L.A. Rag Maker

L.A. Rag Maker
George Arrington
Los Angeles apparel industry perspective
Past • Present • Next
Email: [email protected]

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Apparel Manufacturing in Los Angeles https://t.co/sn6ko2z0hg The book is coming.

Apparel Manufacturing in Los Angeles — Past, Present & Next

The story.
The system.
The future.
A factual insider look at how the Los Angeles apparel industry was built, how it changed, and what still matters moving forward.
Fall 2026.

https://t.co/9B0j95Hwxp

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Most brands build for the runway, not for the line.
That gap is where things start breaking.

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Design gets the attention.

Production gets treated like a step.

Something you “figure out later.”

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

There was a time when Los Angeles was full of factories.

Designers developed locally.
Production moved fast.
Relationships ran everything.

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

L.A. fashion didn’t disappear.

It changed.

And if you weren’t inside production, you probably missed how.

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

L.A. Rag Maker perspective:

Can Los Angeles help lead the return of American apparel manufacturing?

For decades, LA was one of the most important apparel production centers in the United States. Designers could move fast because the entire ecosystem was here — fabric suppliers, pattern makers, cutting rooms, sewing contractors, dye houses, laundries.

That infrastructure allowed brands to develop product and bring it to market faster than almost anywhere.

Now there’s renewed conversation about rebuilding American manufacturing and shortening supply chains.

At the same time, the LA garment industry faces real pressures — rising costs, workforce disruption, and global competition.

But here’s the truth: much of the technical knowledge needed to produce garments at scale still exists in Los Angeles.

It remains one of the few places in the U.S. where designers, manufacturers, and skilled garment workers operate in the same ecosystem.

After more than four decades working across manufacturing, design, and production consulting, I’m still optimistic about what this industry can become.

— George “L.A. Rag Maker” Arrington

Los Angeles Fashion District manufacturing legacy.

@CalApparelNews @LAFashionDist @IlseMetchek
#LARagMaker #FashionManufacturing #MadeInUSA #LosAngelesFashion

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Award Season always makes me think of Mr. Blackwell 🥂

In the early ’80s my first fashion job was at William Pearson in Downtown Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time in that building. Incredible moment in fashion history. Designer Jill Richards was in the 719 building too, doing her thing in a real way.

I was new to the industry, soaking it all up — and every now and then I’d see Mr. Blackwell on the elevator. Always composed. Always a perfect gentleman.

Long before the famous “Worst Dressed List,” Richard Blackwell had already lived several fashion lives — early Hollywood actor, then founder of the House of Blackwell designing gowns for celebrity clientele.

So when his list dropped each year, it wasn’t random commentary. It came from someone who understood glamour from the inside — silhouette, proportion, performance.

Different era now. Commentary moves faster and wider. That’s part of the evolution.

But there’s something to be said for critique that came from people who had already cut the fabric first.

🥂 To lineage, spectacle, and industry memory.

@latimes @wwd @CalApparelNews
#MrBlackwell #FashionHistory #RedCarpetStyle #LosAngelesFashion #LARagMaker

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Community Briefings Registration https://t.co/wa3UUY4jtV

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Happy Memorial Day...We Remember and Honor Those Who Served. #HappyMemorialDayWeekend

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

@laragmaker Stands for Change: Supporting Critical Causes in Los Angeles County.

As of recent figures, over 75,000 people are struggling to find shelter in Los Angeles County, representing a 9% increase since 2022. Among them, many are battling mental illness, their hardships intensified by the stress and uncertainty of not having a place to call home.

NAMI GLAC: Elevating Wellness and Equality

@namiglac stands as a beacon of hope, composed of grassroots-based chapters dedicated to promoting wellness, recovery, equality, and dignity for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Their initiatives extend beyond providing support; they strive to foster a community where mental health is understood, embraced, and prioritized.

Donate Now!

#laragmaker #nami #greaterlosnageles #donate

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

#create #laragmaker #apparelmanufacturing #losangles

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

L.A. Rag Maker, a great choice for garment industry consultancy.

#design #manufacturing #productdevelopment #marketing

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Fashion Business Consultant for Fashion Designers and Fashion Brands.

Visit our website for more info: https://t.co/X0MnGMbF5G

#laragmaker #apparel #services

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Unleash your imagination, and unlock infinite possibilities.

#power #imagination #quoteoftheday #laragmaker

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

La Rag Maker is offering Sourcing Services.

Your one-stop destination to make all of your fashion collection dreams come true.

For more visit our website: https://t.co/X0MnGMccVe

#apparelmanufacturing #garmentmanufacturer #freelancedesigner #sourcing #fashiondistrictla #denim

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

We also offer Product Development Services for your fashion business.

#fashionmarketing #patternmaking #samplemaking #productdevelopment #fashionmerchandising #collectiondevelopment

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Sustainability, continually in our consciousness!

#fashionmarketing #patternmaking #samplemaking #productdevelopment #fashionmerchandising

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

An ounce of prevention is worth a world of cure.

#fashionmarketing #patternmaking #samplemaking #productdevelopment

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

Your one-stop destinantion to make all of your fashion collection dreams come true. Visit our website for more info. Website link in bio.

#fashionmarketing #patternmaking #samplemaking #productdevelopment

[L.A. Rag Maker @laragmaker]

LA RAG MAKER offering full package production.
#fashionmarketing #patternmaking #samplemaking #productdevelopment #fashionmerchandising #collectiondevelopment #apparelmanufacturing