Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks at Made Fashion Week Kickoff Party

February 11, 2015

Mayor Bill de Blasio: I want to thank everyone for everyone for being here. I want to talk about how important this gathering is. But first, I – along the way, I just asked a typical New Yorker to join me [Laughter] – and to come up on stage. Her name's Chirlane, and she's very fashionable, and she thinks it's important to wear fashion that's designed and created in New York City. Okay?

[Cheers]

[Applause]

Chirlane, what are we wearing this evening?

[Laughter]

First Lady Chirlane McCray: Anni Kuan. 

Mayor: Anni Kuan. Show them how beautiful it is.

[Cheers]

Again, Chirlane is a typical New York City resident, who believes in supporting our fashion industry. And she's our first lady. Let's welcome Chirlane McCray.

[Applause]

Now, we are both so thrilled to be here, because everything that's represented in this room, and all the good that happens for New York City in this room – all the creative energy, all the entrepreneurship, all the inclusion of people in this industry – this industry that's quintessentially New York, that has been a great step forward over generations and generations, an industry people came into and made great things of themselves through – so it's a great joy to be with you at the start of this exciting time. 

And I want to use Rassi as an example – Rassi, thank you – where did you go? Where did Rassi go? I'm saying nice things about you. [Laughter] I want to thank Rassi for his kind introduction, and for hosting us here. But he also has a personal story – if I may brag about you – a personal story that epitomizes the opportunity that the fashion industry has provided to so many people in this city over generations. Not so long ago, Rassi was working odd jobs and waiting tables – is that true?

Mazdack Rassi: Yes.

Mayor: Waiting tables, working in real estate, doing whatever he could find – and he went from that to founding one of New York City's premier fashion hubs. This is a great New York City story. Let's thank Rassi for being here.

[Applause]

And what better place to be than this to kick off fashion week? And that story, again, speaks volumes about all that this industry means to our city. Now, in my household – I am not the leading fashionista in my household. Of the four members of my household, I am fourth in terms of fashionista capacity. I rank well behind Dante with his signature flip-flips, shorts, and t-shirt. But the other two members of the family have registered on the fashion dial. Teen Vogue said Chiara's look is "enviably and effortlessly cool."

[Laughter]

I get all my news from Teen Vogue.

[Laughter]

The Daily News reported upon the encounter – meeting of Chirlane McCray and the Duchess of Cambridge – that they "took cues from each other's closets." Hm?

[Laughter]

Okay, we thank you Kate Middleton for your excellent fashion sensibilities, and for the – the fashion summit that occurred here. And you were wearing Nanette. Nanette, are you – you're here, Nanette, I saw you.

Unknown: Over here.

Mayor: Nanette Lepore.

[Applause]

The Duchess of Cambridge looked wonderful, but Chirlane, in Nanette's coat, looked striking!

[Laughter]

I'm biased. [Laughs]

I want to thank so many great leaders of this industry, who have made fashion week greater and greater each year, and made the industry greater and greater – Steven Kolb, the CEO of CFDA. 

[Applause]

A woman who is beyond compare, Diane von Fürstenberg.

[Applause]

Andrew Rosen, the CEO of Theory.

[Applause]

Andy and JoBeth Tananbaum, from Capital Business Credit.

[Applause]

And of course, Rassi and his colleagues, Keith and Jenné, and the whole team that made Fashion Week – let's thank all of them.

[Applause]

And all the designers and all the group members, who have participated in all the city's efforts, and helped us to build and build more each year upon the effort to support this industry, and the access of everyday New Yorkers to it. Now, the folks in my administration are here, and I have to say, when we have a Fashion Week event, it appears the entire administration comes out. [Laughter] They're all supposed to be at a meeting somewhere, but they're here instead – our Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, who spearheads the city's fashion efforts.

[Applause]

Our president of the Economic Development Corporation, Kyle Kimball.

[Applause]

My senior advisor, Gabrielle Fialkoff, who we stole from the fashion world to come work at City Hall, and help guide us, and bring a fashion sensibility to all we do.

[Applause]

The commissioner of our Office of Media and Entertainment, Cynthia López.

