Nasheli Ortiz González, chair of the Fashion Design and Textile Department at Moore, testified before Philadelphia City Council February 19 about the state of the city's fashion and garment industry.
Ortiz-González was one of several fashion design industry leaders and organizers of the annual Philadelphia Fashion Week to speak before the council's Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy, chaired by Councilman David Oh. This year’s Philly Fashion Week, running February 18 - 22, is expected to attract over 10,000 fashion executives and consumers to the city – a window into Philadelphia’s potential within the industry.
"Fashion has a strong sociocultural impact and has played an important role in empowering marginalized communities," said Ortiz-González, who has presented in some of the top fashion design platforms in the world, including Paris Fashion Week. "The city of Philadelphia must support fashion as a cultural asset. Fashion creates value. It improves not only the creative cultural landscape, it also benefits the economy."
"We see students in our college graduate and leave Philadelphia," she continued. "We need them here. And that is where the city of Philadelphia must take action."
Also testifying were Michelle Shannon, Center City District vice president of marketing; Sarah Frank, marketing director for the Philadelphia Fashion District; Rachel Ford, founder of the Made Institute; and Elissa Bloom, executive director of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator.
According to a news release from city government, at the turn of the 20th century, Philadelphia was a global leader in the fashion and textile industries. Notable apparel giants of the era, including Stetson and Jacob Reed’s Sons, were headquartered in Philadelphia. By the 1980s, however, the number of Philadelphians employed in the industry was cut in half, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since its decline, New York City and Los Angeles have traditionally headquartered America’s booming fashion and garment industry. The industry holds an annual global valuation of over $2 trillion dollars, according to Forbes.
Shifting trends may present opportunities for cities like Philadelphia to reclaim a piece of the market. The city provides many of the same benefits of New York City – an international airport, vibrant consumer base, esteemed colleges and a strong workforce – with a lower cost of living and friendlier tax structure. It also has established roots within the industry on which to build.
