NYCs Fashion Industry Timeline

19th Century Ready-towear Industry

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1800s2010
Early Industry Growth
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1800s

New Yorks garment industry began to emerge in the mid-19th century. The industry thrived largely because of the citys position as a major port, where supplies from all over the world arrived daily. The industry also flourished due to the large influx of immigrants, which provided a large supply of cheap labor. The majority of these early immigrants settled in the tenements in Manhattans Lower East Side, making this neighborhood an early hub for garment production.

1846
store

Elias Howe invents the sewing machine. A.T. Stewart opens the citys first department

1867
established Street.

562 manufacturing firms Womans wear industry Harpers Bazaar Garment manufactures move north of Houston

1889 1892

New York State Factory Act The citys industry was growing at a Tenement House Act rapid rate, and by this time included passed 1800 manufacturing firms. As the on working conditions and labor strikes ensued, resulting in a series of garment industry regulations and the formation of unions. To accommodate the continued growth of the industry and to comply with regulations garment manufacturers began moving north, following the path of residential and commercial development. International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) established mum of 250 cubic feet of push the industry out of tenements and into more regulated spaces. Vogue magazine established

1900s

1901

1906

The school now known as Parsons opens the nations first fashion design program.

1910

Womens Wear Daily (WWD) is established in order to report on trade union strikes.

1914

Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) established

1916
Committee

Fifth Avenue Association (established in 1907) creates The Save New York Nations first zoning resolution passed

1919

Womans wear industry includes more than 165,000 workers Garment Center Capitol syndicate formed to construct the Garment Center Capitol buildings along Seventh Avenue, the first major construction venture in what is todays Garment District.

1920
Sixth Streets.

Garment Manufacturing concentrated near 34th street between Fifth and

1937

Establishment of the Tobe-Coburn School, specializing in retailing and merchandising, emphasizing the industrys economic importance

employs 39,000 workers passed requiring a mini-

air for each worker, helped industry grew, attention focused

NYCs Fashion Industry Timeline

Rising Fashion Capitol

1800s2010
Todays Fashion Industry
The Council of Fashion Designers is founded by fashion publicist, Eleanor Lambert with the goal to further the position of fashion design as a recognized branch of American art and culture... Polo Ralph The American fashion industry was shifting away from ready to-wear production to refocus on designer clothing. At this time the fashion industry begins to move garment production overseas. Seventh Avenue is renamed Fashion Avenue. The city creates Center District (SGCD), preserving approximately 5 million square feet of space for manufacturing and apparel-related uses. Fashion Center UNITE is formed out of the ILGWU and ACTWU HERE and UNITE merge to create UNITE HERE New York Designers and industry The CFDA in collaboration with the Design Trust for Public Space released Made in Midtown, a study of New York Citys Garment District. Lauren founded the Special Garment Business Improvement District established Department of City Planning reconsiders Special Garment Center District, and looks at rezoning the district and consolidating manufacturing. professionals launch the Save the Garment Center Campaign to draw attention to the significance of New Yorks fashion industry.

1940s 1941 -50s

During WWII, New York City began to gain recognition promotional cut off from the rest of the world, New Yorks fashion industry emerged as a established by dress

The American Fashion Industrys first organization, The New

1943 1944 1952 1962 1967 1970s 1972 1987 1993 1997 2004 2007 2009 2010
American fashion designer Norman Norell receives the first Coty Fashion Award. Foundation for the (later the Fashion Fashion of the supplement Fashion Industries Times becomes a Institute of Technology) of The New York opens in response to the Times Magazine. apparel industrys need for more skilled laborers.

for its fashion design. While York City Dress Paris was occupied and Institute, was

manufacturers stand-in. By the 1950s, with and the union. the help of prominent industry publications, New York City came to the forefront of womens fashion.