The Saint Louis Fashion Incubator was conceived as an elegant urban loft, a showcase for designer creativity and brand development in downtown Saint Louis. Located in the heart of the former garment district, this airy, light-filled space provides a flexible and neutral backdrop to celebrate the designers’ work and creative production. As the informational wall graphic proclaims, “Fashion Lives Here.” The St. Louis Fashion Incubator provides individual office space for six emerging fashion designers to cultivate their collections and brands. A 2,400 SF fabrication studio sits above the designers’ offices, providing an unencumbered work area with views of the retail and gallery space below. The incubator’s large windows bathe the space in natural light while also providing transparency that promotes the civic mission of the organization, illuminating the energy created inside, and engaging the local community. Budget was a main consideration for this project. One area we looked closely at was for lighting and controls. To stay within budget dressed up 4’ LED strip industrial lights with frosted lenses were used as the primary light fixture. Existing PAR lamp track fixtures were reused and given new LED PAR lamps with a tighter beam spread for accenting garments. Decorative fixtures were used in key areas along with simple dimming controls.