Love At First Swatch

I don’t know how I managed to charm the old Jews in the New York schmata trade. They are widely known to be the crankiest shop owners in the world. When I first started work as assistant designer in the costume department at Juilliard I was warned I would have to grovel, or I would never get my swatches. The one they said was the worst curmudgeon fell in love with me at first sight. Not only did I get my swatches, but, he would always tuck in a yard of something pretty. “Just for you,” he would say.