Nanette Lepore Talks Fashion Caucus And Garment District

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion Legal Matters Politik Business Blitz

More movement on the Fashion Caucus front!

This past Friday afternoon in Washington D.C., the Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce organized a gathering of fashion industry supporters in Representative Diane Waston's (D, CA) office to show their support for the creation of a caucus.

There, a panel of economists, politicians, lobbyists and, of course, designers spoke before the audience to explain the benefits of a fashion caucus. Among them was designer Nanette Lepore, whose advocacy for the salvation of the garment district in NYC demonstrates just why a caucus would be of such great use.

The New York's garment district is at serious risk of being consolidated and commercialized, if all goes according to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plans. The Mayor intends to move all of the approximately 250 fashion manufacturer's factories into one building which would be about 280,000-square-feet.

This plan, compounded by the fact that consumers are buying domestically-produced clothing less and less, worries Lepore about the fate of the fashion industry at large, which is why she has called for the "Save The Fashion District" rally, which will be held on October 21st.

Lepore, who produces 85% of her clothing in the fashion district, says:

"The fashion district is facing extinction, and small factories are being lost to developers. Without it, young designers cannot get their start in New York City…. I don't think the local government understands how it works. I"ve been trying to get a meeting with Bloomberg for a year…the mayor would rather have Chi-Chi's and the Olive Garden in the area. I think he wants to ignore us so he can get his agenda passed through, but on October 21st, he's going to have to pay attention."

And while Lepore is hopeful about the effects the rally will have, she knows that she needs louder voices to help get her message across:

"We need someone like Ralph Lauren onboard, or someime like Donna Karan. We need them to realize that they're still there, their design rooms are still there, and they should be helping support this cause. We're working real hard to try and get them, and I realize that they do get called a lot. But this is different. This is your bread and butter. This is your career, this is what you build your life on."

If there were a Fashion Caucus in place, Lepore would be able to appeal to the caucus who could then come to the aid of the endangered district.

“This caucus isn’t about the image of fashion, it’s about the business of fashion,” said Christine Brooks-Cropper, president of the GWFCC.

Considering the fashion industry employs millions of Americans, roughly 4,600 of whom work in NYC's fashion district, it's time that the industry had a voice in the political arena!

Come on, bbs!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 6:05 pm