Over the loud 'cheers' and 'chinks' of glassware at the opening party for MADE Fashion Week on Wednesday night, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said his administration would give some $15m to fashion firms in the city in 2015. The funding, run through the New York City Economic Development Corp., will pay for scholarships, internships, grants and bridge loans for front-end purchase orders, bolstering New York's investment in fashion industry and its people.
"I know we can help this industry move forward. I know this industry can help New York City move forward and make us evermore be the fashion capital of the world," de Blasio said, before adding the industry currently employs 180,000 New Yorkers, pays $11bn in wages and generates close to $2bn in annual tax revenue. The goal, he said, is to strengthen the city in every phase of the production cycle, from the first idea to the garments being loaded onto the trucks, while also investing in home-grown talent “which will keep us competitive and a leader in fashion.”
De Blasio listed off several new public-private programs, which aim to grow fashion design and manufacturing opportunities. These include:
- A two-year, $5m creative marketing campaign that will leverage traditional and digital advertising media to showcase the city’s fashion companies.
- Madeinnyfashion.nyc, a digital hub created by NYCEDC. It promotes local designers and manufacturers, highlights New York-made products and gives the fashion industry resources and information.
- $5m worth of funding that build upon existing programs for local production facilities to implement new technology and training programs for employees. For example, implementing advanced technologies to create fabrics, such as knitwear.
- Creating a “Production Summit” for fashion manufacturing, which utilizes best practices and identifies innovative solutions for industry challenges.
- $4m for new and expanded design initiatives, helping designers get coverage at trade shows, pop-up shops and via partnerships to give them more exposure to the public.
- An awards program that recognizes 'Made in NY' designers who have demonstrated exceptional promise and ability. It will be held in late 2015 or early 2016.
- A $1m program to connect aspiring design students in the industry with scholarships to study fashion-related disciplines at New York City-based institutions. It will also offer fully funded internships for students to gain exposure to the industry at pre-college programs and college levels.
Made In New York
The MADE event on Wednesday was specific in encouraging fashion firms to take part in the "Made in NY" initiative. At present, design firms can take the logo and stick it up in their retail outlets, signifying locally made wares to clients. According to sources at the event, however, stitching "Made in NY" onto clothes as a label is more complicated.
"What we really want to emphasize is either designed in New York, made in New York, the person grew up and went to school in New York," Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor for housing and economic development, told reporters. "It really is about celebrating and us investing in New York and in the fashion ecosystem as a whole.
Despite de Blasio's jokes regarding his lack of style throughout his speech, Glen said the current New York Mayor is actually more involved in fashion than previous New York leaders. With his wife, Chirlane McCray, who attended the MADE event in a white Anna Quain jacket, de Blasio does rub shoulders with famous people in the fashion industry. And that helps business, according to Glen.
"For us it's not about hanging out with famous people in the fashion world although they're critical to the industry," explained Glen. "It's about how do we take that glitz and glamor, the excitement of fashion, and connect it to the things that really matter to us, right? Quality jobs, manufacturing."
Capping off the night, de Blasio revealed New York has named a street in the Bronx after the late Oscar la Renta - to honor the life and work the great American designer. It will be at the intersection of East Fordham Road and Creston Avenue. “He brought such joy in all he did. He will be forever ingrained in the fabric of this city,” said the mayor.
MADE, located at Milk Studios, is a six-year-old organization that provides some 35 New York City designers with space to work and other resources to show their collections at no cost during New York Fashion Week.
New York Fashion Week is on now, running from February 11-19.