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Los Angeles Fashion District facts for kids

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Fashion District
LA Fashion District
Fashion District is located in Downtown Los Angeles
Fashion District
Fashion District
Location in Downtown Los Angeles
Country  United States
State  California
County County of Los Angeles
City  Los Angeles
Area code(s) 213
Website https://fashiondistrict.org
Men's Accessory Wholesaler, Fashion District, Pico & Santee, Los Angeles
Fashion District, Pico & Santee
Santee Alley LA
Santee Alley Bazaar
Santee Alley Los Angeles
Southern end of Santee Alley

The Los Angeles Fashion District is a super busy and colorful area in Downtown Los Angeles. It used to be called the Garment District. This district is like a huge marketplace. It has over 4,000 shops and businesses. Most of these are owned by families or individuals. They sell all sorts of cool stuff. You can find clothes, shoes, jewelry, and different types of fabrics here. It's a great place for both buying in bulk (wholesale) and shopping for yourself (retail).

What is the Fashion District?

The Fashion District is a special part of Downtown Los Angeles. It's known as a "subdistrict." This means it's a smaller area within a bigger one. Even though it's not an official city area, everyone knows where it is.

Where is the Fashion District located?

The Fashion District has clear boundaries. These are recognized by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council.

  • To the west, it reaches Main Street.
  • To the south, it goes to Washington Boulevard.
  • To the east, it extends to Paloma Street.
  • To the north, it's near 7th Street.

This area is close to other interesting places. These include Skid Row and the Arts District.

History of the Fashion District

The idea of a "garment district" in Los Angeles is not very old. It became well-known in the 1970s.

How the Fashion District started

In 1972, the Los Angeles Times newspaper wrote about the Garment District. It was located along Los Angeles Street. This was between 3rd and 11th Streets. At that time, about 2,000 clothing makers worked there. Most people in Los Angeles didn't even know about it!

Growing into a shopping hot spot

By 1982, the district had grown a lot. It covered about 20 city blocks. It stretched from Maple Street to Main Street. It also went from 7th Street to 12th Street. This area became a popular place for people to find clothes. Shoppers could get great styles at lower prices. Famous spots included the Cooper Building and the Fashion Center Building. There was also "The Alley," which is now known as Santee Alley.

Who works in the Fashion District?

Many of the workers in the Fashion District are immigrants. They come from Latin American and Asian countries. They help make the district a busy and diverse place.

How the Fashion District is Organized

The LA Fashion District is run by a special group. This group is called a Business Improvement District (BID). A BID helps make an area better.

What does the BID do?

The LA Fashion District BID works to keep the area clean and safe. They want it to be a fun place for everyone. Their goal is to help businesses grow. They also want to make the area more valuable. This encourages more people to invest there.

How the BID is funded

The BID gets its money from property owners in the district. They pay a special fee. This money helps pay for all the BID's activities. A group of 15 people leads the organization. These leaders are chosen by the property owners. The LA Fashion District BID is one of many BIDs in Los Angeles.

Fun Places to Visit

The Fashion District has some cool spots to check out.

  • Santee Alley: This is a famous outdoor market. You can find it at 210 East Olympic Boulevard. It's known for its many small shops.
  • FIDM: This stands for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. It's a college for fashion students. You can find it at 919 South Grand Avenue.
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