PIECE & CO:
Piece & Co. is a different kind of textile company, aiming to create environmentally and socially sustainable fabrics with more than 5,000 artisans in 16 countries.

Since it’s founding in 2011 by Kathleen Wright, Piece & Co. has focused on creating beautiful, high-quality fabrics that are responsibly made by artisans around the world. While working passionately for the nonprofit sector bringing microfinance to artisan cooperatives, Kathleen realized that the problems artisans face go beyond simple access to capital. Without strong connections to a sustainable market, and access to vital business training, skilled artisans would have difficulties staying in business. As the second largest employer in the developing world, Kathleen saw the artisan sector as one that had potential to make positive change if those products could more easily and effectively reach designers and consumers.

From Bolivia to Zambia, Piece & Co. sources primarily female-led groups of artisans whose traditional textiles are of exceptional quality and who have the drive and capacity to expand. By connecting these artisan groups with major companies, Piece & Co. creates consistent employment for thousands of women, positively impacting their communities and their more than 16,000 children and dependents worldwide. Piece & Co. also provides its artisan groups with training to grow their businesses, allowing both the artisans and their production to flourish. By promoting integrity and responsible manufacturing in the textile industry, and business growth for women artisans in developing nations, Piece & Co. is redefining the way the fashion industry looks at fabric.

Piece & Co. is an industry leader, striving for increased sustainability in labor practices and environmental standards, supporting consistent employment for artisans who manufacture lower-carbon, less-water-intensive, heritage textiles. The company is also a proud member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and works with certified GOTS, OEKOTEX, Good World Solutions Fair Wage Guides, and Elevate to ensure the highest quality process for creating textiles. Piece & Co.’s designer partners include Nike, Diane von Furstenburg, Supreme, and Opening Ceremony, and key retail collaborators include Shopbop. 

SHOPBOP:
The go-to online retail destination for modern style, Shopbop offers a comprehensive, hand-picked collection of apparel and accessories from the industry’s foremost contemporary and designer labels. Since its launch in 2000 as a denim-focused e-commerce platform, Shopbop has grown into one of the world’s leading fashion authorities. Along with renowned customer service, Shopbop delivers unparalleled wardrobe advice, cutting-edge editorial lookbooks, innovative features, and exclusive collaborations with forward-minded brands. The result is a highly personalized, satisfying, and—above all—fun shopping experience that caters to style-minded women around the globe.

In 2006, BOP LLC was acquired by Amazon.com, Inc., the world’s largest internet retailer, enabling Shopbop to expand its services to enhance the customer experience. A trusted, globally recognized fashion merchant, Shopbop sells only quality, authentic designer merchandise. Shopbop is part of the Amazon.com Inc. group of companies.

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG:
The Diane von Furstenberg brand is a woman’s best friend. It is the brand she turns to for glamour and confidence, to be the woman she wants to be. Founded in 1972 by the designer, DVF is now a global luxury lifestyle brand and one of the premier names in American fashion. Renowned for its iconic wrap dress and signature prints, DVF has expanded to a full collection of ready-to-wear and accessories including shoes, handbags, small leather goods, scarves, and jewelry. Founder and Chairman Diane von Furstenberg is also Chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and serves on the boards of Vital Voices, the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation and The Shed, the new center for artistic and cultural innovation in New York City. In 2014, Diane published a memoir, The Woman I Wanted to Be, which has been translated into five languages and in 2015 she was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People. Headquartered in New York City, DVF has a global distribution network in over 55 countries and 1500 points of sale including 148 DVF owned and partnered stores throughout North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

VERONICA BEARD:
Veronica Beard is an elevated American sportswear brand that strikes the balance between classic and cool. Veronica Miele Beard & Veronica Swanson Beard are sisters-in-law who launched their eponymous brand in the Fall of 2010 with their signature Dickey Jacket. Today Veronica Beard offers a modern perspective on iconic staples and results in a ready to wear collection that is hard wired for real life. These perfectly designed essentials are both effortless and chic, each piece mixing superior tailoring with the highest level of quality and fit.

MARA HOFFMAN:
Mara Hoffman, born in Buffalo, NY, is a fashion designer and graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York City, having also studied at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London. Hoffman established a recognizable aesthetic heavily focused on colorful, original prints early in her career. Recurrently drawing from nature and mythology, Hoffman ultimately draws inspiration from her own travels around the world and is a true, living embodiment of her designs. In 2008, Mara Hoffman first appeared at Bryant Park for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. This year also marked the launch of the brand’s swim collection, consisting of playful bikinis, cutout one pieces and dashiki cover-ups. In 2009, Hoffman showed her swim collection at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami. In 2011, Mara was honored to be inducted as a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Hoffman and her close-knit team continue to evolve creatively out of their headquarters in New York City, growing the label to now encompass Women’s Ready-to-Wear, Swimwear, Childrenswear, Bridal, and recently welcomed its newest category, Activewear.

ALICE + OLIVIA:
Launched in 2002, alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is a brand that allows customers to express their personal style. With clothing that juxtaposes the whimsical and flirty with the sexy and sophisticated, a+o epitomizes the personality and perspective of its founder, Stacey Bendet. The brand was born from Stacey’s personal quest to create the perfect pair of pants, and has since grown into a full lifestyle collection including ready-to-wear, gowns, shoes, tech accessories and a newly launched collection of handbags. The brand is a Hollywood favorite with celebrity fans including Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry, Drew Barrymore and Solange Knowles. alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is available at the brand’s free-standing boutiques located in New York, California, Chicago, Connecticut, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kuwait, Dubai, Singapore and at aliceandolivia.com, and at over 800 select department and specialty stores worldwide, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Lane Crawford, Isetan, Hankyu, Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Galeries Lafayette, as well as prominent web retailers including Net-a-Porter and Shopbop.