Barneys New York, the CFDA and seven top fashion names are ready to show the world just how great “Made in New York” clothes can be.
Later this month, Barneys will unveil the Made in New York collection, the product of an initiative with the CFDA in support of the City’s Made in NY program. Specifically, the collection – designed by Altuzarra, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, The Row, R13,Rag & Bone and Thom Browne – benefits the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI), a program of the CFDA in partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
“We are a New York-based company and the rich history of this city is deeply ingrained in our DNA,” said Barneys New York COO Daniella Vitale. “We feel a certain sense of pride in highlighting an industry that is still very much alive in New York.
“We have an obligation to the City of New York and to our design community to support the revival of local production and manufacturing,” Vitale added. “We also understand the positive impact that this will have on job creation for people wishing to enter into this field”
The collection, available now exclusively at Barneys store and Barneys.com, is entirely produced by local New York-based manufacturers—and in addition to the 10 percent of proceeds from each sale benefiting the CFDA and FMI, the aim is to also raise awareness on the capability and knowledge of the local New York manufacturing industry, not just domestically but also internationally.
As CFDA President and CEO put it, “By partnering with Barneys and New York designers, we are making an important design statement here and to the world—that high-quality fashion can be made in New York City.
The collection focuses on a palette of black, white, gray and red. Priced from $95 to $4,800, the menswear, womenswear and accessories were made by local FMI grant manufacturers.
NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer called the collection “the latest in a series of Made in NY initiatives which strengthen the City’s local design and manufacturing sectors, and further our status as the fashion capital of the world. The fashion industry alone employs over 180,000 New Yorkers, and this Collection, with the partnership of Barneys New York and the CFDA, not only fortifies the industry, but also demonstrates the importance of high-quality fashion being made right here in New York City.”
And to make that point, Barneys is giving the collection an extra boost: During New York Fashion Week next month, the Made in New York pieces will be prominently featured in its Madison Avenue windows.