Fashion Districts 101: from New York to Naples

It is that exciting time of year again for the next edition of Uomo Moda, the 1st and only menswear magazine in Egypt. Since the Spring Edition has met with such wide acclaim, I thought I would give you a sneak preview to the Summer Edition. The following article is entitled, Fashion Districts 101: from New York to Naples:

In last year’s summer issue, I briefly described the history of fashion in Istanbul, which dates back to the days of the Ottoman Empire. Today, Istanbul has grown into a shopper’s paradise brimming with bazaars, covered markets, and award-winning shopping malls.

Nevertheless, these types of commercial centers differ radically from the three major fashion districts in Istanbul; namely, Merter, Osmanbey, and Laleli, which team with fashion houses, showrooms, and garment manufacturers.

Hence, the question arises: “Just what is the fundamental difference between fashion districts and fashion or shopping centers?

To most individuals, a fashion district denotes some sort of urban shopping destination, consisting of designer boutiques, prestigious labels, and haut couture. But a fashion district is not merely a major souk or commercial quarter but rather a specific kind of industrial district.

Categorized as such, fashion districts can be defined as a conglomeration of companies specializing in textile and garment production within the same geographic area, wherein there exists a measure of interdependence and competition.

As will be seen, fashion districts come in all shapes and sizes, each presenting a different history, infrastructure, network of interrelationships, and current setting.

New York City
One of the most famed fashion districts in the world is the Garment District of New York City, which is situated between Fifth and Ninth Avenues from 34th to 42nd Streets, occupying nearly one square mile.

Also known as the Garment Center and the Fashion Center, New York’s fashion district has played a central role in US textile manufacturing and fashion design since the late 1800’s, at which time the driving force of the local industry was a diversified immigrant population.

By the turn of the 19th century, New York was already out-producing every urban rival. Moreover, the city’s garment industry had surpassed all other industries, becoming a center of fashion that set new trends and ever-changing styles.

Although fabric and accessory shops still abound in the Big Apple, most clothing manufacturers have abandoned the island, leaving New York one of the top fashion capitals in the world. The fashion industry is the second largest industry, as well as home to the headquarters of nearly 1,000 fashion companies.

Generating approximately $10 billion in wages, New York City has emerged as a worldwide destination for upscale shopping districts with numerous flagship stores, such as Puma, Benetton, and Dolce & Gabbana.

London
London is a city known for fashion streets, particularly menswear streets. While Savile Row is often associated with fine suits, Jermyn Street is synonymous with shirt making and gentleman’s apparel.

Located in Mayfair of Central London, Savile Row is not only renowned for “bespoke tailoring,” but it is also reputed as the birthplace of the term, which denotes ‘custom-made clothing’.

Built between 1731 and 1735, Savile Row began attracting tailors in the 1800’s due to George Bryan “Beau” Brummell, who popularized the modern-day suit and tie into an image called “the dandy.” Beau, the model dandy, was noted for his impeccably fitted apparel.

Located in Westminster of Central London, Jermyn Street dates back to about 1664 and is celebrated for gentleman fashion, particularly fine shirts.

Naples
Contrary to much popular opinion, Naples and its surrounding towns have been a main fashion hub in Italy for generations, boasting a vibrant garment production industry since WWII.
In 1999, local artisans passed the baton to CIS di Nola, which has become one of the largest fashion districts in Europe—a showcase of 300 companies that unites nearly 1,000.

At CIS di Nola, one may not find the classy upscale showrooms of Dolce & Gabbana or Valentino but the eight islands brim with numerous local labels like my all-time favorite—Primo Emporio.

Besides onsite sales and distribution, CIS di Nola organizes international road shows, such as the recent “CIS Business Tour for Lebanon”—a business-to-business event that took place 11-14 April 2010.

Photo top right Francesco in Istanbul Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.
Photo top left United Colors of Benetton on 5th Avenue, New York, Copyright Benetton.
Photo bottom right Beau Brummell by Herr uebermann, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Photo bottom left CIS di Nola Copyright CIS.

Simon Spurr: Bridging the Transatlantic Divide in Fall 2010

Simon Spurr once again bridges the Transatlantic divide by combining British bespoke tailoring with American hip into a sort of “relaxed sophistication.”

After much acclaim for previous collections, Simon Spurr recently debuted a new high-end tailored collection in New York.

