Polish-born A Détacher designer Mona Kowalska studied in the US before working in the fashion industry in Italy and France; her Mott Street atelier in NYC is a must visit for anyone who cares about off-the-radar fashion. The shop is a reflection of Kowalska's passion for clothing construction and pattern making, with clothing that's an "exploration into surface, form, and function—a research into the formal posture of each garment." The brand offers a limited selection of housewares, books, and "fetish objects." Some of those pieces are on view in Kowalska's Brooklyn townhouse; for more, see an interview with Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum on Style Like U.
Above: A Peruvian-woven wall hanging, custom iron magazine racks, and a cabinet outfitted in red tassels.
Above: Kowalska in a black dress, diamond tights, and boots (from her collection) with her signature Felt Ball.
Above: Chinese boxes and paintings picked up from Kowalska's travel, along with a chain-draped coconut, and Mad et Len Roll-On Fragrance.
Above: Shag gone wild: a Hairy Pillow from the housewares collection (see A Hot Pink Pillow from an Under-the-Radar Fashion Designer).
Above: Patti Smith, stacks of design inspiration, and a Japanese washing-up whisk.
Above: Kowalska on the sofa with a white cotton Rose Pillow.
Above L: Stacks of plaster potter's trays and a ceramic bowl. Above R: A wall hanging woven of rust-colored fiber.
See when we first sought inspiration from A Détacher in Style Counsel: Red Tights for the Color Courageous and 5 Envy-Inducing Bath Mats.