Columbus Ranked Among America's Top Three Cities For Fashion

Online, October 31, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The Atlantic recently ranked Columbus as one of the top three largest metropolitan cities in the United States for fashion. Outlined in TheAtlanticCities.com, standings were determined by the number of fashion designers, density of population employed in the fashion industry and median earnings for fashion designers. New York City, ranked #1, and Los Angeles, ranked #2, are regarded as U.S. fashion hubs. But Ohio's capital city, coming in at #3, has rapidly emerged as a notable creative and innovative force on the forefront of the fashion industry.

One of the city's fashion centers is downtown Columbus' Short North Arts District. With its miles of chic boutiques and galleries, the Short North is attracts avant-garde, independent fashion retailers and designers. Substance boutique sells women's fashions and accessories from international as well as in-house designers. Substance's on-site Design Lab lets visitors work side-by-side with the boutique's internal designers to try their hand at the design process, creating their own fashion masterpieces using excess and recycled materials.

The robust list of fashion retailers that call Columbus home adds to the city's status in the fashion world. Abercrombie, Henri Bendel, The Limited, Victoria's Secret and other industry leaders are all headquartered in Ohio's capital city, with Limited Brands alone grossing $10.4 billion in sales last year and operating in more than 2,600 specialty stores in the U.S.

Ohio's capital city is also a capital for studying fashion design. The Ohio State University offers a strong Fashion and Retail Studies program, focusing on merchandising or product development, with courses in aesthetics, business of fashion, global markets, fashion forecasting, consumer behavior, textile/apparel analysis, retail environments. Columbus is also home to the Columbus College of Art and Design's revered fashion design program, which features an annual spring fashion show that draws an international audience.

Columbus is a city unlike any other. Vibrant and alive, Ohio's capital is known for its open attitude, smart style and entrepreneurial spirit. Columbus' uncommon blend of neighborhoods, arts and culinary experiences, events, attractions and accommodations are made unforgettable by its diversity of outgoing locals who warmly welcome visitors. Free travel guides, maps, online booking and detailed information are available at www.ExperienceColumbus.com or by calling 866.397.2657 (866.EXP.COLS). Visitor information is also available on Facebook: facebook.com/ExperienceColumbus and facebook.com/ColumbusFoodScene, Twitter: @ExpCols and Pinterest.
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