Pittsburgh Fashion Alliance to offer workshops and more

This fall will mark five years since the Downtown Community Development Corp. took the reins of Pittsburgh Fashion Week. Now it’s unveiled yet another way it plans to promote style in the Steel City.

In partnership with Mayor Bill Peduto’s office, it’s created the Pittsburgh Fashion Alliance, a group that aims to grow the city’s fashion industry through educational workshops, social events, scholarships and more.

The alliance has been in development for more than a year, says John Valentine, executive director for the DCDC. As of late January, the group’s members total more than 530 people and organizations, including Sephora, Google, Pittsburgh Film Office, Sustainable

Pittsburgh and New York Life. There’s no cost to join.

While all members are not directly involved in fashion, there’s a “definite synergy,” Mr. Valentine says. “We feel fashion is a regional asset. If you’re willing to make the fashion community in this city get more exposure, then we welcome you.”

A list of members and their contact information will be published in a directory that Mr. Valentine hopes will be completed before the Pittsburgh Fashion Summit on Feb. 24. It’s a daylong event the DCDC is producing with support from the mayor’s office at the Union Trust Building.

The Pittsburgh Fashion Alliance plans to make education a key part of its mission. Beginning

in September, members will be eligible to sign up for classes in sewing basics, marketing and business development. A scholarship fund is also in the works.

Another goal is to offer members discounted tickets to fashion shows and reduced rates at partner restaurants and other venues for fashionrelated events or meetings.

Mr. Valentine also envisions this alliance as a megaphone for fashion. The DCDC regularly spotlights fashion events and Pittsburgh-based designers in its weekly digital newsletter and in the Pittsburgh Fashion Alert. A podcast is slated to launch this spring.

“We’re going to promote every fashion show in Pittsburgh that would like us to promote them,” he says.

To learn more or to become a member, email info@downtowncdc.org.

Sara Bauknecht: sbauknecht@post-gazette.com or on Twitter and Instagram @SaraB_PG.

Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette A model shows off a Mossy Lane design by Elaine Tierney during Pittsburgh Fashion Week in October at Wintergarden at PPG Place, Downtown.