CAN FASHION REALLY JUMP START ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
Mariessa Terrell talks fashion with Council Member Kwame Brown, Chairman of Committee on Economic Development (www. kwamebrowndc.com). Interview conducted Nov. 19, 2007.
Mariessa (MRT): Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Council Member Kwame Brown, the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Development at the DC City Council. Good Morning, Council Member Brown
Council Member Brown (KB): Good Morning.
MRT: On June 15, 2007 you joined Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr. and Council Member Marion Barry to co-sponsor Bill 17-173 to create a Fashion Commission in Washington, DC.
MRT: Can you tell us about the Bill and why you think that it is important?
KB: When people think of Washington, DC they think of a stuffy place. They think of politics, museums, non-profits…not necessarily fashion. DC is a fashion town and [the Council Members who sponsored the Bill to create a Fashion Commission] sought to model [the District after] other cities like Chicago and New York that have created a way for fashion to thrive in the city.
MRT: Right now, the Bill is in your Committee and is on its way to mark up. What is the current status of the Bill?
KB: The Bill was introduced...and we had a hearing right away on the Bill. But, right now in the District, there are just so many different things going on [including issues dealing with] the CFO’s office and the schools that have taken precedence over the Fashion Bill. But we hope to get it marked up before year’s end.
MRT: What role do you think fashion retail development plays in Washington?
KB: To have a Fashion Corridor in the city, a place just for fashion where you can have local designers and local businesses partnering together to showcase the work of local designers would be phenomenal! We can’t just put franchises throughout the District of Columbia. Fashion should be a part of the culture and the diversity of the city. The Fashion Incubator will allow our young folks in High School or who have graduated from High School to pursue their dreams. Their dreams may not be a regular 9 to 5 [job] and may include fashion. You never know. We could have the next Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Phat Farm or Sean John right here in the District of Columbia. Would n’t that be a great thing? Hopefully they will open up a facility here. Vocational education is not just about the construction trade or sciences or the computer industry. Fashion is one of those areas that could thrive [here].
MRT: How do we ensure that our neighborhoods will benefit from the development taking place in Washington, DC?
KB: Clearly local residents and local business owners should be able to participate and that is why I have created an atmosphere that will allow for local ownership on development projects [and will] make sure that 50% of the projects will go towards local businesses. But more importantly we need to try to help define what should be [in the neighborhoods]. If we are going to build a new community, what will that new community look like? Clearly residents who don’t have sit down restaurants in [their neighborhoods] want [and deserve] those things. But, they also want [and deserve] to shop! You don’t want to have to go to Tyson’s Corner, Pentagon City or New York City to shop. You should be able to have some places [in the District] that you can go to and “buy local, stay local.”
MRT: I am so glad that you said that, because that is one thing that Simone’s Washington is very interested in -recapturing the millions of dollars that residents spend at shops located outside of the District. What are some of your favorite local boutiques? I don’t have time to shop…but….my wife loves to shop. [One of her favorite boutiques] is Wild Women Wear Red [located at 1512 U Street, NW- www.wildwomenwearred.com]. There is nothing like taking visitors from out of town to our local boutiques. When people come to Washington, they don’t want to see…franchises. They need to see some of the local flavor and local boutiques….That’s what it’s all about, showcasing our own talent. I do know a [designer] who is really wonderful…I met him at your fashion event, The Capital Catwalk (www.capitalcatwalk.com) put on by the High Tea Society (www.highteasociety.org). It was phenomenal! I would never even have thought that you could have an event like that in Washington, DC. When I walked into the [Andrew Mellon] Museum (www.mellonauditorium.com) I swore I was somewhere else, outside of Washington, DC. It just shows that if we think outside of the box, we can create something! There were some fabulous fashions showcased at the event. But you know some people may have to leave the city because we are not giving them the exposure that they need. My job is to figure out how we can do that.
MRT: Well thank you Council Member for speaking with us today.
KB: Thank you, and let me also thank you for all the time that you have spent…being an advisor to this Bill that was introduced…to create a Fashion Commission. It is your vision that has caused us to push the envelope and think differently.
No comments:
Post a Comment