Pumps & Pleats: Designer deals in southern Brooklyn

By Michèle De Meglio

I know something you don’t know!

When cheap-chic lines by super famous designers like Rodarte and the late Alexander McQueen hit shelves, fashionistas usually rush to chain stores’ largest locations. Picture H&M in Herald Square or Target in the easy-to-get-to Atlantic Center Mall.

But if you do that you’re sure to encounter long lines, pushy gals swinging faux Louis Vuitton satchels and extremely limited inventory. What a waste!

Here’s some helpful advice from Pumps & Pleats — stick to southern Brooklyn shops.

Want a Jean Paul Gaultier leather moto jacket? Hit the often empty Target at the Brooklyn Junction.

Wish you had nabbed Jimmy Choo stilettos when the high-end brand launched an affordable capsule collection at H&M? You should’ve checked out the two-story outlet in Kings Plaza mall. The shop had several styles for sale a full week after the line was released. That’s unheard of!

Hoping for similar success, I trekked to the mall, located at the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Avenue U, to check out H&M’s Garden Collection. Not only does the line feature the sweetest floral prints perfect for spring, the garments are crafted from eco-friendly organic cotton and recycled polyester, which is made from old soft drink bottles and textile waste.

A few of the collection’s most coveted designs were missing (the vibrant kimono-style dress with crazily large balloon sleeves and the strapless sheath covered with red rosettes) but there were enough pretty tops and dresses to consider this a triumphant trip.

It’s easy to fawn over the filmy blouses coated in teeny tiny floral prints and the subtly sexy peasant dresses.

A sweet A-line dress features beautifully delicate bouquets — and terribly oversized pockets that could make a curvy gal look 10 pounds heavier. That’s a pass!

Even worse — a peach tunic with giant batwing sleeves. An immediate pass!

The voluminous blouses looked lovely on their hangers but were overwhelming on my five-foot-two-inch frame. Sometimes it pays to be a six-foot-tall supermodel. Go figure.

I left the store with an organic cotton makeup case painted with gorgeous watercolor flowers. It may seem like a sad little purchase but I was happy to spend just $5 for a floral fix. We are in a recession, you know!

With these tips, maybe I’ll see you at the Junction for Zac Posen’s upcoming collaboration with Target. But be warned, if you stand between me and the lipstick tank top, there will be a throwdown.

Michèle De Meglio is a native Brooklynite addicted to all things chic. Check out Pumps & Pleats each week for more adventures as she scours the borough for fab duds and accessories.