Lafayette 148 New York, a New York City-based global fashion brand, will relocate its 200-person headquarters and other Soho-based operations to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The fashion industry pioneer’s design, sales, marketing, merchandising, retail, e-commerce operations and New York-based manufacturing functions will all move to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, adding to the Yard’s pool of good jobs that offer middle-class wages.
Through the move, Lafayette 148 New York will expand its presence in New York City, joining a growing roster of fashion and garment tenants at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The firm has leased 68,000 s/f in Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 77.
Founded 20 years ago at 148 Lafayette Street in SoHo by a business team led by Deirdre Quinn and her partners Shun Yen and Ida Siu, the company was a pioneer in the total vertical integration of design, production, sales and fulfillment.
It has extended its footprint globally, established a significant online presence, and opened retail stores in the United States and abroad. The company currently employs 1,700 people around the world.
“I want the future of fashion to be made in New York,” said New York City Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen. “We’re thrilled Lafayette 148 New York is coming to the Navy Yard and growing good jobs in Brooklyn.”
The jobs Lafayette 148 New York will bring to the Brooklyn Navy Yard will range from senior level executives to designers and cut and sew workers.
“We’ve been seeking industry leaders for the top floors of Building 77 and we found a major global brand in Lafayette 148 New York,” said David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
“They are the perfect fit for our dynamic ecosystem and manufacturing environment. We are also very pleased that Lafayette 148 New York will partner with the Yard’s Employment Center to recruit and train people for available employment opportunities.”
The one million square-foot Building 77 project is the largest development in the history of the Yard. Currently undergoing a $185 million renovation that will transform the building into a state-of-the-art manufacturing, tech and design hub, Building 77 will be home to over 3,000 jobs.
Lafayette 148 New York joins Abby Lichtman, Sebastian Kim, Crye Precision, Justin Paul, Catbird Jewelry, Accurate Knitting, Hip Hop Closet, Pen + Pistol, and many other tenants who are part of the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s vibrant ecosystem of fashion, apparel and textile manufacturers.
“We are excited to join the thriving tech and creative community in Brooklyn and contribute to the extraordinary growth of the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Deirdre Quinn, co-founder and CEO of Lafayette 148 New York.
“This location allows us to bring employees together on one floor with room to grow, and to move closer to our warehouse and fulfillment center at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. This provides a more seamless and interactive work environment with the kinds of efficiencies that are essential to success in a very competitive industry.”
“Lafayette 148 New York is a leader in the city’s fashion industry,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “Its expansion at the Navy Yard is another example of the huge contribution this facility is making toward building and diversifying our city’s economy.”
“Brooklynites are thrilled to welcome Lafayette 148 to the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “Their innovation will serve the entire borough, and their ‘cutting-edge’ creative spirit represents exactly what Brooklyn is all about as we look toward the future.”
The company will retain a presence in Manhattan with its concept store at 148 Lafayette Street.
