Fashion Forward
Read the full story in theSTL.
For 10 years, the Saint Louis Fashion Fund has helped grow and evolve the city’s fashion industry — and thanks to co-founder Susan Sherman, its future looks just as vibrant.
Fashion is intricately woven into the very fabric of St. Louis’ rich history. From the turn of the 20th century until after World War II, the hum and clacking of manufacturing machinery echoed through the side streets off Washington Avenue in Downtown St. Louis, where workers produced everything from footwear and hats to dresses and luxury garments.
It’s a history and legacy that, since 2014, the Saint Louis Fashion Fund (SLFF) has been working to rebuild — and ensure remains a vital thread in the city’s future.
“We said 10 years ago we want to become a fashion epicenter again — build on our DNA, the roots, the Garment District,” says Susan Sherman, SLFF co-founder and board chair. “I’m someone who doesn’t rest on her laurels. I prefer to look ahead and say, ‘We still have work to do.’”