MASNYC + Design Trust Panel

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The Municipal Art Society of New York (MASNYC) + Design Trust For Public Space panel discussion with special guest Tim Gunn of Project Runway June 8, 2010. MAS fights for intelligent urban design, planning and preservation through education, dialogue and advocacy. For more information, kindly visit http://designtrust.org/ and http://mas.org/

Blurb from YAMS:

We need a “lifeguarded Domino effect.” I am willing and ready to snowball it. Here is my beginning. For great reviews on “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags,” visit the LA Times and PopMatters. Photographs by George Lee for The Push Episode.

GrungeCake: As a young tailor, I felt it was important for you to equip yourself with the raw knowledge about where your future [trade] has gone. Ninety-five percent of your business has left your country and only five percent remains. I can make a bet that colleges, institutes, and universities are aware of it, yet they are still enrolling students’ and promising jobs-careers after graduating. Does this analogy make you feel hopeful?

Ny Wesson: No, it doesn’t at all. Knowing the economy doesn’t need fashion in their time of crisis because people can’t afford to spend extra money on garments is very frightening. Universities such as OTIS and FIDM guarantees their students a stable job in the industry after attending their programs and graduating, so with such a great promise behind their names, determined dreamers such as myself get sucked into believing, “that will be me.” Therefore, it’s that will power that keeps us designers motivated and going. Schmatta has displayed the truth behind the scene. Sharing what’s really going on and it’s quite discouraging seeing how the industry has declined within such a short time span. I actually had a serious talk recently with my mother who is a RN and finds her job the best for me as a young woman. She’s not looking at my talent as a gift anymore because people need money, not talent. It’s not me that she doesn’t believe in, but the economy that gives us broken promises is what shifts her mind about my career path.

GrungeCake: Does this give you a completely new perspective on the recession-era we are living? If the major declines of the garment business over the span of 40 years were the main causes of America’s financial dilemma, wouldn’t it be reasonable for our government to rebuild?

Ny Wesson: Very much so. The fact of actually knowing my work might not sell and make business because garments are the main cause of America’s madness can take anyone for a loop. Some days I wake up hungry wanting to be a top designer and other days I wake up hungry because there’s no food. Literally. Meaning, I’m in need of a stable career. Understand? It’s a constant battle on whether, do you keep fighting the war to be where you want to be? Or do you surrender to the economy to be where you need to be and that’s wherever they place you. Might be a dead end 9 to 5, but that’s what is given to us now to survive. As far as the government rebuilding, indefinitely it’ll be very reasonable to rebuild but America doesn’t know how to pick things back up and make it new again.

GrungeCake: In the film, Irving Ruosso explains that he ripped off his uncle to make his fashion business boom. Do you think “knock-offs” are equally or highly responsible for the fail of our garment industry today?

Ny Wesson: With the economy being the root and “knocks-offs” growing into a tree, I believe they go hand in hand. “Knock-offs” have been around forever and slowly, but surely, it caught up with the economy. Designers aren’t getting full pay with people switching up the tags and duplicating a piece matching exactly with the original then charging only half of the retail price. You couldn’t beat that with a stick! So of course, people will wear the generic version to keep extra dollars in their fake LV wallets and YSL bags.

GrungeCake: Do you think “greed” is equally or highly responsible for the fail of the once, robust apparel manufacturing industry?

Ny Wesson: Greed is highly-equally responsible for the fail of anything!

GrungeCake: If you were in the position, would mild “knocking-off” be a consideration?

Ny Wesson: The phrase “fake it until you make it” never popped a great idea in my mind. I prefer quality over quantity.

GrungeCake: Can the fashion communities’ nation-wide revive good-paying jobs? If yes, share your ideas.

Ny Wesson: To be honest, no. Not in this era. People are beginning to recycle, learning how to make their own clothing, loosing weight to get back in a old pair of jeans versus going out and buying new items.

GrungeCake: American Apparel might not be the best brand to all — however, the brand’s made Downtown Los Angeles and for the most part is sold here. Before, watching “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags,” I thought very little of the company. Knowing that American Apparel has the power of increasing the five percentile, will you support their business? Will you support small businesses with the same basis?

Ny Wesson: Yes, if that’s what it takes to rebuild the industry then why not? If there is a good message behind the company, then I’m all for it.

GrungeCake: As an editor, and bona fied lover of art and expression, I want to see you and people like you happy, always and will continue to support and spread the scheme. Which brings me to “Save the Garment Center.” Save the Garment Center is a campaign spearheaded by designers Nanette Lepore and Anna Sui as well as many local designers, organizations and fashion manufacturers to preserve New York City’s fading Garment District. The loss of jobs and culture as a result of non-conducive zoning laws has led many in the industry to join together on a campaign to save what is left of the once-vibrant garment center. Fashion Week in September 2008 was filled with t-shirts that embodied the cause and provided contact information of city officials. Women’s Wear Daily highlighted the issue during this week, and many designers and members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America lauded the effort. Check it out when you have a moment. Will you let your friends know about this non-profit organization?

Ny Wesson: I will be sure to enlighten friends, family, and bystanders about it. This will help not only me, but everyone else who shares the same passion. I want to thank you for reaching out to the people in the industry and taking the matter seriously as well as bringing this to my attention. People like you gives us hope.

Below are clips that I shared with Ny. I have looked for order links to buy the film and haven’t been successful. If you find any, kindly contact me and I will add it in the post. Thanks in advance.

Lastly, I have searched for Save the Garment Center on Twitter [and Facebook] to find that there were ONLY 39 followers, making me follower number 40 [on Twitter]. Let’s change that and spread the word about “Save the Garment Center.” I have written to Bloomberg, Quinn, Stringer, Burden, Patrick Murphy, Randall, Nadler, Maloney. We hope it helps. Thanks to all in advance.