NYCEDC And Not Just a Label Announce “Made in NY” Pop-Up Store at Iconic Waldorf Astoria
WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 01, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL), the world’s largest global network of contemporary designers and a leading curator of fashion talent, today announced the launch of a temporary retail store at the Waldorf Astoria New York, part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ‘Made in NY’ initiative.
The NOT JUST A LABEL | Made in NY store will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. beginning Friday, December 4th and continuing through Sunday, December 13th. This pop-up store will showcase a diverse selection of 400 products from 100 emerging designers based in New York City, making it the first standalone City-sponsored fashion retail initiative to support the growth of the local fashion, manufacturing, and creative industries. All products available for purchase at the NOT JUST A LABEL | Made in NY store have been designed and produced within the five boroughs. The store is intended not only to highlight the city’s diversity of emerging talent, but to provide local entrepreneurs with a platform to communicate their brand’s unique story and aesthetic to an international customer base, strengthening the global awareness, visibility, and demand for products manufactured and designed in New York City.
Along with the unique opportunity to retail their products at the Waldorf Astoria New York, participating designers will have the chance to interact with industry leaders, influencers, and members of the press, increasing their company’s foothold and stature within the fashion community. Participating brands will also have the option to take part in one-on-one mentoring sessions focused on different aspects of growing a fashion company. This targeted training will enable some of New York City’s most promising young designers to strengthen their companies’ core business fundamentals, in addition to the enhanced sales and brand awareness generated by the retail store.
NJAL will also offer public educational events during the evenings, featuring an array of local talent, spanning the worlds of fashion design, manufacturing, retail, education, public relations, and journalism. Members of the public are invited to attend ‘Made in NY’-themed panel discussions to engage with the City’s vibrant fashion ecosystem and delve deeply into pertinent industry issues. Building on these conversations, the store will also offer “Fashion and Fantasy,” a curated selection of film shorts screened at 5 p.m. daily, presenting an in-depth look into the historical influences and intricacies of New York City’s creative culture.
“The fashion industry employs nearly 185,000 New Yorkers, and attracts more than 500,000 visitors to our city every year,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. “That’s why Mayor de Blasio has tripled funding for the Made in NY Fashion initiative, and launched new programs like the Made in NY certification for locally manufactured brands and marketing support for local entrepreneurs. This pop-up store is another key part of that ongoing effort, giving a major boost to some of our most exciting local designers and helping ensure New York remains a global fashion capital for the 21st century.”
“Mayor de Blasio and NYCEDC are continuing to invest in New York City’s fashion industry and the good jobs that it creates,” said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “We are thrilled to be launching the first-ever Made in NY pop-up store, helping talented young designers grow their businesses by showcasing their collections to a diverse local and international audience.”
“NOT JUST A LABEL | Made in NY gives even the youngest of New York designers the opportunity to realize their dreams of showcasing their collections to this incredible city,” said Founder & CEO of NJAL Stefan Siegel. “The Waldorf Astoria is the perfect setting for the celebration of New York City’s creative economy. For decades, New York City has functioned at the center of the fashion universe, an iconic source of talent, creativity, and international influence, however it is often easy for emerging designers to be forgotten. With support from NYCEDC, we aim to create an ecosystem that celebrates, supports and sustains entrepreneurship and innovation in New York City fashion as we have done with other partners across the globe.”
“As a host to the world and destination for locals and visitors alike, some of society’s most creative and influential minds began their careers within the inspirational environment of the Waldorf Astoria New York,” said Waldorf Astoria New York Managing Director Michael Hoffmann. “We’re proud to continue this legacy with NOT JUST A LABEL | Made in NY, offering the city’s most notable young designers with a platform to showcase their talents to a truly global audience.”
The pop-up store builds upon previous successful ‘Made in NY’ fashion initiatives, including the Barneys NY x CFDA: Made in New York Collection, a limited-edition collection of women’s and men’s apparel designed by seven prominent New York City-based brands, produced within the five boroughs, and retailed exclusively at Barneys stores across the country through January 2016; the inaugural ‘Made in NY’ campaign, a large-scale showcasing of local design talent displayed in advertisements on 600 taxi tops, 75 buses, several billboards (including in Times Square), and City-managed ferry and cruise vessels and terminals; the debut ‘Made in NY’ Award, which honored Theory CEO Andrew Rosen for his extraordinary and lasting contributions to the fashion industry, presented at Women’s Wear Daily’s Apparel & Retail CEO Summit; and the ‘Made in NY’ certification program, which endows qualifying fashion brands with exclusive use of the distinguished ‘Made in NY’ mark.
