Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
An online vintage clothing sensation is making the East Village home to her first storefront.
Bella McFadden, aka Internet Girl, will open her shop later this spring at 150 E. Third St. just east of Avenue A (the former home of East Village Buyers, who moved to the avenue).
Starting in her teens, McFadden, now 28, was an avid thrifter and eventually became the first-ever seller to earn more than $1 million on the Depop app. She later launched her own website for her iGirl brand, "inspired by Y2K emo culture, mall goths and punk subculture."
This past September, McFadden, originally from Canada, moved to the East Village. She only looked to open a store in her new neighborhood, noting the space was in her budget. She signed an 18-month lease.
"It's my first time with a storefront, so I wanted to test the waters and not sign a long-term lease," McFadden said.
The store will also be called iGirl, selling McFadden's designs, jewelry, and apparel for her target audience, which includes "high school and college fans, teens to early 30s." McFadden, who has a sizable social media following (TikTok, YouTube, et al.), also plans to drop a few exclusive designs that are only available in-store and not online.
She hopes to open by the end of April or early May.
"I feel this is a really safe space for a Tumblr girl," said McFadden, who started using the platform in the 10th grade. "My haven and my roots, a place for those girls to connect and unite."
You can find updates on iGirl via Instagram.
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