On the heels of the successful Fashion Manufacturing Initiative FMI program in New York City, the CFDA headed to Los Angeles to explore the landscape of fashion manufacturing there and discuss ways to support this important facet of the industry.

On Wednesday morning, the CFDA and Not Just a Label (NJAL) presented “An Intro to LA Manufacturing,” hosted by Chrome Hearts’ Laurie Lynn and Richard Stark at the brand’s extensive Hollywood headquarters.

Pamela Skaist-Levy, Gela Nash-Taylor, Clare Vivier, Greg Lauren and Rosetta Getty were among the designers who attended and learned how the CFDA and NJAL work to preserve and elevate fashion production. Monique Lhuillier, Greg Chait, Josh Willis of SECOND/LAYER and Laurie Lynn Stark shared their personal experiences and the successes and roadblocks they faced when navigating fashion manufacturing in their West Coast hometown.

Lynn Stark, who produces 90 percent of Chrome Hearts under one roof in the Hollywood facility and employs over 600 people, said, “As a company whose DNA has always been driven by supporting and nurturing local artisans, producing our goods here [in Los Angeles] is of paramount importance to us. As Members of the CFDA community, I think we need to be our own monitors of this industry’s entire landscape, from sales to manufacturing to technology to protecting designs and guarding against piracy. We couldn’t be more optimistic about the limitless potential this city has in the area of production.”

The event wrapped up with an open discussion from the designers on hand, whose design and product categories ranged from intimates and swim to luxury womenswear and denim. Ideas, suggestions, and challenges were shared among the group. They also noted the similarities and differences between manufacturing sectors in New York and Los Angeles, and identified areas of production in Los Angeles that could be improved with financial and resource support.