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Social Responsibility

Social
Responsibility

At Lafayette 148 New York, caring for the world beyond our four walls is woven into the fabric of who we are. As a company led by women for women, compassion is at our core.

For us, simply creating beautiful clothes is not enough—there is a common thread of cultivating deep connections with the people and communities we touch. Of enriching the world through education. And safeguarding the precious resource that is our planet. To us, success means nothing if it’s not shared. Please read on to see a few of the ways we’re giving back.

SCHOOL OF
DREAMS

In 2007, our Co-Founder, Mr. Siu, had a dream. After establishing our state-of-the-art workshop and production facility in his hometown of Shantou, China, he made an extraordinary commitment to the children of his community. And the School of Dreams was born.

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Fully funded by Lafayette 148 New York and a group of private investors, the school offers an exceptional, subsidized private education to its students. Founded upon an ethos of “nurturing the whole person,” the curriculum balances academic excellence with a rich array of athletic and artistic opportunities to nourish the mind, body and spirit. As the school flourishes, it carries Mr. Siu’s dream into the next generation.

SUSTAINABILITY

From our materials to our business model, to our work to mitigate our impact on the earth, we’re bonded by our belief in leaving a place better than we’ve found it.

At Lafayette 148, luxury has always been synonymous with extraordinary quality. To us, that means more than fine fabrics and meticulous craftsmanship, but responsible stewardship. Our Italian mill partners are considered some of the finest textile producers in the world, a distinction that rests not just on the quality of their yarns, but on their extraordinary commitment to sustainability — not as an afterthought, but as a core value.

The European Union has among the world’s strictest environmental and workers’ rights laws. Within the region, our partners have helped establish Made in Italy as the pinnacle of best practices. From their efforts to reduce chemicals and water usage to solar-powered production facilities, we are proud to be aligned with industry leaders who are paving a new way forward — one that is dedicated to preserving our planet for generations to come.

As a rare, vertically integrated fashion brand, we employ all the artisans who create our garments, ensuring an ethical, traceable, transparent production process. And we don’t believe in letting any of our luxurious materials go to waste. Our designers are constantly innovating new, creative ways to utilize excess materials. We’ve also expanded our recycling practices to include textile waste, partnering with local non-profits to give surplus fabric a second life.

Our homes near and far utilize energy-saving technologies, from bright, open-work spaces that minimize the need for artificial cooling to solar power and rainwater recycling. A model of environmentally conscious construction, our new headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard is another giant step towards a sustainable future. And we’re exploring new ways to do more every day.

DESIGNED TO
ENDURE

In an age of disposable fashion, we believe in the beauty of design that’s lasting. With our own workshop and production facility, we can ensure the extraordinary quality and longevity of our garments, which makes them truly a sustainable investment.

From sourcing the finest materials to engineering every piece not only for beauty, but for resilience, we can ensure our collections will endure season after season, year after year. Last year, the United States generated more than twelve million tons of textile waste. By being uncompromising in our commitment to quality, we can ensure our garments live on far beyond the typical fashion lifecycle.

Our design team spends months perfecting each piece, infusing elements in the construction that reduce friction and maintain comfort, shape and fit, from hidden seams to invisible linings to cutlines that contour your shape. While they’re not always details you can you see, you can feel them with every wear. See our design process come to life on film here.

SUPPORTING
OUR CITY

Our home. Our Muse. Our heritage. New York is part of the very fiber of who we are. To the city that has given so much to us for over twenty years, we’re devoted to giving back.

We’ve partnered with an array of organizations that support New Yorkers. Our limited-edition mask collection supported City Harvest, an organization which helps feed families in need throughout NYC. In Spring 2020, we donated more than $100,000 to the Brooklyn Hospital Center, to help support our doctors and nurses on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. We also partnered with the Brooklyn Navy Yard and The NYCEDC to make surgical gowns for area hospitals, both creating patterns and sewing the garments in our Brooklyn sample studio. The initiative produced hundreds of thousands of gowns to protect first responders.

We’re proud of our partnership with Custom Collaborative, a Harlem-based non-profit that empowers minority women from underprivileged backgrounds through training in fashion and entrepreneurship. Not only do we reduce fabric waste by donating excess materials to the organization, but we also host student tours and lead mentorship sessions around sustainable design. For years we’ve also worked with New York Cares to train our team for volunteer opportunities throughout the city, from mentoring to serving meals and revitalizing the NYC’s green spaces.

To us, giving back to our neighbors is a company-wide effort, one that includes everyone from our CEO to our newest hire. It’s a shared purpose that constantly propels us forward, and our journey is only just beginning.

FASHION INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY

Nurturing up-and-coming talent gives us an opportunity to connect with the creators of tomorrow—and hold the door open for those that come after us.

Our Co-Founder and CEO, Deirdre Quinn, is a Trustee of the school and an active member of their Strategic Planning Committee. Our enduring friendship with FIT includes annual endowments and a longstanding internship program that has brought many gifted students into the Lafayette 148 New York family after graduating.

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