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New York City Economic Development Corporation & the CFDA Welcome the First 12 Designers to the CFDA Fashion Incubator

2010-05-27T16:00:00Z

CFDA Fashion Incubator – located at 209 West 38th Street in New York City’s Garment District – has started its operation with its first 12 tenants.

The inaugural participating designers are: Alice Ritter; Bibhu Mohapatra; Rachel Dooley of Gemma Redux; Grant Krajecki of Grey Ant; Waris Ahluwalia from House of Waris; Joel Diaz from Jolibe; Prabal Gurung; Dao-Yi Chow & Maxwell Osborne of Public School; Yuvi Alpert & Danna Kobo from Ruby Kobo; Sang A Im-Prop of Sang A; Justin Giunta from Subversive Jewelry; and Tom Scott.

The CFDA Fashion Incubator accommodates up to 12 designer brands, each of which will retain a separate design studio, ranging from 250 to 700 square feet in size. Newmark Holdings is providing each brand with a two-year lease at below-market rates ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per month, depending on the size of the studio space. NYCEDC is providing the CFDA with a $200,000 grant to establish and further develop the CFDA Fashion Incubator.

To be eligible for consideration, designers had to be in business for a minimum of one and one-half years and have paid and/or volunteer professional staff. Designers were also asked to demonstrate their potential through substantive editorial coverage and orders from top retailers.. Tenants were chosen by members of a Selection Committee and an Advisory Board comprised of fashion industry experts, including retailers, editors, and business leaders. The Selection Committee assisted in the initial development of the initiative; evaluated and assisted in selecting CFDA Fashion Incubator designers; and will participate in bi-annual reviews of tenants. The Advisory Board evaluated applications, based on designers’ business model and plans; assisted in selecting CFDA Fashion Incubator tenants; and will participate in quarterly reviews of tenants. Advisory Board members will take on strategic planning, sponsorship, funding, and other responsibilities, as needed.

Selection Committee members include: Designer John Bartlett; Kirna Zabete’s Beth Buccini and Sarah Easley; Bloomingdale’s Operating Vice President and Men’s Fashion Director Kevin Harter; CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb; Elle Style Director Kate Lanphear; Harper’s Bazaar Executive Editor Kristina O’Neill; Neiman Marcus Senior Fashion Accessories Editor Roopal Patel; Style.com Executive Editor Nicole Phelps; CFDA Associate Executive Director Lisa Smilor; and designer Peter Som.

Members of the Advisory Board include: Marc Beckman, Designers Management Agency; Joseph Ferrara, Ferrara Manufacturing; Eric Gural, Newmark Knight Frank; Douglas Hand, Hand, Baldachin & Amburgey, LLP ; Karen Harvey, Karen Harvey Consulting Group ; Steven Kolb, CFDA; Trey Laird, Laird+Partners; Seo Hyun Lee, Chiel Industries ; Barbara Randall, Fashion Center Business Improvement District ; Lisa Smilor, CFDA; Steven Strauss, Center for Economic Transformation at NYCEDC; Gary Wassner, Hilldun Corporation ; amd Denise Williamson, Denise Williamson Showroom.

The Incubator is designed to support the next generation of fashion designers in New York City. It is one of a series of City-sponsored business incubators launched since February 2009, when Mayor Bloomberg announced a suite of initiatives to support entrepreneurship and encourage start-up companies to locate and grow in New York City. The CFDA Fashion Incubator will provide a creative professional environment to foster promising talent in the field of fashion; help emerging fashion designers grow and sustain their businesses in New York City by offering low-cost design studio space; and provide business mentoring, educational seminars, and networking opportunities to selected designers so that they may reach their full potential and become an integral part of the New York fashion community.

Contact:

David Lombino/Libby Langsdorf 212 312-3523
Souri Kim (KCD for CFDA) 212 590-5113

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. Find us on Facebook to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.

About the CFDA
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 350 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization offers programs which support professional development and scholarships, including the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholar Award, the Liz Claiborne Scholarship Award, and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship. Member support is provided through the Business Services Network, a high-profile group of companies offering designers strategic opportunities. The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit organized to mobilize the membership to raise funds for charitable causes. Through the Foundation, the CFDA created and manages Fashion Targets Breast Cancer; raises funds for HIV/AIDS organizations with 7th on Sale; addresses the issue of model health with The CFDA Health Initiative; and is a key participant in other programs such as the annual Fashion’s Night Out. For more information, please visit www.CFDA.com.

Introducing Calamo Silk

2010-05-13T21:20:00Z

Calamo Silk is a full service silk and silk blend fabric company offering a wide selection of solid, printed and novelty silk fabric stocked here in USA. They offer a rare high quality of silk fabrics and garments at very competitive prices utilizing the highest quality pringting and dying facilities located in both China and South Korea.

