Columbia College Chicago and the Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) have announced the introduction of the Chicago Fashion Incubator Series, an annual program featuring lectures and workshops focusing on design, manufacturing and entrepreneurship for aspiring and established local designers. CFI, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 2008 to make meaningful economic impact in Chicago by providing designers with technical product development, business tools and training to create collections and launch competitive businesses in the city.
At the end of December, CFI will transition its operations to Columbia College Chicago and gift the college with an endowment to continue the mission. “The decision to re-envision the CFI and bring it to Columbia College Chicago as a gift will ensure that CFI’s original mission of supporting Chicago-based designers continues,” said Andrea Schwartz, Chicago Fashion Incubator board president.
The new Chicago Fashion Incubator Series (The Incubator) will be operated by Columbia’s Fashion Department, which has been a strong partner of the CFI since its inception 15 years ago. This public series will support Fashion students while bringing together Chicago area fashion designers as they develop successful businesses in today’s global economy. Funds from the endowment will also support new acquisitions for Columbia’s Fashion Study Collection, an archive of significant fashion artifacts.
The first Chicago Fashion Incubator Series event is planned for 2024 and will include workshops for students and Chicago-area fashion designers as well as conferences and lectures by industry-leading designers, scholars, and fashion business experts on subjects ranging from construction, product development, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion in the field. To provide a much-needed community of support for fashion students and local designers, each event will be free and open to the public.
The Chicago Fashion Incubator is a product of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Fashion Initiative. Realizing the significant impact fashion had on the local economy in 2005, he envisioned fashion as a driver for job creation, cultural growth, trade development, and tourism. Melissa Gamble, currently an assistant professor in Fashion Studies at Columbia, served as the Director of Fashion Arts and Events for the City of Chicago at the time and was instrumental in launching the CFI.
Columbia College Chicago and the Chicago Fashion Incubator have announced a partnership to introduce the Chicago Fashion Incubator Series, an annual program aimed at supporting aspiring and established local designers. CFI, a nonprofit organization founded in 2008, will transition its operations to the college and gift an endowment to continue its mission.
The new series will be operated by Columbia’s Fashion Department and will include workshops, conferences, and lectures by industry-leading designers, scholars, and fashion business experts. Funds from the endowment will also support new acquisitions for Columbia’s Fashion Study Collection.
The Chicago Fashion Incubator is a product of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Fashion Initiative, which aimed to recognize the impact of fashion on the local economy. Melissa Gamble, currently an assistant professor in Fashion Studies at Columbia, was instrumental in launching the CFI.
The first event in the Chicago Fashion Incubator Series is planned for 2024 and will be free and open to the public. This series will provide a much-needed community of support for fashion students and local designers, while also elevating Columbia College Chicago’s programs in fashion.
