Aviva Press

By Maria Esteves – February 5, 2012

The 21st New York Jewish Film Festival 2012 (NYJFF2012) New York Premiere of Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center directed by Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher was held at the Walter Reade Theater, Monday, January 16, 1:00 PM. A special Q&A session immediately followed with director Steven Fischler and associate producer Phyllis A. Dillon moderated by independent curator Rachel Chanoff, New York Jewish Film Festival. Questions posed to director Steven Fischler and associate producer Phyllis Dillon by moderator Chanoff and the audience included: What were the challenges in making the film? What is the status of the industry today? What is happening to New York's garment center real estate?

Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center directed by Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher is an outstanding captivating American documentary that depicts the history of New York's garment center also known as the fashion district founded by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe in the 1920s. Dressing America explores the twenty blocks square radius with the address 498, 500, and 512 Seventh Avenue (between West 36, 37 Street) that made 80 percent of the clothing in the U.S.A., from fashion designs to manufacturing, to marketing, and selling. Dressing America includes the history of the Singer Sewing Machines, New York Fashion Week with creator Fern Mallis, and legend designers from Jewish immigrant parents such as ADRIAN (Adrian Adolph Greenberg), HARVE BERNARD, HATTIE CARNEGIE (Henrietta Kanengeiser), LESLIE FAY (Fred Pomerantz), SCAASI (Arnold Scaasi) and many others. In addition, Dressing America captures fascinating archival footage from "Uncle Moses (1932)," "The Women (1939)," "In the Middle of the Night (1959)," "A New Kind of Love (1963)," and the current ongoing effort to preserve the garment center of the world for the fashion industry instead of converting the buildings into residential lofts. Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center will broadcast on PBS Channel 13, visit http://www.pbs.org for TV schedule.

Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center, directed by Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher | USA | 2011 | 57 m | Documentary Feature. New York Premiere, 21st New York Jewish Film Festival, will broadcast on PBS, date and time TBA.