Calamo Silk offers both solid and printed silk and silk blend fabric. They stock 96 of the most gorgeous and tantilizing colors based on the season's trend in both New York and Los Angeles warehouse. Custom colors are dyed in all of their items for very low minimums and 2 to 4 weeks. Calamo Silk operates wholly owned state of the art beam-dying factory in Suzhou, China dedicated only to Calamo Silk and its clients. The factory in Suzhou, China is staffed and managed by Calamo Silk employees to maintain the industry-famous high quality. They also offer custom weaving of fabric that they do not carry in stock for low minimum to satisfy clients' silk and silk fabric blend needs.

Many "open line" prints are available and it is continually updated to reflect the current fashion trend. They also offer custom print development with low minimums and surcharge.

They undertake these services:

- Custom Jacqaurd Designs
- Discharge Printing
- Dye and Discharge
- Overprinting
- Border Print
- Flocking
- Embossing
- Panel Printing
- Ombre Dying
- Roller Printing
- Hand Painting
- Tie Dying
- Garment Construction
- Same Day delivery, pick up or shipping
- Scarf and accessory package
- Global shipping solutions
- Embroidery
- Beading
- Washing
- Crinkling

Calamo Silk clients may also take advantage of Calamo Silk's extensive garment program which features a dedicated factory in Suzhou, China with capacity of 15,000 to 20,000 garment pieces on monthly basis.

Sales sample production is available with reasonable minimums of 200 to 300 pieces per style owing to the complexity of the designs our workers are trained to produce. Pattern making, marking and grading is done at their factory if desired along with sources of trims, buttons, zipper and other necessary requirements.

For more information, visit their website at www.calamosilk.com

KBL Group International is moving to 1407 Broadway on September

2010-05-13T16:02:00Z

KBL Group International is the premier global supplier of sweaters in the world. As of September 2010, their new location will be 1407 Broadway, Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10018

For more information please visit their website at www.kblgroupintl.com

Outside KBL de Mexico

Where Colors Come From - 7th Avenue Stationers

2010-05-11T14:33:00Z

If you are working in the Garment District, you probably have visited 7th Avenue Stationers. They are located on 210 West 35th Street and of course on the 7th Avenue. I regularly buy my Pantone color swatches from them, and they have much more to offer.

You can also shop from their website www.7thavenuecollector.com

If you need special pricing, call Eli Murad at 212-695-4900

Doucette Duvall - Made in New York

2010-04-29T17:51:00Z

Doucette Duvall practices environmental and social responsibility by manufacturing the entire collection in New York City's historic garment district, using pre-existing fabric and trim, shunning extraneous garment bags and hang tags, and shipping in recycled boxes only.
Check them out at www.doucetteduvall.com

Wood Buttons

2010-04-29T14:11:00Z

A new company which registered in our directory is "Woodbuttons" by Buttonwood Corp.

Established in 1937, Buttonwood Corp remains the world's largest manufacturer of fine wood buttons and toggles. Natural and ecologically sound products entirely Made In USA. Their factory is in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn and their showroom is at the heart of the Garment District in NYC at 260 West 39th Street 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Below is a short video on how buttons are made in their factory (placating to watch...)

Whether you're planning to make a garment, accessory, pillows or drapes, for your family, friends or a local charity, you'll find their quality natural wood buttons to be the right trim touch.

If you're a seasoned veteran in the stay at home field or you have a small business, you can create a professional-looking project which is both beautiful and functional by trimming your idea with wood or corozo, both a 100% renewable resource.

For over 40 years, Buttonwood Corp. and their previous company Duplex Novelty Corp. have supplied the many sutlers and re-enactor suppliers around the country with period correct wooden buttons. The majority of sutlers have settled on 4-hole Rim buttons, 5/8" diameter in plain wood, Natural or Honey as most accurately evoking the days of the mid-19th century/Victorian era.

Turning (literally) raw exotic woods into gorgeous apparel trim at their Brooklyn factory is what they do best at Buttonwood Corp. Sheets and rods come in one door, and finished wood buttons, wood toggles, wooden beads and buckles go out the other. To find out more and order from them, please check out their website at http://woodbuttons.com

Michelle Vale - Made in New York

2010-04-28T16:04:00Z

Made in Midtown - Coming in May 2010

2010-03-20T16:08:00Z

The Design Trust for Public Space, a nonprofit devoted to improving New York City's public realm, has partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to create Made in Midtown, a study of how the industry works and why it's an integral part of the City's economy, identity, and sense of place. The project website, www.madeinmidtown.org launches in May.

Made in Midtown from Design Trust for Public Space on Vimeo.

Fashion 26 is opening on April 15th, 2010.

