Manhattan Garment District

The Garment District is a neighborhood in Manhattan located between Fifth and Ninth Avenue and 34th and 42nd Streets that is easy to find with any New York discount car rental. Since the early 20th century, it has been the center for fashion and design in the United States.

New York is said to be the fashion capital of the United States, with over $14 billion dollars in sales annually. The Garment District has a number of warehouses and manufacturers that contribute to the city’s economy, with one third of all clothing manufactured in the Untied States coming from here. When you shop the Garment District in your NYC van rental, you may see some of the offices of the biggest names in fashion. Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne, and Nicole Miller have all set up shop in the area.

When you visit the Garment District with your Manhattan large SUV rental from Prestige Car Rental, you may learn that the area has a somewhat shady past. New York was originally the center of the garment industry because they made clothes for slaves on the southern plantations. It was more efficient for owners to buy clothes rather than have the slaves make the clothes themselves. At the same time, these shops operated legitimate businesses for sailors and other business people who were looking for ready-made clothing. The Civil War increased production in the area because uniforms were needed for soldiers.

Manufacturing at the Manhattan Garment District has declined in recent years. Although this is still the center of production of clothing in New York, many jobs are lost yearly. When you drive by in your NYC convertible rental, you may notice that many of the old factories have been turned into condos. The area is especially appealing because it is located near Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal.

When you visit the Garment District you will want to park your car and take a walk around. The Fashion Walk of Fame in NYC is the only permanent landmark to American fashion and it is found here. There is also the Needle threading a button at the Fashion Center Business Improvement District’s information kiosk. You can also learn more about what is being done to save the neighborhood and attract more designers.

One thing you may want to do that is unique to the Garment District is to go fabric shopping! Some shops only carry bridal fabrics and laces, while other specialize in woolens and other materials. If you have a little time to dig around, you just might leave with a beautiful piece of fabric that you can turn into your own design!