OUR STORY
WHY BAMSC EXISTS
Black Apparel Makers Support Circle – Los Angeles is a grassroots, community-rooted organization working to strengthen Black participation, ownership, opportunity and economic infrastructure throughout Greater Los Angeles’ apparel and fashion ecosystem.
Los Angeles has an enormous network of designers, manufacturers, contractors, suppliers, retailers, service providers and industry resources. But access to that ecosystem—and ownership within it—is not equally distributed.
Black apparel makers and entrepreneurs may enter the industry without established connections, insider knowledge, financial resources or professional networks. At the same time, Black-owned businesses remain underrepresented in many of the services and infrastructure that make the apparel industry work.
BAMSC was built from the ground up to help change that.
Our work starts with practical support for people navigating the industry today while also looking toward what our community can build for tomorrow.
OUR MISSION
Strengthen the Black fashion and apparel ecosystem throughout Greater Los Angeles from the ground up.
We do that by helping Black apparel makers, designers, entrepreneurs and businesses navigate existing resources, build useful relationships, identify opportunities and strengthen the economic connections that allow businesses and communities to grow.
OUR OPERATING IDEA
Navigate what exists. Connect what exists. Help build what's missing.
NAVIGATE
Help Black apparel makers, designers, entrepreneurs and businesses understand the existing Los Angeles ecosystem and find useful information, resources, referrals, guidance and next steps.
CONNECT
Build stronger relationships among Black designers, manufacturers, production services, retailers, entrepreneurs and professionals—and connect our community with resources and opportunities throughout Greater Los Angeles.
BUILD
WHAT DOES “BUILD WHAT’S MISSING” MEAN?
A strong fashion ecosystem needs more than designers and brands. It needs businesses behind the brands.
Sewing contractors • Sample rooms • Patternmakers • Cutting services • Screen printers • Embroidery
Dye and finishing services • Fabric and trim resources • Packaging • Warehousing • Fulfillment • Logistics
Showrooms • Sales representation • Retailers • Apparel technology • Supporting services
Black ownership and participation remain limited in many of these areas throughout Greater Los Angeles.
BAMSC does not assume every gap should become a new business, nor do we build businesses for people. Instead, we can help identify what is missing, explore whether a genuine market opportunity exists, and connect interested entrepreneurs with information, expertise, relationships and resources that can help them investigate the opportunity.
One viable new business can make a difference.
One sewing operation. One screen printer expanding into apparel. One fulfillment company. One retailer creating shelf space for local Black-owned brands. A network of businesses consistently referring work to one another.
That is grassroots economic development.
OUR MEASURE OF PROGRESS
For BAMSC, success doesn’t require becoming a massive institution.
- A designer finding the right production resource.
- A Black-owned service business gaining new customers.
- A retailer connecting with local brands.
- An entrepreneur recognizing an overlooked business opportunity.
- Or ten businesses beginning to regularly refer work to one another.
One connection. One opportunity.
One stronger business at a time.
PEOPLE FIRST
BAMSC begins with people.
Whether someone needs help finding a resource, understanding production, making an industry connection or figuring out the next step, we want BAMSC to be a practical place to start.
Free Guidance. Trusted Connections.
BUILDING STRONGER CONNECTIONS
No single organization can build an ecosystem.
BAMSC welcomes relationships with apparel professionals, manufacturers, retailers, business owners, educators, community organizations, industry groups, mentors, resource providers and institutions that can expand knowledge, access and opportunity.
We are not here to duplicate the work of existing organizations.
We navigate what already exists, connect what can work better together, and help identify what still needs to be built.
INDUSTRY LEARNING & RESOURCES
Knowledge is part of access.
BAMSC connects our community with educational resources that can help people better understand apparel manufacturing, entrepreneurship, business development and the realities of building a career or business in fashion.
OUR BEGINNING
BAMSC was founded in Los Angeles by apparel industry veteran George Arrington, drawing upon decades of experience across the Los Angeles apparel ecosystem and a longstanding belief that knowledge, relationships and access should be shared.
But BAMSC is bigger than any one person. It is being built as a grassroots community shaped by the people it serves, the professionals who contribute, the businesses we strengthen and the relationships we build throughout Greater Los Angeles.
OUR BEGINNING
BAMSC grows through relationships.
We welcome community organizations, educational institutions, apparel professionals, businesses, industry groups, mentors and resource providers who share our commitment to expanding access and opportunity for Black apparel creatives throughout Greater Los Angeles.
Meet our partners and community resources on the Resources page.