Samanta’s Platform

Samanta Cortes is a recognized leader and trendsetter in the Fashion and Textile industry. With

over 20 years experience in the NYC Garment Center, Samanta fulfills a need in the apparel and

home furnishings industries by providing domestic manufacturing guidance for various fashion

corporations and designers. She travels internationally to consult and educate in various sectors

of manufacturing while researching the latest techniques.  

Samanta is also Founder and executive director of SaveTheGarmentCenter.org, a coalition of

business owners and advocates raising awareness of the threat gentrification poses on the

garment center. By organizing Pin Day and Pin Week, She brought attention to purpose of

SaveTheGarmentCenter.org at fashion events, runway shows and throughout the industry.

Former associations include: President, Fashion News Workshop; Board member, Color

Association of the US; and Creative Consultant, Schmatta; Rag to Riches to Rags, an HBO

documentary. Speaking engagements include: Premiere Vision, NY, Fashion Institute of

Technology, Fashion Law Boot Camp at Fordham Law School, Iberoamericana de Puebla

México Arte, Diseño y Arquitectura Departamento de Textil. Samanta has been featured in

WWD, Stitches, Crain’s New York Business and The New York Times for her concepts,

leadership and achievements in the textile, fashion and design industries.

Committed to bringing manufacturing back to USA, Samanta continues to work locally and

internationally to raise awareness of the the importance of domestic manufacturing as it relates to

local economic development. In addition she is developing an educational venture focused on

training to students open to working with new industrial equipment with a focus of domestic

manufacturing.