I’m so excited to say that LabelHorde will be getting a physical brick and mortar location where we can offer fashion industry incubator services including education, manufacturing and more!
If you’ve followed me from the beginning, you know this has been a long journey that started in the year 2000 when I moved back to AZ from LA and was forced to close down my LA based clothing brand Monkeywench due to lack of manufacturing resources in Arizona. When I realized there was no way to manufacture my clothing from here, I made it my mission to change that. It started with the initial creation of LabelHorde Magazine in the early 2000’s and has continued today with the reincarnation of LabelHorde as a digital fashion industry directory and resource for AZ. www.LabelHorde.com opened its virtual doors this past year and is now filled with hundreds of local fashion businesses who are using it to connect with each other. You can also find all AZ fashion jobs on the classifieds page, fashion events in the calendar and more. This has helped to unite the local industry, which has made sourcing easier, and as a result, local brands are able to find the things they need to start up and operate their businesses here. Now, they need even more including actual manufacturing.
The original plan and next natural step for LabelHorde has been to take this concept into the physical world by opening up an incubator space that would provide lessons and seminars, sample making, light manufacturing, design supplies, support services, and more to further scaffold local brands. I’ve been on a personal mission to create this space for years. I’ve written a thorough business plan and met with countless city and state officials as well as fashion and business advocates and anyone who would listen. Everyone has been very supportive and helpful, but what I really needed to make this happen was financial support and a subsidized location to start.
Recently a generous follower offered to provide financial support in the form of an interest free loan which I plan to utilize in the near future, but I’m still hoping to borrow the least amount of money possible and was really trying to get the city to support the idea with some free space. When that wasn’t looking like it would happen, I met with Amelia Walsh. Amelia is a long time friend, fellow FGI board member, fashion designer and most recently President of the local denim manufacturer Diego Milano. Amelia generously offered to let me test the LabelHorde incubator concept from the Diego Milano factory space! Amelia is also an advocate for local manufacturing and was even involved in LabelHorde’s original concept in the early 2000’s as a designer with her own collection. She has also personally experienced the obstacle of local manufacturing and as a result, had a vision to start a concept called Sew Haus once Diego Milano was up and running. Her vision for Sew Haus was to provide manufacturing to local brands within the Diego Milano factory. Now, Amelia and I will join forces to bring what has been truly needed in Arizona for a long time.
LabelHorde will be moving into the Diego Milano/Sew Haus factory over the coming weeks. We will be offering educational services including lessons, consulting, seminars, fashion camps and more. We will also be offering studio rental, machine rental, meeting space, sample making, pattern making, light manufacturing and so much more. This space will become the home of AZ fashion where you can learn about fashion, grow your business, find what you need and be around others with the same vision.
Please be sure you are subscribed to our newsletter “Haute Off The Press” by clicking on the Subscribe button on our home page. This is how we will communicate to you when we are open and ready to offer services. If you want to be involved in the start up, please email me at labelhordefashion@gmail.com. We would use the help and we want this to be a community effort.If you are a fashion business, please be sure you list yourself in our directory. It’s free and self-automated so you can upload and manage your own listing.If you sign up for an upgraded directory listing at $9.95/month, there will be a lot of perks coming your way that will allow you to take advantage of so many of our services available in this new space and you will be contributing to help make this possible.
So stay tuned! There’s so much more to come!
Angela Johnson LabelHorde Founder