Who would have thought that an area about one square mile in size would need to rely so heavily on courier services? New York City, the fashion capitol of the US, is where the Garment Center or Garment District calls home. The neighborhood loosely spans north to south from 42th Street to 34th Street, and east to west from Fifth Avenue to Ninth Avenue, and is home to the majority of the industry’s showrooms, designers, wholesalers and related production work-spaces.
Many New Yorkers consider themselves fashion aficionados, and love that so many of the newest styles and trends are right at their fingertips, but not many are familiar with what goes on behind the scenes before the clothing hits the rack at their favorite retailer. Although NYC’s Fashion Industry has done well to keep up with today’s computer technology, there is much more than paper, photos and documents that need to make their way from one side of the district to the other.
Designers often need to get new fabric swatches from the textile showroom located a few blocks away, but can’t leave the office to pick it up in time for their next meeting. There are heavy bolts of fabric that need to make it to the sample room in time to get the pieces made on schedule. Not to mention huge rolls of patternmaking paper for which there is just no substitute. Although modern technology now allows quality data to be sent via computer, it doesn’t allow the designer or buyer to gauge a fabric’s weight, quality or texture. And clothing samples just can’t wait for next day delivery to the showroom when the buyer is in town for only one day. So, for decades, the people who make it all happen have been relying on messengers to pick-up and deliver many of the smaller parcels that they need to get across town in a hurry.
Design and production studios often have sample garments that need to get from the studio into the buyers’ hands. One or two garments may be easy enough to carry a few blocks to the showroom, but a whole new line is often a bit too much for one to transport on their own. A local courier and van delivery service, like GFD Courier, can easily pick-up these one-of-a-kind pieces and provide quick delivery. GFD offers an array of delivery services throughout the district, the city and throughout the US.
The fashion industry in NYC relies on these services to help keep the ball rolling on a daily basis, but there is no time of the year that help is needed more than during Fashion Week! Held in February and September, the upcoming season’s brand new fashion collections are presented to buyers, press and the public. There are numerous fashion shows happening during this week in “the tents” and off-site throughout the city at some of the hippest locations in town. There are lunches to attend, press meetings to make, and a whole lot of selling to do, and the garments and accoutrement must make it from one location to the next quickly and with the utmost of care.
Utilizing local messenger and courier services are just another part of doing business in the Garment Center, fabric district NYC and the people who rely on them so heavily are glad they are there to help exactly when they’re needed – in a hurry.
For more information about the messenger, van and freight delivery services provided by GFD Courier in NYC, call 212-349-3644 or 718-222-7444.
