As our country moves to a new administration with the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the fashion industry is looking to Washington, D.C. With the historic election of the first female Vice President who is Black and  South Asian descent and a First Lady in Dr. Biden, who as a teacher will continue in the classroom, there is a lot to be excited about in what they wear and the message they send in promoting American fashion.

We have already seen this with CFDA members Ralph Lauren, Christopher John Rogers, Joseph Altuzarra, Irene Neuwirth, Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, Prabal Gurung, Gabriela Hearst, Michael Kors, Kerby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia for Oscar de La Renta taking center stage. The visibility and support afforded them is good for each brand but also a boost for the industry overall. American fashion contributes $383 billion to the U.S. economy.

The business side of fashion is in critical need of support and there is reason to be optimistic that Joe Biden understands that it is an engine for American jobs.

Already, we see how he is prioritizing an economy rescue package with the $1.9 Trillion stimulus and the expedited vaccine roll-out plan as he enters the office. Both will help overall economic recovery, and should also bode well for the fashion and retail sectors which have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.

With that in mind, the incoming Biden administration will hopefully extend the COVID-19 financial relief programs to allow many fashion companies to continue to operate.

Duties and tariffs were a significant challenge in the last administration. We look to President Biden to reduce these to provide fashion businesses with opportunities for long-term success.

Additionally, supporting domestic production is a CFDA priority. Tax incentives for designers who want to make their clothes in the U.S. would be welcome.

Immigration reform is needed that supports a robust fashion industry workforce from factory workers to foreigners looking to establish brands in the US. We are encouraged by plans to give undocumented immigrants and refugees a path to citizenship.

Sustainability is a key pillar of the CFDA. President Biden has made the environment and climate change a priority. At a time when more and more fashion companies are looking to implement sustainable business practices, the new administration’s commitment to this will be good for fashion.

The President is building the most diverse Cabinet in American history, which is something he had promised during his campaign. The CFDA is firmly committed to our work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We hope to also be creating the necessary change within the American fashion industry.

This is a time to be hopeful, and to stand with the new President in uniting and healing our country. The next four years will bring change. Change is always good. As a powerful industry, American fashion can be part of that change.