De Blasio Administration Celebrates Fashion Week With One-Year Update on ‘MADE IN NY’ Expansion to Fashion Industry, New Initiative to Connect Local Designers to Trade Shows

February 17, 2016

‘Made in NY’ programs catalyze growth of independent designers, production facilities, aim to build future pipeline of fashion industry talent

NEW YORK—The de Blasio administration today celebrated New York Fashion Week with a one-year update on the ‘Made in NY’ expansion to the fashion industry, and the announcement of a new initiative to help support local designers by connecting them to trade shows.

“The fashion industry has been a signature part of New York City’s economic fabric for over a century. We’re committed to not just keeping it that way – but also ensuring that more and more Made in NY designers and manufacturers can thrive,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “From the hundreds of thousands of jobs it creates, to the economic opportunity it provides, fashion is as integral to this city as this city is to fashion.”

Announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February 2015 at MADE Fashion Week, the ambitious suite of new ‘Made in NY’ fashion initiatives tripled the City’s investment in the local fashion economy from $5 million to $15 million. Part of the City’s expansion of its signature ‘Made in NY’ program, the new initiatives set out to catalyze growth of emerging creative businesses, support fashion manufacturing facilities, and cultivate a robust pipeline of fashion industry talent in New York City – showcasing over 150 local fashion brands to an estimated 650 million people; connecting emerging businesses with over 75 industry-leading mentors; generating $500,000 in sales for NYC-based designers; and awarding over $4.5 million in financing and prizes to emerging and small businesses.

“This administration is focused on supporting the entire fashion ecosystem in New York City – from the smallest designers to the powerhouse institutions,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. “Trade shows are where the rubber meets the road for up-and-coming designers – and this latest initiative will build on the fantastic Made in NY progress over the last year. We’ll continue to grow the fashion sector so it not only remains a pillar of New York City's identity, but also a backbone of our economy.”

“In order to inclusively grow our city’s fashion sector, we must support the entire ecosystem,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Maria Torres-Springer. “The Made in NY initiatives recognize quality designers and manufacturers across New York City that have great potential to grow, and provide them with resources to innovate and thrive. By shining a spotlight on these creative businesses and helping to cultivate a future generation of talent, we are ensuring that New York City remains the fashion capital of the world.”

The City today announced the inception of a new initiative aimed at further bolstering the City’s pipeline of creative talent:

• The Designers & Agents: Made in NY Collective will directly support the participation of local designers at trade events taking place during New York Market Week. A selected group of fashion designers will be offered a series of Made in New York-branded and fully subsidized exhibition spaces at the Designers & Agents (D&A) trade show taking place September 2016. This will provide participants with the opportunity to gain exposure to leading retailers in a dedicated area focused on New York based designed and produced apparel and accessories. The Designers & Agents: Made in NY Collective will also implement a series of exclusive workshops and seminars in the weeks leading up to the industry trade show. The focus will be on various topics which are crucial for building a successful business and capitalizing on the trade show experience.

“Designers & Agents has a longstanding reputation for bringing both emerging and established designer talent to the marketplace which makes this collaboration a perfect fit,” said Ed Mandelbaum, President of Designers & Agents. “We have used the D&A platform to shine the light on many worthy projects, and the focus of Made in NY now gives us the opportunity to highlight local design talent, something we are very proud to support.”

Over the past 12 months, the new and expanded programs supported by ‘Made in NY,’ including retail partnerships, competitions, fellowships, marketing and financing initiatives, have directly strengthened the fashion community by:

• Connecting emerging businesses with more than 75 industry-leading mentors.
• Showcasing over 150 local fashion brands to an estimated 650 million people.
• Generating nearly $500,000 in sales for New York City-based established and emerging designers.
• Awarding more than $4.5 million in financing and prizes to emerging and small businesses.

In addition, NYCEDC and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the third round of winners of the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI), a $6 million public-private partnership designed to support the City’s fashion manufacturing businesses and promote growth and innovation in the fashion sector. Seven fashion production companies will receive financial awards ranging from $10,000 to $300,000 to upgrade equipment and technology, provide workforce training to increase business capacity, and create and preserve jobs with the City’s fashion industry.
The winning manufacturers were selected from a pool of over 30 applicants through a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the FMI Selection Committee, which included CFDA President and CEO Steven Kolb; Theory CEO Andrew Rosen; Ralph Lauren Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Sourcing and Supply Chain Don Baum; CEO of Coach, Inc. Victor Luis; Co-Founder of rag & bone Marcus Wainwright; Founder of Steven Alan Steven Alan; and Co-Founder of Maker’s Row Matthew Burnett. The recipients of this round of FMI grants are:

• Bestec Concept – Full-Service Garment Production (Sunset Park, Brooklyn)
• Coyote Leather and Suede – Full-Service Garment Production (Midtown, Manhattan)
• David Wolfson & Associates – Full-Service Garment Production (Midtown, Manhattan)
• Ferrara Manufacturing – Full-Service Garment Production (Midtown, Manhattan)
• Four Seasons Mrg. – Full-Service Garment Production (Midtown, Manhattan)
• Le Studio Anthost – Fabric Dyeing, Painting and Printing (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
• Vogue Too – Pleating and Embellishments (Midtown, Manhattan)

Throughout 2015, NYCEDC kicked off an array of new ‘Made in NY’ programs, designed to celebrate the City’s fashion legacy and endow the next generation of creative entrepreneurs with the resources necessary to succeed. These program updates include:

Citywide Marketing Campaign

• From August through September of 2015, NYCEDC highlighted the ‘Made in NY’ initiative’s expansion to the fashion community via a citywide consumer-focused and awareness-building campaign showcasing nine local fashion brands, including Prabal Gurung, Rosie Assoulin, Alexis Bittar, Chromat, and Public School. The campaign spanned print and digital media outlets, including Women’s Wear Daily, Vogue, and New York Magazine, as well as out-of-home media throughout the five boroughs, such as billboards, buses, taxi stops and street pole banners.

