Seventh Avenue may be known as Fashion Avenue, but on Wednesday it became protest avenue — as New York’s garment workers, designers and preservationists rallied beneath the looming loft buildings of Midtown to defend the Garment District from rezoning.
Many protestors wore tailor’s tape measures draped around their necks and some had T-shirts that read “Save the Garment District” as the the crowd gathered in front of 512 7th Avenue — voicing opposition to the city’s proposed Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) rezoning plan. Among the most striking signs: “Don’t Kill Fashion” and “Our Impact is Immeasurable.”
“This district isn’t just a zip code — it’s infrastructure,” said Katie Sue Nicklos, fourth-generation glove maker and owner of Wing & Weft. “Zoning laws don’t allow me to operate my three-ton clicker press in any other buildings in Manhattan. Without these spaces, I can’t make gloves the way I’ve been taught. Simple as that.”
She added, “Everything we need—our clients, collaborators, and materials—is within walking distance. That proximity fuels the efficiency and excellence this industry demands.” Nicklos argued that this unique, high-functioning ecosystem — impossible to replicate in other neighborhoods — is precisely what enables New York to remain a global leader in fashion and performance.
Nicklos described the district as a place where “the hum of industrial machines echoes across generations,” and called on the city to honor its past promises to protect the area. “We could leave, but we don’t want to. We choose the Garment District because it’s the only place where our work thrives at this high scale, at this crazy speed, and with its amazing history. So why is the city choosing not to care?”
Joining her at the microphone was costume designer and IATSE Local 829 Vice President Deirdre Elizabeth Govan, who described the Garment District as “the lifeblood of my creative journey” — a place that has powered every stage of her career. “We support affordable housing and expanded opportunity,” she said, “but we cannot accept a vision of progress that lifts one community by displacing another.”
The speakers — representing organizations including the Historic Districts Council, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Custom Collaborative — said the MSMX plan incentivizes the demolition of historic loft buildings to make way for high-rise residential development, without accounting for the unique manufacturing spaces that cannot be recreated elsewhere under current zoning.
Beyond creative jobs and culture, they argued, the rezoning also threatens the architectural fabric of Midtown. “Losing this district is like pulling the thread out of a tightly woven fabric,” said Nicklos. “One tug, and the whole thing unravels.”
The crowd was encouraged to keep pressure on elected officials, particularly local Councilmember Erik Bottcher, whose support could be pivotal as the plan moves toward a City Council vote. Advocates are calling for a revised plan that prioritizes adaptive reuse over demolition, respects historic preservation, and strategically balances housing growth with the needs of New York’s still-vital garment industry.