[Applause]

I know I saw our Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin. I'm telling you, everyone came here. And all of our colleagues from NYC & Company, that do such a great job promoting everything New York, all over the world. Let's thank them. 

[Applause]

Now, I spoke as recently as my State of the City Address, just days ago, about the fashion origins of my family – again, they didn't reach me well enough, but they're still in my blood. My grandmother, Anna Briganti, opened an immigrant woman-owned business, over a hundred years ago here in New York City, called the Mrs. Briganti. It started as a humble embroidery shop. It turned into a store known for "high-class ladies dresses." Okay? So, they – my relatives – lived the same dream so many people in this room lived – starting out with an idea, making something of it, having a great livelihood, and passing it on to so many others. And I think if my grandmother were here today, she would be amazed – she'd be overjoyed – by all that's happening in fashion in New York City, by what Fashion Week has become. I think it started – like so many other great ideas – from humble origins, but it's become something extraordinary – extraordinary for the energy, the artistry, the glitz, the glamour – but also, in very real economic terms, this industry is more vital than ever to the city economy, employing 180,000 people. That is a lot of people, paid nearly $11 billion dollars in wages. 

[Applause]

And for those of you who like local government, it generates $2 billion dollars in tax revenue annually. We say thank you – it is extremely helpful in doing all that we need to do to keep this a great city, so this sector can continue to thrive. And Fashion Week attracts people from all over the world, makes us even more of a capital, and creates nearly $900 million dollars in economic impact. That’s absolutely extraordinary.

So, we already can see, so clearly, what fashion means to New York City – what it always has meant, but what it means more and more in every facet of life in this city. But we know we can do more. And we want this industry to grow. We want it to give more and more opportunity, including for a lot of people who haven’t had as many economic chances. We want it to be all over the five boroughs, and so when you believe in something, you invest in it. And the city of New York, working with our partners in the fashion industry, is tripling now – tripling our investment in fashion initiatives.

[Applause]

Yes, yes you can [inaudible] with that. We’re now going to be putting $15 million dollars in for a new and expanded set of Made in NY programs. And we know that they will strengthen the city’s fashion industry in every phase of the production cycle, from the first creative idea to the garments being loaded onto the truck. So this investment we believe will help, in particular, homegrown talent to thrive here and will help, in the process, to keep us competitive and a leader in fashion, globally. We believe if the energies and creativity of people all over the five boroughs are tapped into – of every kind of background – that drive, that hunger, that creativity will make us an even stronger capital for this industry.

What will the initiatives do? They’re going to help – to help emerging talents study fashion in New York City schools with a scholarship. We’ll help students gain exposure to the industry with fully funded internships – the best kind of internships. We’ll help – we'll help budding designers get the finance they need to get the garments on the store racks. I think you can relate to that. And we’re going to help New York City manufacturers gain access to the latest technologies. And so many people in this room have been really energetic about these partnerships. They’ve been, first and foremost, willing to get involved and help build these investments so they’ll have a big impact on people all over the city.

I want to thank everyone – I want to thank you for your energy, for your commitment, and how much you’ve embraced the notion of the city getting more deeply involved to support this industry. And I will end by offering a quote from someone who was a real giant of this industry, who we lost in October, but he leaves an extraordinary legacy – Oscar de la Renta – and someone who brought such joy in all he did. And we had the honor, just last week, of signing a bill naming a street in the city in his honor. And no one is more worthy of that.

[Applause]

By the way, my formal remarks say, he will forever be – he will be forever ingrained in the fabric – fabric of the city. Someone was more witty than they realize. So, Oscar de la Renta did extraordinary things with clothing, but he also had a passionate, powerful soul and a way with words. And he said, “The great thing about fashion is that it always looks forward.” Can I get an amen? [Laughter]

So in a progressive, modern, forward-looking city, it is only right that we do all we can to strengthen this industry. I know we can help this industry move forward. I know this industry can help New York City move forward and make us ever more the fashion capital of the world. With your help, we will do that. And in the interest of being the multicultural, international city we are, just a few words in Español.

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

Muchas gracias a todos! Thank you very much.