Insider’s Guide to New York City

Name: Helena Stuart

The stats:  Born and raised in New York City, still resides in New York City.  Founder and designer of Only Hearts lingerie and sleepwear.  Lover of Central Park, tea, and antiquities.

Why she loves New York: The distinct personalities of all our neighborhoods and the luxury of being able to walk almost any place I want to go.

When this native New York vixen isn’t piecing together lace and silk to create her much-loved “inner outerwear”—a term she trademarked—Helena Stuart might be found sipping on tea, fancying vintage trinkets, or merely promenading the vastness of her favorite NYC parkland.

Stuart launched her first Only Hearts store on Columbus Avenue in 1978. It began as a trove of heart-shaped treasures for the shameless romantics to indulge in. The heart flames spread, catapulting the company into what it offers today, an institution of things a woman might wear closest to her heart.  Alongside her daughter, also a designer, Only Hearts not only designs sexy bras, camisoles, and panties, the brand is also eco-conscious incorporating a line of tees and lounge-wear constructed from organic cotton.

Through her versatile pieces, Helena Stuart has found a way for women to feel sexy and confident.

Check out Helena’s favorite haute spots in New York at Haute Secrets.

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