These initiatives complement the City’s ongoing efforts to support manufacturers and designers and ensure the continued growth of New York City’s fashion industry. In January 2015, NYCEDC and Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the second round of winners for the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative, a $6 million public-private initiative designed to support local fashion manufacturing by awarding grants for equipment and machinery, technology upgrades, and workforce training. Through its first two cycles, FMI has granted over $1.1 million to 13 production facilities throughout the city, helping retain and create new manufacturing jobs locally.
This summer, NYCEDC and Capital Business Credit announced the latest series of loans awarded by the NYC Fashion Production Fund, an initiative that provides New York City-based emerging designers with purchase order financing at below-market rates. To date, the Fashion Production Fund has issued $1.9 million to support 25 production financing loans. And in October 2015, NYCEDC and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) awarded $150,000 in prize money to local fashion brands Cadet and Haus Alkire, the first and second place winners of the Design Entrepreneurs NYC (DENYC) program. Now going into its fifth year, Design Entrepreneurs NYC is a free, intensive “mini-MBA” program and business plan competition that teaches New York City-based entrepreneurs how to successfully manage and expand their fashion businesses.
The City’s fashion industry accounts for 5.4 percent of the city’s workforce, pays $11.6 billion in wages, and generates $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually. New York City’s wholesale fashion market is one of the world’s largest, attracting more than 578,000 visitors per year to its trade shows, showrooms and fashion shows. Overall, the industry garners more than $18 billion in retail sales, $72 billion in wholesale sales, and $8 billion in manufacturing sales annually. The City’s semi-annual Fashion Weeks draw approximately 232,000 attendees to more than 500 shows, creating a total economic impact of $887 million.
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 or follow us on Twitter, or visit our blogto learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.
ABOUT MADE IN NY
Launched in 2005, the Made in NY initiative was originally created by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to highlight the importance of New York City’s media & entertainment industry to the local economy through public service campaigns, marketing efforts and educational and workforce development programs. Designed by Radical Media, the Made in NY logo is a trademark owned by the City of New York and is a Mark of Distinction awarded to films and television produced in New York City. In 2013, the City expanded the Made in NY initiative to the technology sector to underscore the City’s commitment to strengthening New York City as a global hub for innovation. Digital companies who qualify for the Mark of Distinction are also added to the “We Are Made in NY” map and list of start-ups, which is currently hosted by Digital.nyc. Mayor De Blasio officially expanded the Made in NY initiative to the fashion industry in 2015, and pledged to invest $15 million into a new suite of programs to support and strengthen fashion’s design, manufacturing, and educational sectors.
To learn more, explore the Made in NY website or find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
ABOUT NOT JUST A LABEL
NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL) is the world’s window on the largest global network of contemporary designers and a leading curator of pioneering fashion and design talent. NJAL operates as both a digital and e-commerce business for its designers and partners, and in parallel offers consulting services for leading brands and design institutions. NJAL today represents over 20,000 designers from 120 countries and is an infinitely expanding destination devoted to facilitating growth in the fashion industry. Established in 2008, NOTJUSTALABEL.com offers fashion-forward trendsetters access to limited edition collections and bespoke pieces from the world’s most talented emerging designers. For designers, NJAL is a global community of the best and brightest in the industry. By opening up the global market for local designers, NJAL fosters future fashion talent by helping them to gain exposure and finance their progression independently. NJAL has a red carpet following of celebrities and tastemakers who seek out the newest trends and designs that can’t be found anywhere else.
ABOUT WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK
The Waldorf Astoria, an official New York City landmark since 1993, has been an internationally recognized symbol of elegance and grace for more than 100 years. The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria, the intimate, richly appointed 181-room hotel occupying the top floors of the Waldorf Astoria New York, is the home-away-from-home for discerning travellers with plush accommodations and 123 impressive suites inclusive of 26 presidential-style suites and 12 historic suites – unlike any other hotel in New York City. An Art Deco masterpiece, the Waldorf occupies an entire city block of midtown Manhattan at the epicentre of the city’s cultural, commercial, social and political life. As a dining destination, the Waldorf offers three cosmopolitan restaurants including the modern, upscale Chinese restaurant La Chine, historic Bull and Bear Prime Steakhouse and Peacock Alley, the gem of the hotel lobby and site of the famed Sunday Brunch. A microcosm of the city it has served for so long, the grand hotel also features bustling lounges and bars, a rooftop garden with beehives, luxurious Guerlain Spa and intriguing boutiques. The Waldorf Astoria New York is a member of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Worldwide. Call 1-800-WALDORF or visit www.waldorfnewyork.com for more information.
