Fashion CEO to Open Fashion Hub in Detroit

**313WX** · September-14-17, 04:27 PM

Detroit native Jeffrey Aronsson wants to establish a fashion hub and campus here in the city. It's expected for the plans to be finalized in February 2018.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...oit/105597516/

**masterblaster** · September-15-17, 12:44 AM

"Both Aronsson and Duggan said the concept includes a concentrated campus where multiple businesses would be located together. Figures on the anticipated investment and job creation are still being worked out."

Mr. Aronsson, meet Mr. Fernando Palazuelo, owner of the Packard Plant

OR

Mr. Aronsson, meet Mr. Dennis Kellafinos, owner of the vacated Russell Street Bazaar

MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!

**Honky Tonk** · September-15-17, 06:50 AM

Being the fashion plate I am, I've read the article twice, and besides the usual hipster buzz words, I'm not sure what's supposed to be going on here. What is a fashion hub/campus? I mean what does it do? Does he mean sewing clothes together? There's a reason the garment industry went belly-up on the East Coast, two words, Sri Lanka. The Duggan re-election campaign might be clutching @ straws. Cotton Comes to Detroit.

**401don** · September-15-17, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Being the fashion plate I am, I've read the article twice, and besides the usual hipster buzz words, I'm not sure what's supposed to be going on here. What is a fashion hub/campus? I mean what does it do? Does he mean sewing clothes together? There's a reason the garment industry went belly-up on the East Coast, two words, Sri Lanka. The Duggan re-election campaign might be clutching @ straws. Cotton Comes to Detroit.

I don't know a lot about the industry either but you might be surprised how many work in it. My daughter-in-law started producing her own line of women's fashions in Toronto a few years ago. She has a store, a studio and several locations across Ont. selling her line. These tops and dresses retail for $50-150. The factories in Toronto are humming with seamstresses. There are 45,000 people directly involved in manufacturing in Canada. To get several businesses together and share a facility, provide manufacturing, marketing and distribution help, etc., similar to artists, makes a lot of sense. Employing 500-1000 people would be nothing.

**Honky Tonk** · September-15-17, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I don't know a lot about the industry either but you might be surprised how many work in it. My daughter-in-law started producing her own line of women's fashions in Toronto a few years ago. She has a store, a studio and several locations across Ont. selling her line. These tops and dresses retail for $50-150. The factories in Toronto are humming with seamstresses. There are 45,000 people directly involved in manufacturing in Canada. To get several businesses together and share a facility, provide manufacturing, marketing and distribution help, etc., similar to artists, makes a lot of sense. Employing 500-1000 people would be nothing.

Alright, bring it on, then. I just have these visions of the pictures of sewing sweatshops I've seen in foreign countries, where some workers burned to death. Do you think she could hem some slacks for me?

**dtowncitylover** · September-15-17, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Alright, bring it on, then. I just have these visions of the pictures of sewing sweatshops I've seen in foreign countries, where some workers burned to death. Do you think she could hem some slacks for me?

Have you ever heard of labor laws?

**401don** · September-15-17, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Alright, bring it on, then. I just have these visions of the pictures of sewing sweatshops I've seen in foreign countries, where some workers burned to death. Do you think she could hem some slacks for me?

To be honest, a lot of these workers are Asian immigrants. A lot of the work is piecemeal and the gov't has a hard time enforcing labor laws. There are many reputable factories also however and you can go in and inspect and interview people before sending your work there. The working conditions are certainly better than in Asia. As for the slacks, forget it. She's too busy to do mine.

**313WX** · September-15-17, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Being the fashion plate I am, I've read the article twice, and besides the usual hipster buzz words, I'm not sure what's supposed to be going on here. What is a fashion hub/campus? I mean what does it do? Does he mean sewing clothes together? There's a reason the garment industry went belly-up on the East Coast, two words, Sri Lanka. The Duggan re-election campaign might be clutching @ straws. Cotton Comes to Detroit.

At least it's something else to talk about besides Kid Rock ad-nauseam

**Honky Tonk** · September-15-17, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Have you ever heard of labor laws?

Have you ever heard of "bottom line"?

**Meddle** · September-15-17, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Have you ever heard of labor laws?

Have you ever heard of bribery and corruption in public officials? Human trafficking?

Read up on some of the Korean issues in nail salons.

I'm guessing this 'hub' would be more about creative design, advertising and management [[stuffed suit stuff) than grunt sweatshop stuff.

**canuck** · September-15-17, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I don't know a lot about the industry either but you might be surprised how many work in it. My daughter-in-law started producing her own line of women's fashions in Toronto a few years ago. She has a store, a studio and several locations across Ont. selling her line. These tops and dresses retail for $50-150. The factories in Toronto are humming with seamstresses. There are 45,000 people directly involved in manufacturing in Canada. To get several businesses together and share a facility, provide manufacturing, marketing and distribution help, etc., similar to artists, makes a lot of sense. Employing 500-1000 people would be nothing.

Yes, it is surprising but there is still a sizable shmatta business in Montreal. But there used to be 50,000 workers 25 years ago. I dont know how many there are left.

**dtowncitylover** · September-15-17, 01:50 PM

Ah ok, I guess 100 years of labor laws are going to go disregarded because Detroit thinks it wants to be a fashion hub.

**Honky Tonk** · September-15-17, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Ah ok, I guess 100 years of labor laws are going to go disregarded because Detroit thinks it wants to be a fashion hub.

Well, That's one way to look @ it. Another way to look @ it is no one is going to work in Detroit for $2.25 a day. That means they'll have to pay people, @ least, minimum wage. [[the people doing the grunt work) That would mean an increase in the cost of their clothing. Which, of course means they lose their competitive edge. Of course their plan could be to make, and sew, high-end, one-of-a-kind, designer clothing, which sells for more money. In that case they could ask and probably get $250 for a pair of "Detroit" blue jeans. Who knows, there weren't a lot of details in the article. That market sounds like a crap shoot to me. But what do I know about the clothing business.

DetroitNightLights · September-15-17, 02:28 PM

To ease confusion, fashion hubs are places where fashion companies locate. It might not be where the clothes are made, but it is where the companies are headquartered, and the clothes are designed. Detroit as an automotive or tech hub works the same way. Hubs exist in order to share resources, infrastructure, and to hold shows.

There are several reasons someone might want to create a fashion hub in Detroit. One is that there is a lot of designers coming from Detroit, and the city has developed its own style. Every city with a fashion hub typically has its own unique style, the same way that cities can have their own pizza styles. Paris focuses more on elegance, while New York focuses on athletic and health conscious American urbanites. Milan tries to do a mix of ready-to-wear clothes and more elegant styles. London focuses on the modern.

For those of us who care about fashion, it will be interesting to see what will become "Detroit's" style on the international stage. An active artist community plays a huge role in deciding what is fashionable. The cultural makeup matters too, and designers in Detroit like to try to find designs that cross cultural barriers. Large existing companies say something about what people will buy. Carhartt is already here representing rugged working class wear, but higher end companies are in Detroit too. Shinola is one heavily focusing on the new tech scene.

**dtowncitylover** · September-15-17, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

But what do I know about the clothing business.

I don't know, what do you know about the clothing business? Nothing you said, which I agree with, makes you any more knowledgeable that us. I could've said that.

**Honky Tonk** · September-15-17, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

I don't know, what do you know about the clothing business? Nothing you said, which I agree with, makes you any more knowledgeable that us. I could've said that.

Did someone leave the toilet seat up last night?