The total business level of the "Fashion Industry" has always been a difficult figure to calculate. The statistical sources measure only a part of the equation and the data is reported sporadically.

However, the statistical data suggests that the "Fashion Industry's" overall business activity has declined over the past several years in real dollar terms. Overall, payroll in New York City has held constant in the past year and both total manufacturing employment and Apparel and Textile manufacturing employment have declined significantly. Total Apparel and Textile payroll is down over 7% in the past year alone. While the Apparel Wholesale sector has fared better, it is up only 2%, approximately the rate of inflation.

Unfortunately, neither the 2002 Census of Manufacturing nor the 2002 Census of Wholesale Trade has been published yet. Therefore, it is virtually impossible to assess the changes in the value-added component of these industry sectors from the previous data (1992 & 1997). However, given the decline in the wholesale sector employment levels, it is likely that these figures have declined as well.

This would also hold true for the BID area as well since the level of "Fashion Industry" employment is at an all time low.