2010-03-19T15:18:00Z

FASHION 26 - A Wyndham Hotel

One of New York City's newest hotels, Fashion 26 is a Wyndham Hotel offering stunning design, exemplary service and four-star amenities in the heart of the fashion capital of the world. Located on West 26th Street in one of Manhattan's most remarkable neighborhoods, Fashion 26 is steps away from the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Empire State Building, Herald Square and the renowned Macy's flagship. Times Square, Central Park, Tribeca, Soho, Chelsea Market and everything New York City has to experience are simply a cab ride away.

Boasting 280 custom tailored guestrooms, the shimmering glass and brick tower is set back from the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Fashion 26 charms guests with public and private spaces patterned by the renowned Glen Coben after the great garment center of New York City. Fabrics, furnishings and a soft color palette soothes the senses as such embellishments like the front desk reminiscent of a fashion studio's cutting room table and floor patterns resembling the "weaves" of traditional garments intrigue the mind.

Schmatta Stories from Gabriel Russo

2010-03-18T15:10:00Z

Do you love Schmatta Stories? Then take a look at Gabriel Russo's blog for some www.gabrielrussoclothing.com

Gabriel Russo started his career in the clothing industry as a 16 -year -old kid from Brooklyn working as a fabric cutter in New York while taking night classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He worked for Anne Klein and Perry Ellis before heading to Los Angeles in the 70’s where he freelanced for various clothing companies including Guess? developing the company’s first pair of jeans. He then started his own line of clothing in the 80’s which continues today. Gabriel has taught design, patternmaking and draping at both the Academy of Art and Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco, and was voted the best teacher in the fashion department by his students in 2005.

Gabriel has been employed as a patternmaker, designer, and for the last several years as director of technical design in companies as varied as The Gap, Pottery Barn, Forever 21, and held a senior directors position at BCBG.

Friends of Fashion

2010-03-17T14:45:00Z

PARTY with designers... SHOP in private.... DO good.

Friends of Fashion is a social enterprise designed to provide its members direct contact with designers and their worlds through exclusive personal meetings and shopping experiences that directly benefit the fashion community. One hundred percent of the profits generated by Friends of Fashion’s business activities are donated to charities that support the fashion community’s workers, designers and institutions and create funding for those in need.

Events kick off in all cities in 2010 and are held throughout the year, with designers for women and men, for teens and children, with designers of shoes and bags and jewelry and gifts. The selection of participating designers includes something for everyone.

Parties are planned for New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, to encourage a national membership. Events are planned each month throughout the year. Members are not expected to attend each and every event--unless they want to--but rather to select all the designers they really want most to support.

Friends of Fashion provides a level of shopping and access to designers, enjoyed by only a privileged few. And all for a good cause.

Founder of Friends of Fashion is Kathleen Beckett, who enjoyed an inside view of the fashion and beauty worlds during her many years on staff at the top style magazines in the United States: Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Vogue, where she wrote her own column, FYI: Inside Style. Beckett’s articles have appeared in the International Herald Tribune, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the London Sunday Times. Beckett was also a long-time Contributing Editor to Elle. She was, in fact, interviewing a designer for Elle when she realized there might be men and women who would enjoy the same inner access that she did as a journalist. That experience laid the groundwork for Friends of Fashion. Beckett, who holds a BA from Wellesley and MA from Stanford, is helping to launch fashion events for the Harvard Club, where she is a member with her husband, the children’s book author Steven Kroll.

For more information, please visit their website at www.friendsoffashion.com

Alexia Admor / Sexy ~ Sweet ~ Girly ~ Fun

2010-03-16T15:24:00Z

Alexia Admor was founded in 1989 and is situated in the heart of Manhattan’s fashion district. Over the past 20 years, they have done business with many of the better specialty and department stores throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the Middle East, and Puerto Rico.

For more information check out their website at www.alexiaadmor.com

Victoria’s Fashion Weekly - Designers Fashion Buzz on Lex 3/17/2010

2010-03-16T14:31:00Z

Dining Engagement Group presents

Victoria’s Fashion Weekly Food, Fashion and Beauty Media Mix Designers Fashion Buzz on Lex

Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 7-11pm
Free Appetizers: 7 - 9 pm
Fashion Presentation: 9 pm

Place: Nirvana, 346 Lexington Ave, btw E39th and E40th, NYC 10016
Dress: Dress to Impress. All ages Welcome!

Free Admission.
RSVP not required, but highly appreciated.
RSVP to diningengagement@yahoo.com

Cutie Pie Sample Sale

2010-03-15T16:02:00Z

Donating to Operation Prom

2010-03-09T23:30:57Z

Donate your old bridesmaid dresses to Operation PROM, an organization that provides free prom dresses to girls in need. The first 100 people to donate will receive a free Revlon lipstick and nail polish. Through 3/13. 57 Grand, 250 W. 39th St., nr. Seventh Ave., Ste. 804 (212-302-1604); 11–7.