Barneys New York and CFDA: Made in New York Collection

• In September 2015 and in partnership with Barneys New York and the CFDA, NYCEDC unveiled the Made in New York Collection, a curated compilation of limited-edition pieces produced entirely within New York City and designed by seven prominent New York-based brands, including Thom Browne, Narciso Rodriguez, and The Row. The collection is retailed in 18 Barneys New York stores nationwide through May 2016.

Designer Certification Program

• In September 2015, NYCEDC launched the Made in NY designer certification, which endows qualifying New York City fashion brands with use of the ‘Made in NY’ logo in order to help generate visibility, cache and demand for their businesses.

Made in NY Fashion Award Presentation

• In October 2015, NYCEDC honored Andrew Rosen, CEO of Theory, with the City’s inaugural Made in NY Fashion Award. Commemorating an individual’s extraordinary impact on New York City’s fashion industry, the Award was presented during the Women’s Wear Daily’s Apparel & Retail CEO Summit, a two-day conference attracting the industry’s most prominent executives from around the world.

Not Just A Label and Made in NY

• In December 2015, NYCEDC partnered with Not Just A Label, a global e-commerce platform, and the Waldorf Astoria New York to create a temporary retail space featuring a rotating collection of over 1,000 locally designed and produced apparel, jewelry, and accessory items. More than 100 emerging designers participated in the retail pop-up, which attracted an estimated 1,500 visitors over the 10-day period.

In conjunction with its newly implemented ‘Made in NY’ programs, NYCEDC has significantly expanded its investment in the following fashion programs throughout the last 12 months:

Fashion Manufacturing Initiative

• In 2015, the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative, which provides grants to local production facilities to upgrade equipment and technology, offer employees skills training, and cover costs of relocating within New York City, doubled funding commitments to $6 million, with support from the program’s two Premier Underwriters, Ralph Lauren and The Coach Foundation. FMI also launched new business development opportunities for grant recipients, such as free industry trade show participation, CFDA designer open houses, and consumer-focused retail partnerships. To date, FMI has awarded $2 million in grants to 19 of the City’s fashion production companies.

NYC Fashion Production Fund

• In 2015, the Fashion Production Fund awarded 24 loans, totaling over $1.5 million in financing. To date, the Fund has provided 30 loans, a total of $2.5 million in financing at below-interest rates to emerging NYC-based designers in order to locally manufacture their collections. The Fund was launched in partnership with Capital Business Credit in June 2014 and provides emerging designers with production financing at below-market rates and flexible terms to cover the costs of purchase orders. Loans are awarded between $50,000 and $300,000 in size, with terms of 30-120 days.

NYC Fashion Fellows

• In 2015, the New York City Fashion Fellows program announced its fourth class of 25 fellows, comprised of the industry’s most promising emerging leaders. Building on the program’s foundation of mentorship, networking and educational opportunities, NYCEDC further incorporated professional development and skill-based workshops in 2015. To date, the program has directly supported the growth of 67 Fellows, in collaboration with 50 industry-leading mentors. With strong industry support, the program is entering into its fourth year, with a new cohort of 25 Fellows for 2016.

Design Entrepreneurs NYC

• In 2015, in collaboration with industry sponsor G-III Apparel Group, Design Entrepreneurs NYC (DENYC) entered its fifth year, with the military-inspired menswear brand Cadet earning the top prize. DENYC also increased its prize monies awarded to the competition’s winners nearly fivefold, from $35,000 to $150,000. To date, the program has supported 130 emerging designers in building their businesses. In partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology, DENYC is an intensive, “mini-MBA” program for fashion designers who have launched their own labels. Participants take business and management modules over 3 workshop weekends and create and refine individualized business plans, with the aid of an assigned mentor. On the basis of their business plan, participants compete to win prize money at the program’s conclusion.

There are over 900 fashion companies headquartered in New York City. The industry is estimated to employ nearly 200,000 people, and generate $11 billion in wages and $2 billion a year in tax revenue.

About Made in NY
Launched in 2005, the Made in NY initiative was originally created by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to highlight the importance of New York City’s media and entertainment industry to the local economy through public service campaigns, marketing efforts and educational and workforce development programs. Designed by Radical Media, the Made in NY logo is a trademark owned by the City of New York and is a Mark of Distinction awarded to films and television produced in New York City. In 2013, the City expanded the Made in NY initiative to the technology sector to underscore the City’s commitment to strengthening New York City as a global hub for innovation. Digital companies who qualify for the Mark of Distinction are also added to the “We Are Made in NY” map and list of start-ups, which is currently hosted by Digital.nyc. Mayor de Blasio officially expanded the Made in NY initiative to the fashion industry in 2015, and pledged to invest $15 million into a new suite of programs to support and strengthen fashion’s design, manufacturing and educational sectors.