The embroidery on a Met Gala bodice usually begins in a room on West 36th Street, at a studio with more than 60 embellishment services under one roof.
A densely beaded shoulder pulls a neckline off the body, while a laser-cut applique sits flat where hand work would carry weight.
The CFDA used the studio for its September New York Fashion Week rollout, rendering its logo in embroidery, 3D print, laser application, punch-on studs and chain stitch.
The studio is also a recipient of the CFDA’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative grant, a fund that has invested more than 5 million dollars in local manufacturing since 2013.
Craft is usually discussed as ornament, when it is really the first decision in how a garment holds its shape.
