City Source Trade Show and Seminars

City Source is a biannual trade show that connects designers and small businesses with local resources held at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Each year, the event brings in 60+ vendors, including pattern and sample makers, production contractors, printers, and knitters, and service providers and suppliers in marking and grading, cutting, pleating, embroidery, dyeing, accessories, trims, fabrics, and leather.

SEMINARS: $10 each, 45 minutes   — register here

10:30–11:15 am: Brand Storytelling 
Melissa Hall, founder of The Emerging Designer

Now more than ever, storytelling is an important part of brand building. Consumers are seeking transparency and want to know how products are sourced and manufactured. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to approach storytelling for their own brand, how to leverage their production process and get inspired by brands in the marketplace that are cleverly communicating with their audience.

11:30 am–12:30 pm: 21st-Century Fashion Design
James Pearson and Jeremy White of FIT (mini tech kit included)

The future of fashion is interactivity! From responsive LED lights and luminous threads to touch sensitive garments, interactive fashion is moving onto the runway and into our closets. Learn how you can add tech to your creative tool kit with this hands-on introduction to the technology that allows designers to incorporate responsive elements into their future fashion projects.

1:45–2:30 pm: Best Production Practices
Jene Sefeniak, Founder of StitchLuxe

Understanding how your factory works is key to a successful relationship with your factory. Learn how to work with your factory to take your designs from concept all the way through to production. From patterns to the language used, you will be a master of communication after taking this short seminar.

3:15–4:15 pm: Fiber to Fabric
Sara Mosley of Huber of Power Corp and Adjunct Professor, Textile Department, Jefferson University 

Have you wanted to have a better understanding of the differences in selecting a woven fabric versus a knit fabric for your designs?  Or why polyester over cotton fiber content? Then this seminar is for you! We will cover the basic differences in fibers and the benefits of one type over another.  Is natural always better than manmade?  A cram course in yarns, fabric constructions, different finishes and how sustainable practices are becoming the norm in fabric formation.  Leave this seminar armed with the knowledge to make a more informed selection when you’re sourcing fabrics/trims for your end-use!

The trade show is free and open to the public; seminars are are $10 apiece; register online.