After the peak in the 1970’s the Garment District hit a serious bump. Over the course of forty years, production prices overseas continued to drop to nearly dirt cheap, and designers continued to move production abroad just as most other manufacturing business did during the same period. Meghana Gandhi, the Assistant Director of the Fashion Research Team at the New York City Economic Development Corporation stated ” The main hurdle is external. [After the ’70s] the cost overseas diminished… and drove big designers to produce abroad.” 
Now, less than 50% of residents in the Garment District are in a fashion- related industry. But, multiple programs are being put into place to help the district to once again be a hub of fashion and be more or less self sustaining.