Headlines

Ralph Lauren, Fashion Council Team to Aid U.S. Apparel Makers

Partners create two funds to boost American clothing designers and manufacturers.

Published

10 months ago

January 14, 2026

Though Ralph Lauren stores have a global presence, including this one at the airport in Sanya, China, the retailer is a longstanding advocate for American-made fashion, including backing two new funding programs with the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Photo: Robert Way/iStock by Getty Images

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has teamed with Ralph Lauren Corp. to launch two new funding initiatives designed to strengthen American fashion manufacturing, drive innovation, support workforce development and promote economic growth in key apparel-producing regions across the country. The initiatives are:

The CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund, which was developed with funding from both the New York State Department of State and Ralph Lauren Corp. to provide partially matching grants to designers and manufacturers based in New York City’s Garment District.
The U.S. Fashion Manufacturing Fund, created with Ralph Lauren Corp. as founding partner, will support apparel manufacturers nationwide. Both programs aim to help companies to modernize equipment, expand services, and train workers – building the capacity and resilience of American fashion manufacturing.

These programs will build on the CFDA’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI), which launched in 2013 in affiliation with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Andrew Rosen and with the long-term support of Ralph Lauren, among others. To date, Ralph Lauren has contributed $2 million as FMI’s Premier Underwriter, enabling grants to 54 factories and positively impacting more than 2000 jobs.

“Strengthening American manufacturing to ensure designers have local partners has long been at the core of CFDA’s mission,” said Steven Kolb, the association’s CEO and President. “We are proud to extend our decade-plus work with Ralph Lauren Corporation and expand to a national level while also continuing our local NYC investments alongside our first-ever partnership with the New York State Department of State.”

Adds Katie Ioanilli, Ralph Lauren Corp.’s Chief Global Impact & Communications Officer, “Our expanded partnership with the CFDA reflects Ralph Lauren’s enduring commitment to advancing innovation and supporting American fashion. This is not only an investment in our industry — it’s an investment in a vital part of American culture that we share with the world.”

Click here for more on the new funds.