Atlanta Fashion Incubator Connects Resources For Designers

September 14th, 2015

Rosa Thurnher, Regina Weir and Felicia Ruiz talk about Factory Girls

The South isn’t known for its runway, but there’s an organization here in Atlanta that’s trying to change that.

Factory Girls is a fashion incubator. Rosa Thurnher and Regina Weir founded the organization, and Felicia Ruiz is their new partner.

Together, they act as a fashion consulting team and do anything and everything to help fashion designers make their products.

Unlike fashion hubs like Los Angeles and New York City, resources for designers in the Southeast are hard to find. That’s where Factory Girls steps in.

“We’re connecting the dots,” said Weir. “I think that is important to keep in mind when you are working in the Southeast is that, yeah, we live in a more globalized world, where everything is pretty much accessible, except for when you are a designer. Fashion is very specific, and you need people who know how to do these specific things.”

The organization hosts production classes on how to sew and design. Ruiz, Weir and Thurnher also help designers with branding and marketing. As the name suggests, they even have a small factory that designers can use to make small batches of items.

Factory Girls is part of the slow fashion movement. Like how slow food combats fast food culture, slow fashion promotes making clothes locally and making clothes ethically.

“If you learn to sew, you will understand that nothing should cost $5, especially anything that has a zipper,” said Thurnher. “It’s something you can change, and it’s not overwhelming. You have the same clothing budget, but you get five quality pieces instead of twenty.”

For more tips on shopping slow, listen to the interview.