A passion for fashion in Miami

A passion for fashion in South Florida - Bradenton Herald: " .  . .  Among the benefits of being based in Miami is lower costs. Chang figures he pays one quarter of what he would have to spend in New York, for everything from salaries to space. One of the challenges designers face, however, is the lack of a fabric district. In New York, a designer can easily run down the street to stock up on raw materials, Parsons said. . . .  Fashion design, of course, is not new to South Florida. As an industry, it has seen its ups and downs, particularly as much of manufacturing has moved overseas. . . . "There was a lot of apparel migration from New York in the late '50s and '60s -- it started in Wynwood and Hialeah, and it was a time when Cuban refugees were coming in that created a great, talented labor force, with intelligent, hardworking, loyal people," Varat said. Today, the industry is experiencing a revival, and new fashion lines are constantly emerging. Take designer Alessia Solari, who launched her line of sandals earlier this year. Such newcomers supplement other growing South Florida brands -- like Bogosse, Liancarlo, Petit Pois and Peace Love World. And while designers once started with wholesale and then opened their own shops after they became established, nowadays many designers start out selling their designs online or at their own stores, like designer Arianne Brown, who sells her Ramona La Rue by Arianne line at her stores in Midtown, Coconut Grove and Miami Beach, and just opened a fourth store Saturday in Fort Lauderdale. . . ." (read more at link above)

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