Tucked away in the Lower East Side is the Bishop Collective store. Co-founded in 2013 by Art Institute of New York City professors Mai Vu and Dimitri Koumbis, Bishop Collective is a solution to the fashion retail model of today.
The collaborative shop redefines how retailers fit into the goal of sustainable fashion and how retailers play a major role in sustainable fashion consumerism. “We heard the students in class saying there wasn’t enough on sustainability and there wasn’t enough on accountability with the realm of retailing,” said Koumbis. “So how do we bring in some type of environment that is not only community-driven but is also educationally driven.”
Today, Bishop Collective sells wares from a variety of designers who create clothing, handbags, accessories, and home goods. What has been an online store for the past five years is now a brick-and-mortar store where visitors can shop several American-made pieces like handbags by Oliveve, denim from Imogene + Willie, jewelry by K/ller Collection, and home goods by Pigeon Toe. The Bishop Collective store, located at 143 Ludlow St., allows customers to experience slow fashion retail and American manufacturing.
