When most people think of the fashion industry, they think about New York. The fashion industry is a vital part of New York City. The city has more headquarters of fashion retailers and designers than any other city in the country. The city is at the center of American fashion offering large pools of unmatched talent. New York is home to more than 75 leading fashion shows and thousands of showrooms. New York attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The nation’s leading fashion schools are also located in New York.

The fashion industry emerged in New York City in the 1800’s, when the city was a hub of clothing manufacturing activity. Now the industry is the most prominent sector in New York. It is one of the small numbers of industries that compel considerable wholesale activity, direct employment and visitor spending. New York City has always been the preeminent capital of global fashion and serves as the headquarters to more than 875 fashion companies and hosts one of the four major biannual fashion weeks.