The Garment District NYC
Donation protected
Hello everyone! Thank you taking the time to visit this page.
In the coming weeks, I will be documenting, through street photography and portraiture, the Garment District in New York City: owners and employees of businesses in the neighborhood and people who utilize it. As the project progresses, images will be displayed from May 11th to June 11th in a storefront at 266 West 37th Street (a space granted to me through the art non-profit Chashama), located in the heart of the district. This project's aim is to bring to the forefront the thoughts, feelings, and energy of people who have worked in the district for decades, are part of a transition currently underway, and are new to the area.
The Garment District, NYC:
Earlier this year, the de Blasio administration in New York City unveiled a plan to rezone the Garment District in Manhattan and move all garment-related businesses from that area to Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Offering cash subsidies and a dedicated manufacturing center, the plan is designed to support the garment industry and keep jobs in New York, while the city removes a regulation put in place in 1987 to protect manufacturing in mid-town and converts the district to hotels and a hub for the TAMI (technology, media, advertising, and information) industry.
The Garment District is broadly defined as being between 5th and 9th Avenues and 34th and 42nd Streets, but is actually a smaller, intricate network of specialized shops, manufacturers, suppliers, artisans, and fabric stores that rely heavily not only on their proximity and convenience to the theater and fashion/fashion education industries, but also to each other. While moving to Sunset Park may be viable for some businesses, moving the entire or part of the district will disrupt an ecosystem that has survived and thrived through this geographical interconnectedness.
Whether sellers of fabric or notions (buttons, pins, interfacing, thread, and so forth) or manufacturers of clothing, jewelry, accessories, and samples, some businesses have already encountered difficulty either staying afloat or staying in place without protection from the city, as the cost of rent and/or manufacturing have risen, landlords refuse to renew rents, or jobs in manufacturing decrease.

Your generous financial contributions will help pay for the cost of film, printing supplies, film processing, photography equipment rental, and exhibition supplies.
Budget:
Equipment rental: $1,350
Camera rental: $500
Film: $500
Processing: $100
Darkroom paper: $400
Exhibition costs (framing supplies, advertising): $150
This project has already begun – you can see a couple of the images above already – and my hope is, with your help and support, this project can reach its full potential. I will stop shooting around June 7th and display selected images in a closing exhibition on Friday, June 9th.
Thank you to everyone who not only donates, but also provides helpful feedback and encouragement.
In the coming weeks, I will be documenting, through street photography and portraiture, the Garment District in New York City: owners and employees of businesses in the neighborhood and people who utilize it. As the project progresses, images will be displayed from May 11th to June 11th in a storefront at 266 West 37th Street (a space granted to me through the art non-profit Chashama), located in the heart of the district. This project's aim is to bring to the forefront the thoughts, feelings, and energy of people who have worked in the district for decades, are part of a transition currently underway, and are new to the area.
The Garment District, NYC:
Earlier this year, the de Blasio administration in New York City unveiled a plan to rezone the Garment District in Manhattan and move all garment-related businesses from that area to Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Offering cash subsidies and a dedicated manufacturing center, the plan is designed to support the garment industry and keep jobs in New York, while the city removes a regulation put in place in 1987 to protect manufacturing in mid-town and converts the district to hotels and a hub for the TAMI (technology, media, advertising, and information) industry.
The Garment District is broadly defined as being between 5th and 9th Avenues and 34th and 42nd Streets, but is actually a smaller, intricate network of specialized shops, manufacturers, suppliers, artisans, and fabric stores that rely heavily not only on their proximity and convenience to the theater and fashion/fashion education industries, but also to each other. While moving to Sunset Park may be viable for some businesses, moving the entire or part of the district will disrupt an ecosystem that has survived and thrived through this geographical interconnectedness.
Whether sellers of fabric or notions (buttons, pins, interfacing, thread, and so forth) or manufacturers of clothing, jewelry, accessories, and samples, some businesses have already encountered difficulty either staying afloat or staying in place without protection from the city, as the cost of rent and/or manufacturing have risen, landlords refuse to renew rents, or jobs in manufacturing decrease.
Your generous financial contributions will help pay for the cost of film, printing supplies, film processing, photography equipment rental, and exhibition supplies.
Budget:
Equipment rental: $1,350
Camera rental: $500
Film: $500
Processing: $100
Darkroom paper: $400
Exhibition costs (framing supplies, advertising): $150
This project has already begun – you can see a couple of the images above already – and my hope is, with your help and support, this project can reach its full potential. I will stop shooting around June 7th and display selected images in a closing exhibition on Friday, June 9th.
Thank you to everyone who not only donates, but also provides helpful feedback and encouragement.
Organizer
Payal Parikh
Organizer
New York, NY
