To Close Out Fashion Week, Governor Hochul Announces First Round of Grants From the New York State Fashion Innovation Center. Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated New York’s world-renowned fashion industry and its role in driving the state economy at the conclusion of New York Fashion Week, and today announced the first round of funding from the New York State Fashion Innovation Center will be launched on September 15. The Fashion Innovation Center, created and funded through Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), seeks to expand the use of renewable animal, plant and bio-manufactured fibers in the fashion industry, and bolster a resilient farm-to-fashion ecosystem throughout New York State, fostering innovation and sustainability in the sector.