Paper Mag

Inside The Banquet Boutique in Boerum Hill

BY CARLY PIFER

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

If you've ever daydreamed of opening up a boutique with your best friend, be prepared to experience an intense wash of jealousy. Meet clothing designer Miranda Bennett and her partner, jewelry designer Pamela Johnston, the ladies behind The Banquet in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Named in honor of the monthly feasts in which they clear off the tables and invite friends to enjoy what Pamela calls "an extension of our homes," the store feels a lot like a gallery space; "Our hand goes into every piece, deciding if it's going to be in the store and why, " Miranda says.

As your jealousy subsides, soak in the heaps of goodies this boutique has to offer, starting with Pamela's line, Plume Jewels, laid out on the glass tables meant to appear like a "feast of jewels" Miranda says, The highlights include simple, smooth earring bars in silver and gold, elegant with a bit of an endge, and the link necklace, which Pamela does every season in different colors. There are also the vintage pieces that she peppers in with her modern staples. Right now Pamela's having a collar moment, and the sturdiness of the metal fittings contrast nicely with her longer necklaces.

Then there are Miranda's designs. Luxe fabrics -- like silk georgette and silk charmeuse -- reign supreme. The "Picnic Dress," a flowy everyday item punctuated by an elastic, adjustable strap with little toggles, comes in day and night versions. Her other best sellers are "The Strap Hanger," which is available as both a top and dress, and "The High Tea Dress," a Grecian inspired piece. Miranda explains that the watercolor scarves, which come in three different sizes, "are painted and dip-dyed to give a nice pop of color; it's a nice opportunity to experiment."

Other cool stuff they've got going; terrariums by friend Emily Waterhouse, each one unique, hand cut glass, or a found coyote tooth. The hanging feathers caught our eye, and the ladies said they will be holding a workshop in October featuring wine, feathers and friends.

The Banquet
360 Atlantic Ave.
(718) 522-6906
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Beauty & Style

5 Best Boutiques in Brooklyn

By Sakai Blue The Writers Network

Posted on August 26th, 2011

ShareThis

Brooklyn jokes stopped being so funny once it became clear that Brooklyn rivaled Manhattan in many really great ways, including the clothing front.  Whereas in the past, Brooklyn girls had to traipse into Manhattan for stylish duds, the tables have long turned as many Manhattan girls take the reverse trek to Brooklyn in order to get their hands on some of the coolest fashion in the Big Apple.  Listed below are five of the coolest hot spots in Brooklyn for dapper threads. 

The Banquet

360 Atlantic Avenue (Boerum Hill)

This Boerum Hill boutique proudly stocks tons of made-in-Brooklyn merchandise.  Owners Miranda Bennett and Pamela Johnston have a great reputation for stocking some of the best vintage finds around.  An MBD High Tea dress is perfect lusciousness with its silk georgette material draping your body with a supple and soft effect.  It has the signature MB Grecian draping that helps give the dress that "Greek goddess in Brooklyn look."

Beauty and Style

Boutique of the Week

theBANQUET

Location - 360 Atlantic Ave (between Hoyt and Bond Street) Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

On bustling Atlantic Ave is theBANQUET, a bright and airy boutique owned by and featuring two designers whose complementary collections are mixed with a few well-edited vintage finds. Jewelry designer Pamela Johnston and women's wear designer Miranda Bennett are both owners and designers and created a shop that combines their two styles.

The Miranda Bennett women's wear collection is feminine and polished and made of all natural silks and cottons. Each piece has surprising details with raw silk edges, hidden pockets, and unique color combinations. Prices range from $65-$500+ with a variety of options from a floor-length dress to a pleated tank. Favorites include an incredibly versatile paper bag skirt for $215 and an easy-to-wear silk color block dress for $345.

Pamela Johnston's Plume jewelry line is just as exquisite, with unique details in an array of materials and styles. With many pieces under a $100 and ranging up to $595, it is easy to find a statement necklace, cocktail ring, or timeless earrings. These innovative pieces include an entwined ribbon-and-wood necklace and stackable rings and bracelets. Favorites are easily the black diamond stud earrings for $595 and the eye-catching accordion ribbing necklace for $90.

While visiting you are likely to run into the friendly and helpful designers themselves, making TheBANQUET a definite must-stop for unique local designs that would be instant favorites in any wardrobe.

New York Magazine, October 25, 2010

 

"theBANQUET

(360 Atlantic Avenue; 718.522.6906)

A collaboration between 

dressmaker Miranda

 Bennett and jeweler 

Pamela Johnston."

page 46

Past Press.

