Jenny Musitano at Yours Truly on Broadway. — Photo by Diego Cupolo

Outside of Williamsburg or Park Slope and the like, it is a rare occasion to come across local designer-owned boutiques — so the Yours Truly shop on Broadway near the Myrtle-Broadway J station might provoke a double-take.

Under the striped shadows of the el, Jenny Musitano’s white and pastel colored storefront makes Broadway just a bit more colorful. The brightly colored women’s line within acts like a mural, enlivening the strip. In fact, her brand’s logo is emblazoned on the store’s security grate in spray paint.

She sells most of her clothes over the internet and through 50 stores worldwide. But when she got the chance to open the shop, she jumped at it. "It’s always been a dream of mine," Musitano relates. And the storefront also acts as a bit of advertising, even when customers don’t buy directly from the racks. "I’ve had people get in touch with me to buy stuff and tell me they saw the store."

Still, her location comes with its own issues. Once, some kids grabbed a laptop right from her desk and ran out with it. (She got it back thanks to a neighbor’s security camera.) "If the neighborhood doesn’t improve over the next year, I might have to move," she admits.

In the backyard of the shop, they have events and barbecues. In fact, Musitano started out in promotion, throwing parties featuring underground hip hop, dubstep and drum n’ bass. "Having events is part of being a lifestyle brand," she says, explaining the connection. "You need to be out there as part of the community."

Her training is actually in the music industry, not in fashion or design. Designing clothes and illustrations? The business of production, marketing and sales? All self-taught. "I feel like I’m in my second year of college right now," Musitano says with pride. Getting the money to start Yours Truly wasn’t an easy task either. She funded it by go-go dancing at a nearby club ("It’s not stripping," she informs).

So perhaps it’s no surprise that her upcoming line has a certain R-rated-ness to it. The line encourages graffiti, references prostitution, and is not afraid of profanity. It’ll come out shortly. In the meantime, she’s looking for some models to show it off. Send her an email at info@yourstrulybrand.com if you’d like to rock some of her clothes and have people take pictures of you doing so.

Yours Truly
1007 Broadway | 347-663-6022
Hours vary, appt. only.

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