Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Garment Production Facility and Fashion Incubator in DC?

I just got back from a fabulous week in New York which included the 38th International African Arts Festival, the opening of the Afropunk festival at BAM, Summerstage in Central Park with Asa, Les Nubians, and Oumou Sangare, and shopping the garment district for fabric for the fall line I'm showing on August 15th (more on that to come). As I'm always looking for good seamstresses, more money, or a missed connection, I am frequently on craigslist. I stumbled across an advertisement for a company "setting up a small garment manufacturing faciltiy in DC".

Further research led me to a Singa Inc, which is right down the street from my house no less. Apparently, run through the Department of Employment Services, "The focus of SiNGA’s unique set of courses in product creation, market development and retail management provides portable skills that enhance customer service, salesmanship, and professional training for the participants as a basis for a career in retail, and creating young fashion entrepreneurs that launch creative designs into the marketplace."

Upon a phone call and a little deductive reasoning, I've learned that they have just purchased some industrial sewing machines and are hiring seamstresses (for august) who will work in the garment production facility and eventually in their FASHION INCUBATOR! Questions about if and how this project is connected to GWFCC's fashion incubator initiative as well as why you have to go through the DOES to benefit from Signa's services as they are now were returned with vague answers, but I was told to call back when someone more knowledgeble was available to speak with me. I will get to the bottom of this...as this is very exciting news!

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting indeed! Excellent news if it turns out as great as it sounds!

    ReplyDelete