When I asked Fashion PR director, Austin Smedstead, about what inspired Spurr’s collection, he responded with the following statement from Simon:

“My intention was to establish SIMON SPURR as a modern luxury menswear brand. I definitely drew upon my British roots and focused on precision tailoring loosely inspired by the 60/70’s Savile Row tailor, Tommy Nutter. I wanted to bring a British sensibility to American fashion week. I’m British, many of my reference points are British and that’s my look.”

Situated in Mayfair of central London, Savile Row is the “golden mile of tailoring” where the term bespoke tailoring is said to have originated. In contrast to ready-to-wear, bespoke tailoring refers to highly customized clothing, which is patterned and crafted for an individual.

Tommy Nutter (1943-1992) reinvented the Savile Row suit in the 1960’s, having opened his own shop on Savile Row in 1969. He modernized Savile Row with open windows and bold displays.

For more information on Simon Spurr, please refer to the following articles:

Spurred on by the Vintage Photos of Helmut Newton
Spurr on Spurring the Vintage Silhouette



Photo & slideshow Copyright Simon Spurr.

Turkish Men's Fashion: A Glance in History

Recently I was asked to contribute to the first and only men’s magazine in Egypt, Uomo Moda, which in Italian ‘Man’s Fashion’. The editors requested that I write an article on a Turkish company that I had visited several times in Istanbul. As an introduction, I laid out the following brief history of menswear in Turkey.

“Turkey boasts a long and rich history of textile production and menswear that dates back many centuries. The men’s fashion industry in Turkey climbed to new heights during the Ottoman period when swank administrators and wealthy members of society shrouded themselves in opulence, sporting fine silks, fur linings, and exquisite embroideries.

Turkey’s sartorial heritage has not gone unnoticed around the world but rather has resounded on the shores of many nations. Recently, the low-crotch Turkish pants called salvars have appeared on the catwalks of some of the most prestigious fashion weeks in Europe. Even Issey Miyake drew inspiration from the striped Ottoman-styled pants and national flower for the 2010 Spring/Summer collection entitled “Very, Very Mosaic.”

Previously the capital city of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is heir to all the luxuriant traditions of sumptuous menswear and refined textile production. Straddling two continents, Europe and Asia, Istanbul is also a crossroads where Eastern and Western styles converge and mingle on a daily basis.

The modern apparel industry, however, was not born until the industrial boom of the 60’s and 70’s, when countless little shops mushroomed throughout the city. Strong work ethics, inexpensive labor, keen business sense, and a local cotton industry have all contributed to the explosive growth of a vibrant manufacturing industry.

But due to both internal and external factors, Istanbul could not afford to settle with mere textile production. Technical advances within the country and intensifying competition from abroad have thrust the Turkish apparel industry to new heights, giving birth to higher quality fabrics and a thriving ready-to-wear industry.

Within the last decade, Turkish labels have been springing up everywhere. Some claim that close to one-third of all manufacturers in Istanbul have ventured into value-added brand names, which can be seen in showrooms all throughout the city’s three fashion districts: Merter, Laleli, and Osmanbey.”

By Francesco Di Maio for Uomo Moda

Photo top right Copyright Uomo Moda.
Photo middle left, Francesco at breakfast, Istanbul, Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.
Photo bottom right, vendors in Istanbul, Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.

Cohesive—Prep'd to the Edge

Spanning 90 blocks of wholesale-retail business, which totals billions of dollars in yearly revenue, the Los Angeles Fashion District is undoubtedly the West Coast hub of the US garment industry.

Referred to as the "Garment District" since the 1930’s, the area was equally known for its clothing knockoffs, widespread homelessness, and dirty streets. But that all began to change with the renovating efforts of organizations like BID—the Fashion District Business Improvement District—who renamed it the "Fashion District."

Rising from the depths of this concrete jungle of literally thousands of businesses is no easy task! But fusing function with fashion, designer Dave Appel of Cohesive has surfaced as the functionally innovative standard of men’s clothing.

Designing from the age of 15, Dave has learned to pay close attention to minute details as seen in the line's intricate seam stitching and the brand’s signature item—the embossed skull button.

If you are a "9-5 professional" in need to taking off that jacket and tie after work for a funkier weekend, then Cohesive’s edgy prep-look is the right one for you!



Photo 2009 a/w collection Copyright Cohesive.
Slide show 2009 a/w collection Copyright Cohesive.