First, he let you wear your neighborhood on your sleeve. Now, he’s helping you bond with your favorite subway stop.
Michael de Zayas — who founded the Neighborhoodies brand of customizable clothing a few years back — is now hawking that ultimate form of New York patriotism: dead-on replicas of subway signs.
This isn’t merely about the subway, but about a person’s essential New Yorkiness — like Woody Allen’s character in “Annie Hall,” who hung a subway sign over his bed.
“Each sign is customized with a station stop or with any phrase you like, so it will have an emotional resonance for the person who owns it,” said de Zayas, who runs Underground Signs with a partner, Trevor MacDermaid.
MacDermaid, the metalworker, added that the replicas are not only true to the originals as likenesses, but as sturdy decorations for your home.
“The signs are made of the same materials; they’re pretty hearty,” he said. “The MTA designs are robust, can withstand dirt and touch, they are legible to everyone — over time they have become an aesthetic standard that people know and like.”
See the signs at the Neighborhoodies store [26 Jay Street in DUMBO, (718) 243-2265] or at www.underground-signs.com. Prices range from $125-$400 and phrasing is not limited to subway stops.
