It’s no secret that St. Louis was once second only to New York in the manufacture of garments. From the late 19th century until the end of World War II, the city’s reputation was built, in part, on the strength of its fashion prowess, and Washington Avenue—dubbed “Shoe Street, USA”—once claimed more shoe manufacturers than any other street in the world.
The Saint Louis Fashion Fund, under the direction of Eric Johnson, is working to leverage the city’s fashion history with a bold vision for St. Louis as fashion player on the national level. Its signature program is the Fashion Incubator, a two-year residency for emerging fashion designers, which will welcome its first class to its newly renovated space in January.
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See also: Saint Louis Fashion Incubator Announces Inaugural Class
“The fact that the building is located downtown, in the heart of St. Louis’ Garment District neighborhood, was a great feature of the building,” says Johnson. “We’re trying to serve as a catalyst for the fashion industry in St. Louis, and what better way than to build it in a place that has that DNA?”
The architects at Arcturis collaborated with Johnson and the Saint Louis Fashion Fund board members to connect the past and the future. On the ground floor of the ArtLoft building, 7,400-square-feet celebrates the charm of the space, while accentuating its height and ample natural light. “We wanted to clean up and create modern, clean lines to coexist with the loft feel,” says Arcturis’ Sarah Chapman. “It was our goal not only to create a beautiful space that allowed the best possible workspace for the designers but also to keep our design simple and neutral so that the garments and textiles took full spotlight.”
Though much of the space has high ceilings, the newly opened mezzanine did not. “This disconnect of ceiling heights was a challenge,” says Chapman. “Our solution was to create openness in order to connect a previously isolated space and allow additional light in, making it feel less constricted.”
Other design choices were intentional, such as clustering all of the designer studios along a common hallway to encourage run-ins between designers.
The building will be open to the public at certain times of the year, mainly through special events and programming, but, Johnson says, “our main priority is building designer businesses.”
We were curious, so we asked: How do the six fashion designers selected for the Fashion Incubator envision the look of their future workspaces? Their responses show us the breadth of their design aesthetics, from clothes to interiors.
Reuben Reuel Riddick, Demestik
“Simple, chic, with a burst of color. The majority of our designs are made of African Ankara print. We store the printed fabrics in stacks on exposed racks.”
Allison Mitchell, Allison Mitchell Handbags
“Wall shelves will display the tiny bags I make out of Sculpey. I like to use my hands to shape mini versions of what the bags will look like.”
Charles Smith II, Smith II
“My space will be minimalistic, but I won’t really know until I see it for myself. I’m a visual person. Once I see it, I’ll know what I’m able to do.”
Audra Noyes, AUDRA
“The studio will stay true to the brand’s aesthetic, fusing clean architectural elements with romantic and alluring details acquired from my time in Paris.”
Emily Brady Koplar, Wai Ming
“I like my work space to be modern, fresh, and functional. I envision white, gray, and black or navy with gold accents and some natural textures.”
Agnes Hamerlik, Agnes Hamerlik
“My goal is to create a raw, minimalistic space valuing simple, uncluttered and modest surroundings, such as pieces of repurposed furniture.”
