A Letter From DGG's President: How Do We Put Michigan On Fashion's National Map? By Cultivating Our Community

By Karen Buscemi

"If you build it, they will come." It worked in the movie Field of Dreams, and it will work for our dream of a "Fashionally Recognized Detroit".

But I'm not referring specifically to the building of the garment district. I'm referring to the building of our fashion community.

Last year, Detroit Garment Group started its own membership. We weren't sure how easy it would be to bring on members, but we did know two things: First, it had to be affordable. And second, it had to be all about community.

Within an industry, it's often easy to spend precious time worrying about competition. Ensuring designs are kept away from prying eyes, and keeping to ourselves as opposed to spending time with others doing the same work. But as a young, underdeveloped industry in Michigan, we need to focus our energies on cultivating our fashion community. To learn to rely on each other, to collaborate with each other, to share resources with each other. Not to see each other as competition, but instead to realize that if we all work together to create a successful fashion industry, there will be enough work for all.

Within a year of opening up our membership, we have 45 enthusiastic, collaborative members. And that's without a single membership drive! The number one thing we do with our members is share. We share information, we share resources, we share internship opportunities - we share anything and everything that we can.

You know the saying, sharing is caring? While a bit cheesy sounding, it's absolutely true.

And we make sure our members share, too. We had an exercise during a membership meeting, where members shared the next steps they need to take on their fashion journeys, while other members piped in with resources and other information to get them there. It was fun, exciting stuff. Within that particular meeting, two designers decided to collaborate on a collection together. That's exactly the type of thing we want to see - our community utilizing each other and raising each other up.

Because the bigger and stronger our fashion community becomes, the less chance the rest of this country will have to ignore our existence and abilities. 

There is power in numbers. And if you are part of Michigan's fashion industry, whether as a designer, a photographer, a blogger, a wardrobe stylist, a retailer or other, we would like you to add to our numbers. Consider becoming a member of Detroit Garment Group. We think you'll love your new community as much as we do. You can get to our membership page at www.detroitgarmentgroup.org. Come grow with us!