:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45395432/2012_01_Steven-Kolb-DVF.0.jpg)
Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America has long championed the Garment District, but today WWD has announced that they'll be trading in their office at 1412 Broadway for a spot on Bleecker Street in Soho Noho. They've spent 15 years in that office, and the upcoming move has stirred up some controversy, since for some, leaving the Garment District isn't 100% on par with preserving it.
CFDA CEO Steven Kolb explains that the decision to relocate isn't a reflection on their feelings for the Garment District: "Right now, if you look around, we are busting out of the seams. We can't have any significant meetings here. Given the fact our lease is up next year and we have outgrown it, we started looking." Kolb adds that their intention was to "look heavily here" first, and that many Garment District buildings were considered "significantly" in their search.
Designer Nanette Lepore, however, feels that the decision to abandon the neighborhood the CFDA has fought to maintain for so long is a no-no. She says, "We are extremely disappointed by the CFDA's decision to leave the Garment Center. We only hope this does not signal the end of their previous support for New York City manufacturing and emerging American designers."
But the CFDA's president, Diane von Furstenberg, doesn't feel the same. She added: "We found a great space with a great deal, and that's that." She then notes that she'll be expanding her factories in the Garment District, so not all has been lost. Because if there's anyone who could probably keep a neighborhood up and running, single-handedly, it's probably DVF.
· CFDA to Move Office From Garment District [WWD]
· On the Garment District [Racked NY]
· Vera Wang Is Moving [Racked NY]
Loading comments...