Creating a Fashion District or Fashion Incubator in Columbus?

[UrbanPlanner2112]

I’m thinking that it’s time for city planners to designate a working “Fashion District” in Columbus. A district where we would have design studios, and fashion start-ups, in addition to some retail that is tied to the start-ups. The focus would be on design and small-batch manufacturing for clothing and accessories as a way to nurture the future entrepreneurs in the industry.

Two obvious places that come to mind are the general vicinity of the Cleveland Avenue Corridor just north of downtown and in the general vicinity of the Rich St. corridor in Franklinton. Perhaps anchored by a non-profit fashion hub similar to Glass Axis.

What do you think? Any other ideas along these lines?

[Jason Powell]

I always thought a new “fashion district” would work well on a redeveloped Long Street corridor leading up to CCAD. It would be nice if some of our big names (Limited, Abercrombie, etc.) would set up some offices downtown instead of out in the middle of nowhere.

[Walker Evans]

I had lunch with Denny Griffith a few years ago and pitched the idea of a CCAD-led incubator facility that combined the world-class fashion design program at CCAD with the fashion merchandising school at OSU with corporate backing from The Limited, Abercrombie, DSW, Schottenstein, etc. My thought would be something that combines the co-working “maker space” concept of The Idea Foundry with the public-facing retail component of The North Market.

Fashion grads from CCAD and OSU could launch their own lines, have space to use industrial-sized equipment, access to mentorship and materials, and the public would have a new place to shop for one-of-a-kind locally made high-end goods. The project gives easy access to fresh talent for the big companies, and graduates have a new resource in Columbus that they don’t have to leave to find in LA or NYC or Chicago or elsewhere.

Griffith said this was exactly the type of thinking behind their since-launched MindMarket, which was still being developed at the time we met. This incubator space is similar, but focused on a wider range of design-based startups (advertising design, graphic design, industrial design) and not really on fashion:

http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/ccad-mindshop-incubator-creatives-succeed-business/

I’d also love to see the Alternative Fashion Mob involved in some capacity. Their long term goals are to open an incubator space at some point in the future:

http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/alternative-fashion-mob-gives-clothing-design-entrepreneurs-a-boost/

[GeeDee]

I’m thinking that it’s time for city planners to designate a working “Fashion District” in Columbus.

I guess I’ll buy the general idea it would be nice to have a Fashion District.

However, I don’t think local government needs to be or should be the/a driving force.

[UrbanPlanner2112]

GeeDee wrote:

I’m thinking that it’s time for city planners to designate a working “Fashion District” in Columbus.

I guess I’ll buy the general idea it would be nice to have a Fashion District.

However, I don’t think local government needs to be or should be the/a driving force.

The government’s role could be limited to organizing stakeholders and creating policies like tax abatement zones that would help concentrate the development in focused area, hence creating the synergy by creating a coherent “district”.

[Of an Era Leathercraft]

I think it would be great to start a district for designers and future fashion business start-ups. The problem I see involves the manufacturing side. As the owner of a small shop myself, I see that there are not many American workers who are capable of working efficiently in a textile manufacturing setting (or want to, for that matter). Additionally, much of the knowledge about how to efficiently manufacture goods is no longer part of our business culture. We just leave that part up to our overseas partners and call it a day. A fully functional fashion district should have a production house or two, no?

Suggestion: start with a sewing/manufacturing school and make sure you have the workforce to make your short-run fashion vision come to life. Then, equipped with knowledge of these manufacturing parameters, design. Make sure to focus on manufacturing, and the design innovation will follow.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years trying to find the intersection of cost, time, price and sellability. I’ve try to design and manufacture items that walk the line. The fact is, the more complicated an item gets, the price gap between it and foreign made items grows exponentially. And the price tipping point is pretty low. Keep talking, Columbus. I’d love to see this happen for us!

[Walker Evans]

Of an Era Leathercraft wrote:

Suggestion: start with a sewing/manufacturing school and make sure you have the workforce to make your short-run fashion vision come to life. Then, equipped with knowledge of these manufacturing parameters, design. Make sure to focus on manufacturing, and the design innovation will follow.

I like this idea.

Perhaps there’s a nonprofit group with a focus on workforce development initiatives that could operate that side of things – training, skillset development, employment opportunities, etc.

There’s a lot of good angles on this type of project IMHO.

[Achekov]

I would love to get some bespoke shoes. I’d probably pay at like 1-2 weeks salary for a pair. Stamped “Made in USA”. Someone please start a cobbler shop.

[Ned23]

Actually, shoes are the kind of thing that modern computerized manufacturing might help make possible to be made locally again in modest numbers. You could use 3D printing and imaging to make the insoles, and then it’s just a matter of putting the bottom sole and upper on. I’ve seen machines that you stand on that read your feet. If you connect those to a machine that prints out the insole, then you’re in business, so to speak.

[Ned23]

Of an Era Leathercraft wrote:

I think it would be great to start a district for designers and future fashion business start-ups. The problem I see involves the manufacturing side. As the owner of a small shop myself, I see that there are not many American workers who are capable of working efficiently in a textile manufacturing setting (or want to, for that matter). Additionally, much of the knowledge about how to efficiently manufacture goods is no longer part of our business culture. We just leave that part up to our overseas partners and call it a day. A fully functional fashion district should have a production house or two, no?

Suggestion: start with a sewing/manufacturing school and make sure you have the workforce to make your short-run fashion vision come to life. Then, equipped with knowledge of these manufacturing parameters, design. Make sure to focus on manufacturing, and the design innovation will follow.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years trying to find the intersection of cost, time, price and sellability. I’ve try to design and manufacture items that walk the line. The fact is, the more complicated an item gets, the price gap between it and foreign made items grows exponentially. And the price tipping point is pretty low. Keep talking, Columbus. I’d love to see this happen for us!

I agree. I guess buy your name that you make leather goods. I have bought a couple of really nice handmade full-grain leather belts from local crafters, and at that level they really aren’t that much more expensive than a store belt (~ $40-50), but they’re made much better and don’t come apart or split over time.

[vestanpance]

Isn’t there some fashion focused festival this summer. I’m sure I read about it somewhere, but the advertising seems lacking.

[Achekov]

vestanpance wrote:

Isn’t there some fashion focused festival this summer. I’m sure I read about it somewhere, but the advertising seems lacking.

Possibly the FMMF (“Fashion Meets Music Festival”) Looks like it’s in August:

FMMF Columbus – August 20-21, 2014

[Achekov]

Re:

Ned23 wrote:

Handmade full-grain leather belts from local crafters…

If you’re really serious, you get a blacksmith to make the buckle, too.

[UrbanPlanner2112]

^^ This is your Columbus branding idea ^^

[Nancy H]

vestanpance wrote:

Isn’t there some fashion focused festival this summer. I’m sure I read about it somewhere, but the advertising seems lacking.

HighBall

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