incubate this

Mayor Bloomberg’s Project Runway: The Fashion Incubator

Mayor Bloomberg and the CFDA will hold a competition to find young designers deserving of an affordable space to work out of in the garment district. The winning twelve designers will get to use a city-sponsored fashion “incubator” facility in the neighborhood, where increasingly high rents are pushing out manufacturers and making way for money-hungry real-estate developers. Bloomberg emphasized he doesn’t take the city’s fashion cred for granted. The contest aims to send the message to young designers that they should let their talent flourish here; with the mayor on your side, real-estate woes are so much less of a bitch. The finalists are expected to be chosen in December. A reality-TV show is not tied to the contest yet. But Bravo, which still hasn’t suitably replaced Project Runway, should start sweet-talking Bloomberg now. The fashion version of Big BrotherBig Incubator — could be just the thing.

Mike pushing city’s fashion passion [NYP]

Mayor Bloomberg’s Project Runway: The Fashion Incubator