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A couple hundred years ago, equestrians brought their championship thoroughbreds to a stable on Christopher Street to be expertly shoed. Now, chic West Village women flock to the same location to find their perfect fit at upscale shoe-and-accessory boutique Diana Broussard. A former designer for Gucci, owner Broussard has laid out her shop to resemble an Italian palazzo, with an open center and merchandise hugging the white-washed brick walls, which still sport the old stable's horse hooks. Broussard’s handcrafted line of Italian-made heels, boots, and sandals makes use of interesting materials like fringe, Plexiglas, and cracked-glass patent leather. Her jewelry designs are weighty and substantial: strands of hammered silver-and-gold loops, Plexiglas chain necklaces, and an affinity toward chunky accents of red, white, and black. The boutique also carries sunglasses by Christian Roth, multicolored tights by Emilio Cavallini, and even macramé lampshades from Italy. — Amy Wilkinson

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