Fashion

Quick Stats

• Washington State has an over $8.3 billion fashion and apparel industry
• Notable apparel companies include Nordstrom, Tommy Bahama, Eddie Bauer, and Luly Yang
• 1,540 apparel companies and 3,100 self-employed fashion designers provide 34,500 jobs in Washington State
• The Seattle area is the nation’s largest consumer of sunglasses

While the grunge rock boom made Seattle virtually synonymous with flannel, the region’s fashion industry has stitched together an industry that some studies estimate supports over 45,000 jobs and $13 billion in revenue. And it’s surely noticeable as more and more fashion and apparel startups join the ranks of home-grown notables such as Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer, and Tommy Bahama.

A stylish base of operations.

Fashion seems like a natural extension of the Seattle phenomenon of innovative thinking. And like most other things, we put our own spin on it to set ourselves apart from better-known centers like New York and Paris. As a result, the local market actively supports locally based businesses and takes pride in developing a unique style of our own.

Poised for growth in apparel.

The Seattle/King County region is in a unique position to continue its growth in this cluster. This is partly due to our proximity to and trade partnerships with countries in Asia, enabling easier access to manufacturing facilities. In addition, as a technology hub, King County gives apparel companies close proximity to technology partners that are increasingly key to everything from design and sales to fulfillment.