Every spring, thousands of students across the country celebrate a rite of passage: Prom. According to the magazine "Your Prom", the average prom goer spends $638, and low-income students and schools seem to be keeping the pace. This is the conundrum faced by many students from Noel D’Allacco's former school district in Yonkers, NY, where upwards of 66% qualify for the free-lunch program.

D’Allacco founded Operation PROM in 2005, now a recognized Not-for-Profit Charitable Organization. Operation PROM was originally established to help low-income students attend their proms by providing free prom dresses and tuxedo rentals. It has since expanded to also help students with regular donations of food, clothing and school supplies as well. She primarily assists students who are homeless or live in shelters and do not have family to assist them.

Founder, Noel D'Allacco
Bloomingdale's Dress Drive
March 2009

Energizing the NYC Garment District

2010-03-08T22:40:00Z

In September of 2009, Seattle native Sena Yang launched her self-titled line SENA. Upon graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2006, she had demonstrated her abilities at Alexander McQueen, Catherine Malandrino, Sue Stemp and LaROK.

SENA is a contemporary, knits driven line offering a range of luxe basics with high fashion detailing. Sexy, structured separates stay true to the philosophy of effortless dressing with downtown attitude.

Their mission is encouraging; all garments are made and produced in the heart of the Garment District in New York City ensuring the highest quality of craftsmanship.

SENA clothes are now available at

Big Drop NYC and Miami
Bella Rosa
Elyse Walker
Dighton Rhode
Fred Segal Fun
La Petite Coquette
Kitson
Bleu LA
Bleu Westlake
Anderson
PE 101 Aspen
PE 101 Edwards
Bump
Muse
Gregory's
110 Couture
Soixante Neuf
Vasari
RevolveClothing.com

For more information, visit their website at www.senanyc.com

OptiTex USA present Yoram Burg presents at SPESA EXPO 2010.

2010-03-03T17:24:00Z

Atlanta, Georgia, March 1, 2010 – OptiTex USA

President Yoram Burg will be presenting at SPESA expo 2010, the largest gathering of sewn products professionals in North America. At SPESA expo 2010, executives and professionals from every business segment and functional department of the diverse fashion and sewn products industry will be in attendance at the world’s largest and most comprehensive industry event of 2010. The event will be held from May 18, 2010 till May 20, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

OptiTex USA President Yoram Burg is slated to guest speak at TC2’s seminar: Communicating and Evaluating Fit throughout the Supply Chain on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 from 11:30AM to 12:30PM. OptiTex will carry an additional presence at the expo with OptiTex booth #5744, which will be presenting various solutions for production, e-commerce, home sewing, fashion animation development and more.

Yoram Burg’s discussion will focus on developing and approving the fit of a garment; one of the most difficult and time consuming activities in the product development cycle, comparing the old ways of doing things vs. the new way. Burg’s seminar will examine solutions in the marketplace that can facilitate this process and make multiple development sessions a thing of the past.

“OptiTex software has consistently provided cutting edge solutions for the fashion and textile workplace”, says Burg, “This seminar explores the solution to the ineffectiveness of communication of internal and external fit intent in the marketplace.”

With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience that spanned across Asia, Middle East and North America, Mr. Burg brings with him experience in multiple aspects of running multi-million dollar organizations. Applying experience in Information Technology, Purchasing, Business Planning, Project and Change Management to leading international teams on marketing implementations and support, holding various senior positions in technology and non-technology businesses. Mr. Burg is a graduate of Swinburne University of Technology in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

About OptiTex
OptiTex develops innovative, user-friendly 2D and 3D CAD solutions for all cut-fabric and fashion-related industries. OptiTex solutions are designed to facilitate collaboration among partners throughout the manufacturing process. OptiTex is also active in e-commerce, providing online sales tools to promote branding and customer loyalty. As the industry standard, OptiTex is a cornerstone of design training with installations in universities and educational centers worldwide. OptiTex products are sold and supported around the world through certified distributors and OEMs.

Contact:
OptiTex International
Mrs. Tania Fuchs
Tel: +972-3-9049979
Fax: +972-3-9042710
optitex.int@optitex.com
http://www.optitex.com

Texollini will show off at GlobalTex

2010-02-25T19:55:00Z

Hangin' on by a thread

2009-10-30T20:55:00Z

Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags

2009-10-19T16:10:00Z

Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags brings to life the vibrant, unexpected history of the Garment District which for many years was the heart and soul of Midtown Manhattan, but is now in danger of disappearing. For thousands of immigrants the garment industry was a path to their American Dream, but today most of those jobs are gone. A microcosm of the economic and social forces transforming our nation over the past one hundred years, Schmatta: Rags To Riches To Rags tells the story of this vanishing industry through the voices of the people who have experienced its highs and lows. Premieres Monday, October 19 at 9pm ay HBO
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