Shopping Brooklyn’s Atlantic Ave.

Photo: Jessica Schwartzberg

ONCE KNOWN AS ANTIQUES ROW, THIS OLD NEW YORK CITY STREET IS GETTING A STYLE UPDATE. T+L TAKES A TOUR.

From August 2010By Christine Ajudua

The Banquet

When you enter the Banquet you’re likely to find the owners—dressmaker Miranda Bennett and accessories designer Pamela Johnston—hard at work. The duo, who met at Parsons, make almost everything you see, from the flirty silk dresses to the Frida Kahlo–style hairpieces. 360 Atlantic Ave.; 718/522-6906.

JULY 12, 2010

"...in today's increasingly communalized New York, sharing of everything...is suddenly modish, promoted by city officials... by entrepreneurs, and pursued by legions od everyday citizens."

What to Buy:  Cove dress by Miranda Bennett, $285

The New Collectivism, pages 38-43

Beautiful Photo, intense caption

BROOKLYN'S HOTTEST SHOPPING BLOCK REVEALED
5/10/10
By: Christene Barberich & Kristian Laliberte

Atlantic Avenue used to be the home of lots of great, old and crusty antiques stores, and thankfully, there are still a few. But lately a little strip of Brooklyn's Boerum Hill has become a smokin' hot-bed of cool new addresses, well worth more than a drive-by before you hot-step it to the Brooklyn Flea this summer. We focused on the particularly sweet stretch between Hoyt and Bond streets, and sussed out our favorite spots for getting the old-world neighborhood vibe in a new way.


3. The Banquet: The lovely ladies of the boutique The Banquet recently changed their name and overhauled their stock. Lucky for you, you can still score lots of co-owner Pamela Johnston's pretty jewelry pieces under the name Plume, and co-owner Miranda Bennett's easy-elegant silk mini-dresses. Bonus-points: The duos second-hand finds, from mod furnishings and bizarre old books to vintage blazers.
360 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt and Bond streets); Brooklyn; 718-552-6906

SEE THE FULL ARTICLE, HERE.

A BANQUET ON ATLANTIC AVENUE

03/30/10 — 15 comments

A dinner hosted by the Banquet

As I walked along Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue in the rain, I was shocked at how many shops had popped up on this block. Alongside some great antiques stores, a Jonathan Adler showroom, and a few art galleries live a series of designer boutiques. And I had heard of none of them! I’d stumbled upon the anti–Madison Avenue. Small designer shops with no frills and no fuss, just cute clothing and people, designers and shop owners alike, trying to live the fashion dream.

The fashion press is all too often a slave to its own success. They gotta cover the people who buy advertising. And there are simply too many emerging designers to feature. No one could ever spotlight everyone, talented or not. This was my thought as I walked toward the Banquet, a new shop in Brooklyn owned by, operated by, and featuring the designs of Pamela Johnston and Miranda Bennett. (You may remember my four-part post on Johnston’s wedding dress from last summer.)

The Banquet shop

The two women had invited friends to a dinner within the shop. Surrounded by Bennett’s affordable and flirtatious frocks and Johnston’s feminine baubles and bows, the invitees took their seats at the table: a fashion designer, a writer, an accessories designer, a fashion photographer, a stylist, and the two shop owners. We feasted upon hummus and grape leaves and couscous (80 percent of the table was vegan!). The red wine and Prosecco spilled over. And there, on Atlantic Avenue, on display for those braving the rain and walking the street, we dined in the shop window. And we talked.

The Banquet’s baubles and bows

We discussed the hardships of breaking into the fashion world, especially when you’re creating your own line. We discussed experiences, great and horrific, working with fashion editors and top stylists. We discussed the joy the designers have when interacting with clients who walk in off the street. And we talked about the obligatory design icon of the day, Lady Gaga. Our stomachs and minds were full. Inspiration was the recipe of the day.

As I buttoned up my Helmut Lang raincoat and opened my Burberry umbrella, I glanced back inside and thought about all the unknown fashion talent on Atlantic Avenue. And throughout New York City, the USA, the world. And I made a vow to seek out new talent and unknown designers and not just accept what is force-fed to me by the fashion press and fashion people. My eyes darted next door to a men’s shop, Hollander & Lexer. I wanted everything I saw through the window and would have bought much in my wine-induced haze. Thankfully for my wallet, they’d locked up and gone home.

Yet another reason to return to Atlantic Avenue.

See article here.

See article here

See article here

See article here