Mayors of London and New York Say Fashion Means Business

NEW YORK, United States — As fashion month began in New York this week, the CFDA and the BFC pulled in political heavyweights Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York, and Boris Johnson, mayor of London, to promote their respective fashion industries — and the contributions that they make to their local and national economies.

At MADE, which was recently acquired by IMG, Mayor de Blasio announced that New York will soon inject $15 million into fashion via grants, paid internships and technology, citing that the fashion industry employs 180,000 people, pays $11 billion in wages and generates $2 billion in annual tax revenue.

"In very real economic terms, this industry is more vital than ever," he said. "When you believe in something, you invest in it. The city of New York is tripling our investment in fashion initiatives.”

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson schmoozed with Anna Wintour and other British fashion implants in New York at a dinner organised by the BFC.

"We believe strongly that fashion and design are central to the future,” Johnson said. “Fashion is an industry that probably employs about 900,000 people in my country, and generates direct and indirect GDP of 49 billion pounds. It’s of huge importance.”

While it's not a new phenomenon for mayors to promote the role of fashion in their cities, the competing PR events seemed to signal that municipal governments have really begun to understand that fashion doesn't just lend a bit of glamour to the cultural life of a city, but also creates significant economic impact, and employs millions of people.

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