One Mann's Opinion

Many people think that the heart of fashion in the United States lives in either New York or Los Angeles, depending on whom you ask. However, those of you in the Southeast know better. One of the largest Apparel Markets on the East Coast is actually in your backyard! Of course I am referring to Atlanta Apparel at AmericasMart!

In the heart of downtown Atlanta sits the Southeast’s epicenter of fashion. Standing 15 stories high, the Atlanta Apparel Market structure is part of AmericasMart’s four-building campus, which was founded by and built under the direction of world-renowned architect and developer, John C. Portman. Five decades later, the building now houses the largest apparel Market on the East Coast five times a year. The entire AmericasMart complex hosts 15 wholesale Gift, Home Furnishings, Area Rug and Apparel/Accessories markets and six Market Wednesdays that annually attract more than 548,000 attendees from every U.S. state and 80 countries.

Our photo events for this month also span across the country. Lucky Brand Jeans’ founders Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman returned to their hometown of Miami and hosted the Lucky Brand Foundation’s 3rd Miami Black Tie & Blue Jean Gala at the Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne, Florida. Giorgio Armani and guests including Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Victoria Beckham and Josh Hartnett recently celebrated the grand opening of New York’s Fifth Avenue concept store. Ten up-and-coming Seattle area fashion design students took to the runway to show off their creations for the Project Red Dress event. Project Red Dress partnered with the American Heart Associations’ Go Red! campaign to increase awareness of heart disease in women. thinkproducts, a leading healthy lifestyle food company, continued to spearhead philanthropic efforts at the 2009 Natural Products Expo West with their 3rd Annual thinkVitality Fashion Show. And lastly, Gen Art- Los Angeles Fresh Faces in Fashion annual event was held this year at the Peterson Automotive Museum. A career launcher for many up-and-coming designers, the event featured swimwear, menswear, hats and
fine jewelry.

As our issue title indicates, mom’s the word! We took the opportunity to observe Mother’s Day with some great accessory designers—because what mom doesn’t like jewelry? The pieces range from traditional to a bit more funky and we hope you enjoy all of these talented women’s designs. I also hope that anyone in town that day enjoyed themselves at the Mann Foundation’s 4th Annual Mann of the Year awards, which benefited the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai. As always, thank you for all of your support for a cause that is especially dear to my heart! Let us know how we can further strengthen your Fashion Mannuscript Southeast issues by visiting us online at www.mannpublications.com!

Regards,
Jeff Mann

“Sweater, noun: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.” -Ambrose Bierce