Dover Street Market is a department store that displays high-end clothing and fashion forward conceptual displays and is located at 160 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016. Each brand has its own space and aesthetic. The pillars are also decorated to match and portray each brand’s concept. I thought the displays were very cool as it reflected each brand’s inspiration and concept. Dover Street Market is important to the fashion industry because it’s a unique way of displaying clothing from most retailers. I wish we had more stores like Dover Street Market because it helps create more of a retail experience. This experience will impact my future career because no one is sure what retail will look like in the next ten years and it is time that the fashion industry come together to reinvent itself.

The Bromley Group is a PR, social media, events coordinator, and marketing consultant located at 15 W 26th St #3, New York, NY 10010. They are still trying to discover what PR means in today’s day in age as the term in our world is constantly evolving. I was really interested to see how they were able create hype around an unknown product called high. High contains marijuana in its skincare. Through creating hype in Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and other media outlets, high had already become a well recognized brand. I believe that the Bromley group is important to the fashion industry because they can help persuade or even change public opinion about products. When Uggs first came out, America had never heard of the brand, but because a celebrity was seen wearing it, she told her famous mother who also then told her group of friends. This is how Uggs got started as a household name. I will use this experience for my future career because I may even help with a fashion show for them. I do have a better understanding of how much PR helps companies with brand awareness and brand equity.

M & S Schmalberg is a manufacturer of custom fabric flowers and is located in New York City. The company is a family owned business and has been around for 103 years. They manufacture artificial flowers for bridal, apparel, milliner, costumes, window display, interior design, headpieces and lapel flowers and bouquets. They were working on the flower production for Vera Wang from her latest collection. I also saw a picture of the flowers on the deep v-neck dress staring Constance Wu in Crazy Rich Asians. It was really interesting to see a niche business survive for that long and make a huge name for themselves. The owner showed us how a flower is produced from all of the cut dies to the women making and assembling the flowers. I think M & S Schmalberg greatly impacts the fashion industry because of its history and they are one of the last manufacturers still left in the United States with such a unique niche market. I will use this experience in my future career because I never realized something as simple as an artificial silk flower can impact the fashion industry because of the designers and celebrities creating or wearing it.

The Tenement Museum is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and is a national historic site. The museum was home to about 15,000 people, most who were immigrants. Two tenant’s room display everyday living with families of an average of five to seven kids. It was interesting to see how a 350 square feet apartment could hold a family of seven and a manufacturing facility. The family would have to be innovative and find sleeping arrangements for the entire family even if that meant sleeping on the floor or on the outside stairwell. The extravagant garments would be created inside the home for the upper class women. I think the Tenement Museum is so important to the fashion industry because it is a reflection of the industry’s history from immigrants and sweatshops. This experience applies to my future career because I have a better understanding of how fashion production got started in New York and a better understanding of why we have the labor laws we have.

The MET is the largest museum in the United States and is located on fifth avenue. It is also one of the most popular in the world and is the third most visited museum in the world. Some exhibits include: Art of Native America, Egypt, European Paintings, Instruments of Rock & Roll, Camp and many more. I was very impressed with the fashion exhibit, Camp as it relates to femininity and extravagance. Many designers take was to create something extraordinary out of something ordinary. For example, something as ordinary as cabbage can be turned into a hat that is a piece of art. The MET is so important to the fashion industry because it displays fashion history. Many times fashion trends repeat so understanding fashion history is key to understanding the past as well as the future. I will use this experience in my future career because I have a further understanding of where designers get their inspiration from.

I went to Bishop Collective which is an ethically sourced boutique. My teacher, Mai Vu helped start this boutique which is located on lower East side of Manhattan. The store name Bishop comes from the chess piece which has the most movability on the chess board. Bishop Collective buys apparel from upcoming designers with product prices ranging from $200-$600. I thought the store had a very charming presentation and was in a great location. Bishop Collective contributes to the fashion industry because it helps upcoming designers display and distribute their products. I will use this experience in my future because as a class we were able to ask Mai Vu questions about her journey in her career. She told us her life stories and tips on being stylist, buyer, and an industry insider.

Quick Turn Clothing is an apparel pattern and sample maker with product development services included. The company was founded by Charles and Marianne Webber who help small and large retailers with producing the perfect pattern. They receive a piece of paper with a drawing of the garment and from that drawing and fabric given they create a pattern in muslin. After the muslin sample, a prototype of the garment in the real fabric will be produced. The finished pattern will be sent to a pattern grader and marker and then can go into production after. Quick Turn Clothing contributes to the fashion industry as they are able to produce the first prototype and create the sample. The entire product development process may take about one month which is very fast for the fashion industry. I can use this experience in my future career as it is important to understand how a garment is constructed. Understanding the seams, fabric, and trims all contribute to the final cost of the product which in turn affects the final retail price for the piece and the collection as a whole.

Barneys New York Inc. is a luxury department store chain selling upscale designer clothing, accessories, and beauty. Designers include Givenchy, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Dior, and many more. Bergdorf Goodman is located on Fifth Avenue and is also a luxury department store. They are known for their extraordinary window displays and on the second floor is the shoe salon where women will meet to shop and hang out together. One main difference between these luxury department stores is amount of staff and how well they are put together. The stores are well lit with fewer merchandise and a clean, wide open space to shop. Couches and lounge areas are seen throughout the store. These luxury department stores influence the fashion industry because all of the top designers are sold in these retail stores. Some designers have even been discovered and have made it into a household name by being at Bergdorf Goodman. I will use this experience in my future career because the clothing and designers sold at these high end retailers influence the fashion industry in trends, silhouettes, color, and fabric. Also, its important to understand how should clothing be displayed and why not learn from the best who have done it for years.

Visiting the pop up shop was very interesting as retailers are at a point in time where they have to re-invent and rebrand to differentiate themselves. Marc Jacobs is creating ‘The Marc Jacobs’ as it represents that the individual person can be authentic and represent the true them. I was able to see the more ‘couture’ section which Marc Jacobs is trying to still represent himself and his love for the runway by creating couture designs at ready to wear prices. Overall, I think Marc Jacobs has greatly impacted the fashion industry because his flamboyant style and his love of the different decades. I can use this experience in my future career to better understand how the industry is rebounding and re-inventing themselves in this new age of technology and merchandising.