Is This Coolest Store In NYC? Note, It Has A Factory Inside

We've got the blues. Though we're so glad you can't hear us warble Lyle Lovett lyrics, our earnest belting has a purpose—we've needed the perfect pair of summer jeans, and, obviously, we finally found 'em. The source? 3x1, the new denim brand from Scott Morrison, who you might remember as the man behind Paper Denim & Cloth and Earnest Sewn. He's revolutionized the denim market twice, making a $200-plus pair de rigeur and heralding the move to American-made offerings. We think he's set to do it again with his latest venture, which is basically the Wikipedia entry for "limited-edition." 3x1's men's and women's denim are produced in runs of eight to 24, all at his Mercer Street boutique, 3x1 Made Here, a part-retail, part-gallery space where you can actually see your purchase crafted from start to finish. The mini-factory of artisans buzzes in a glass-enclosed cube, with patternmakers, sewers, cutters, and designers all going about their daily routine before your eyes. "It's like Santa's workshop," says Morrison. And, if you like your presents even more unique, 3x1 has a bespoke denim service that allows clientele to work with Morrison himself to get a one-of-a-kind piece. Full disclosure: We tried it, and though the selection of more than 60 selvedge denims, stitches, and button choices made us dizzy, the result is something no one else will ever have. If Lovett had a pair, he'd definitely stop his cryin'.