Manufacturing Local: Benefits for both traditional retail and e-commerce brands. Working with the right manufacturing partners.
About Bob: CEO + Founder of Manufacture New York
Manufacture NY is a fashion incubator/factory hybrid dedicated to providing independent designers with the resources & skills to streamline their production process & transform local manufacturing into the most affordable, innovative option for all.
Her brand, Brooklyn Royalty, was founded in 2006 + always Made in NYC, is inspired by the fiercely independent spirit and highly individual aesthetic of King’s County residents. A professional apparel + graphic designer with previous experience at Marc by Marc Jacobs, Triple Five Soul, Rugby by Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic, Bob combines timeless design principles, premium materials and hand-printed graphics to create garments that are meant to look and wear better over time.
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About Matthew: Co-Founder of Maker's Row
Matthew received a BFA in industrial design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York in 2007. He began his professional career designing watches for Marc Jacobs, DKNY, and Diesel. After working in the watch industry, he decided to start his own line, Steel Cake, having watches made overseas. Though previously designing and overseeing production for big brands, he found that manufacturing as an independent brand overseas would be a much different experience. Extended turnaround periods, language barriers, and continuous manufacturing errors brought the Steel Cake Watch line to a close. In 2010, Burnett decided to start a line of leather goods (The Brooklyn Bakery) using domestic manufacturers in order to maintain control over the quality of production and form closer relationships with the suppliers and contractors. In 2011 Burnett partnered with Tanya Menendez on The Brooklyn Bakery to manage sales and operations. After pairing with Burnett on the accessories brand, Menendez suggested that they develop a resource that would assist designers in finding American manufacturers. With Burnett’s background in manufacturing and Menendez’s experience with operations, they began to develop the blueprint for what is today, Maker’s Row.
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About Seth: Seth Friedermann is the Director of Designer Relations at Manufacture NY.
Seth is a fountain of knowledge on fashion marketing, branding and social media, having spent the past seven years serving emerging designers within various consulting firms and positions. He also held the position of Managing Editor at online publication ModaCycle.
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