Lola Star
Meet Lola Star
Artist. Designer. Dreamer. New York magic maker.
I'm fascinated by the people, places, and wonderfully strange stories that give New York its character.
I'm Lola Star, a New York artist, designer, creative entrepreneur, and lifelong believer in the extraordinary power of joy.
For more than three decades, I've been creating artwork, experiences, and spaces that celebrate individuality, imagination, and the remarkable connections between people and places.
My creative journey has taken me from designing graphic T-shirts to building colorful boutiques, creating roller disco worlds, advocating for historic neighborhoods, and telling the stories of the people who make New York extraordinary.
At the heart of it all is one simple belief:
Happiness isn't something we have to wait for. It's something we can create, discover, and share.
From Coney Island With Love
In 2001, I opened my Lola Star boutique on the legendary Coney Island Boardwalk.
What began as a little shop filled with my original designs grew into a colorful celebration of Coney Island's extraordinary history, eccentricity, creativity, and seaside magic.
For 21 years, my boutique was a place where vintage amusement park nostalgia met contemporary art, where locals and visitors connected, and where the spirit of the People's Playground came alive through original artwork and imaginative merchandise.
Coney Island wasn't simply the inspiration for my designs.
It became part of who I am.
It's history taught me that places are more than buildings and businesses. They hold our memories, our identities, our communities, and our dreams.
That understanding continues to shape everything I create.
Dreamland Roller Disco: Creating Joy Together
My love of music, movement, costume, and creative expression inspired Dreamland Roller Disco.
Through immersive, themed roller disco experiences, I created a world where people could step outside their everyday lives and discover new possibilities for connection and self-expression.
For more than a decade, Dreamland brought people together at Prospect Park's LeFrak Center at Lakeside through music, skating, outrageous outfits, and shared experiences.
To me, Dreamland was never just about roller skating.
It was about the power of joy to dissolve barriers, build community, and remind people how extraordinary it feels to belong.
Art, Advocacy & the Soul of New York
My connection to Coney Island also inspired a commitment to protecting the places that make New York culturally irreplaceable.
In 2007, I founded Save Coney Island to advocate for the preservation of the historic amusement district and its distinctive character.
That work deepened my belief that artists, independent businesses, and local communities aren't simply decorative parts of a neighborhood.
They're essential to its identity.
Today, my creative practice continues to explore the intersection of art, cultural history, public space, neighborhood identity, and community belonging.
Through original design, filmmaking, storytelling, and creative projects, I celebrate the people and places that make New York remarkable.
Introducing New York Is My Happy Place
After more than two decades creating art inspired by Coney Island, I wanted to expand that love to the rest of New York.
Every neighborhood has its own magic.
Its own visual language. Its own characters. Its own hidden histories. Its own fiercely devoted community.
New York Is My Happy Place brings those stories together through original neighborhood-inspired artwork, apparel, accessories, gifts, and local discovery.
From the beaches of Rockaway to the streets of Greenwich Village, the energy of the Bronx to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island, I want to celebrate the many different ways people experience and love this city.
My designs are personal love letters to New York.
They're for the people who grew up here, the people who found themselves here, and the people who carry New York in their hearts wherever they go.
More Than a Souvenir
I believe art can transform the way we see the world.
A T-shirt can become a declaration of neighborhood pride.
A forgotten building can reveal an extraordinary history.
A roller disco can become a community.
A neighborhood can become someone's happy place.
The most meaningful things I create aren't simply objects or events.
They're invitations to connect.
To remember.
To discover.
To belong.
Let's Find the Extraordinary Together
Whether you're here for an original New York design, a story about a neighborhood you love, or a little creative inspiration, I'm so happy you found your way here.
My hope is that something you discover inspires you to look at the world around you with fresh eyes.
Because extraordinary things are happening all around us.
Sometimes all we need is a little imagination to see them.
With love,
Lola Star
Founder & Artist, New York Is My Happy Place
Lola Star in the Press & Community
From the Coney Island Boardwalk to Brooklyn's roller disco dance floors, Lola Star's creative work has been documented by New York journalists and cultural publications.
An Early Vision for Coney Island — Center for an Urban Future, 2006
In an interview with Jonathan Bowles, Lola Star discussed her original Coney Island boutique, her experiences as a creative entrepreneur, and her vision for the neighborhood's future.
Read the Center for an Urban Future interview
A New Lola Star Boutique — Brooklyn Paper, 2010
Brooklyn Paper documented the opening of Lola Star's boutique inside Coney Island's Stillwell Avenue subway station, featuring her original designs and distinctive approach to retail.
Read the Brooklyn Paper feature
Dreamland Roller Disco — A Creative World of Its Own
Dreamland Roller Disco brought Lola Star's vision of music, costume, community, and joyful self-expression to life. Explore an archive of coverage and features documenting the experience.