How Macy’s-backed Fashion Incubator of San Francisco Cultivates Designers

Plucking ripe fashion talent and cultivating it has been the Fashion Institute of San Francisco’s mission for eight years. But today, those efforts amount to more than just charity. The group’s raison d’être looks like an urgent calling. In a roiling retail environment that’s on track to surpass 9,300 store closures, finding and featuring fresh eyes and new talent might be less prescriptive than mandatory. Consumers are making it clear that, beyond convenience and discounts, what they really crave are distinctive products. It’s no surprise that the major trend right now is personalization. Shoppers don’t want to look cookie-cutter — they want uncommon goods, and they’ll flock to fresh brands that resonate with them. Enter Macy’s and the FISF. With major backing from Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, the Bay Area nonprofit has been supporting designers-in-residence every year since 2012. “Designers get out of fashion school, and that’s great, but they have really no sense of how they’re going to make money,” said Betsy Nelson, FISF’s cofounder and former vice president of media relations and cause marketing for Macy’s West Coast regions. “So through FISF mentorship and educational programs, they are taught the business side of the business, as well as being exposed to manufacturing possibilities and social

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