Domestic Market Centers for Fashion

Terms

• Fashion Market – A place where goods are sold to retail store buyers at wholesale prices for re-sale (retail store buyers go to market and purchase the styles we will be wearing in the upcoming months)

• Market Center – An area of a city devoted to wholesaling of fashion goods

• Market Weeks – Specific weeks during the year when the retail store buyers go to the market centers to view and purchase and the new lines to be sold in their stores.

Major Market Weeks

Fall 1 February

Fall 2 Early April

Resort July/August

Holiday July/August

Spring September

Summer November/Dec.

Major Domestic Fashion Market Centers

• New York City (most important)

• Los Angeles

• Miami

• Dallas

Why New York City?

• American Fashion Industry is born in NYC- Immigrant laborers in early 1900’s- Originally an manufacturing city- Central location on East coast- Major port city- Major financial district- Has always been cosmopolitan and fashionable- Major stores had their starts their

Why New York City?

• Fashion publishing center

• Advertising center

• Cultural and art center

• Nation’s fashion capital

NYC Fashion Market Center

• Major market center for fashion in US• 7th Ave from 27th Street to 42nd Street is called

the garment district (divided by category and price)

• 7th Avenue is named “Fashion Avenue.”• All major and minor designers and

manufacturers have their showrooms in the garment district. (showrooms are offices in the fashion industry)

• Primary (level) sources are located here as well

Garment District

Offices in the Garment District

• http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/zo/?id=100256

• http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1166227255031860892NJwNtG

• Empire State Building – Houses most of the showrooms for men’s wear.

Los Angeles Market Center

• Fashion District is an 8 block section of downtown LA

• California leads the nation in retail apparel sales

• Southern CA is the nation’s largest apparel manufacturing area

• More than 4000 manufacturers

• 2nd to NYC

Los Angeles Market Center

• Major market for junior sizes and Contemporary

• BUM, Guess, Laundry, Guess, Rampage, surf companies, Richard Tyler, Bisou Bisou, Juicy, XOXO, Ed Hardy, BCBG

• Revolves around casual sportswear

• Fall market week early April

Dallas Market Center

• Third largest market center• Major menswear market center• Budget women’s wear• Specializes in bright, hand crafted

specialty items and jewelry • Services the Southwestern US• Major NY designers and companies will

set up temporary showrooms during market weeks

Miami Market Center

• Latino influence

• Specialty is cruise wear and swim wear

• Big children’s market

• Services Florida

Other Market Centers

• Chicago

• Las Vegas

• Charlotte

• Denver

• Portland

Atlanta Market Center

• Home furnishings

• Flooring

• Apparel

• Gift

• Services all of the southeastern U.S.