loft party than an intimate shopping destination. It’s the perfect cure if you are tired of those closet-esque LES shops that feature the newest designers, but only if you can squeeze through the door.

Hosted by owner and Brooklyn native Fetije Madzuric, the launch party on October 12 th was a VIP affair, with all the hottest guys and girls enjoying the open bar and partying to the sounds of DJ June D. Formally a top fashion coordinator at Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales, Fetije (pronounced “Feht-ee-ya”) has all the resources and fashion savvy to recruit top designer lines and local talent to her new store. Where else in Brooklyn can you shop Converse by John Varvatos, Imitation of Christ, Phillip Lim 3.1 and Sass & Bide, along with premium denim from Earnest Sewn and Loomstate? But Madzuric didn’t open a shop in the ‘Burg just to corner the market. When asked about her motivation for opening in Brooklyn, she said, “I want YLLI to become a staple, a heartbeat within Williamsburg. It’s my home. I’ve been influenced by the transformation of my neighborhood to start this venture and I want to give back to my neighbors.”

Check out YLLI for the huge space and floor-to-ceiling windows, but stay for the enormous variety of brands. According to the company’s PR agency, AMP3, in the future YLLI will have in-store events featuring Brooklyn-based designers like H.Fredericksson and Sunshine & Shadow. For more information, go to the YLLI website, www.yllibklyn.com or see the store itself, located at 482 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.