Fashion Industry Gallery (FIG) Dallas: Wholesale Market and Event Venue Guide

Quick answer

Fashion Industry Gallery, known as FIG, is a building in the Dallas Arts District that serves two very different purposes. Several times a year it operates as a wholesale trade show, open only to fashion retail buyers, where contemporary apparel and accessories brands from Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas showcase their lines. The rest of the time, the same 25,000-plus-square-foot loft space is rented out as a special events venue for weddings, galas, corporate events, and art shows, including the Dallas Art Fair.

If you searched “fashion industry gallery,” you are probably trying to figure out one of two things: whether it is a place to shop as a fashion buyer, or whether it is a venue you can book for an event. This guide covers both, since the confusion is understandable given the name.

What is Fashion Industry Gallery?

FIG is located at 1807 Ross Avenue, Suite 167, in downtown Dallas, on the northern edge of the city’s Arts District. The building has a marble-clad, mid-century modern exterior designed by George Dahl, one of Dallas’s most prominent architects, paired with an industrial-style interior featuring exposed brick, polished concrete floors, and large windows that bring in natural light.

The name reflects its original purpose. FIG was built as a wholesale showroom venue for the fashion trade, and that function remains its core business today, even though the space is also widely booked for private and public events.

The two functions of FIG, explained

1. Wholesale fashion market

FIG hosts apparel markets roughly five times a year. These are trade-only events, meaning they are open to fashion retailers and buyers, not the general public. Contemporary women’s apparel and accessories brands set up showrooms inside the building, and store buyers come to view and order upcoming collections.

The brand describes its layout as easier to navigate than some larger trade shows, with curated, juried collections rather than an open floor for any vendor to book space. Market days typically run Tuesday through Thursday, with specific dates published on FIG’s own site and social channels ahead of each market.

2. Special events venue

Outside of market weeks, FIG operates as “The Venue at FIG,” a rentable event space. Because the interior is largely an open shell, it functions as a blank canvas that can be configured for very different kinds of events, from seated dinners to large receptions.

Reported capacity ranges from around 20 guests for smaller gatherings up to roughly 1,500 for large-scale events, though exact capacity depends on the event layout and which sections of the building are used. The venue has also hosted public-facing events such as the Dallas Art Fair, which brings galleries and art collectors into the same space used for fashion markets.

Who FIG is for

FIG serves two distinct audiences, and it helps to know which one applies to you before you reach out.

• Fashion retailers and buyers: store owners and buying teams looking to view and order contemporary apparel and accessories collections from multiple showrooms in one trip, rather than visiting individual brand showrooms separately.
• Event planners, couples, and companies: people looking for a large, flexible, industrial-style venue in downtown Dallas for weddings, corporate events, galas, or brand activations.
• Apparel and accessories brands: companies looking for exhibition or showroom space to present new lines to retail buyers during a scheduled market period.

What to expect if you are attending as a buyer

Fashion markets at FIG are trade-only, so attendance generally requires registration as a retail buyer rather than simply showing up. Based on published market information, key things to plan for include:

• Confirming market dates in advance, since FIG runs multiple markets per year rather than a single annual event
• Registering ahead of time through FIG’s own site or the market’s registration channel, since these events are not open to the general public
• Planning for parking, since downtown Dallas parking near the Arts District includes both valet options and metered street parking with time limits

What to expect if you are booking it as an event venue

If you are considering FIG for a wedding, gala, or corporate event, a few practical points come up consistently in venue reviews and vendor descriptions:

• The space is typically rented as an empty shell. Furniture, linens, catering equipment, and similar items are usually arranged separately through outside vendors rather than included in the base rental.
• FIG has historically allowed outside catering and outside alcohol vendors, which gives event planners more flexibility than venues that require in-house catering.
• Because the building doubles as a working trade show venue, availability is tied to the market calendar. It is worth confirming that your event date does not conflict with a scheduled fashion market before booking.
• Pricing is generally provided directly by the venue rather than published publicly, so getting an accurate quote requires contacting FIG or working through an event vendor directory that lists the property.

Common mistakes people make when researching FIG

• Assuming it is open to the public year-round. The wholesale markets are trade-only. If you are not a registered retail buyer, you will not be able to attend a market day simply by walking in.
• Confusing the venue rental with the market business. FIG is both a trade show host and an event rental space. Make sure any inquiry you send is directed to the right side of the business, since the contact process differs.
• Not checking the market calendar before booking an event. Because the same physical space is used for both purposes, event dates need to be confirmed against the fashion market schedule.
• Expecting included furniture and decor. Reviews of the venue consistently describe it as a blank, unfurnished space, so budgeting for rentals is part of realistic event planning here.

Practical recommendations

1. If you are a retail buyer, confirm the current market dates and registration process directly with FIG before making travel plans, since market schedules change throughout the year.
2. If you are planning an event, request a walkthrough so you can see the raw space in person and plan furniture, lighting, and layout accordingly.
3. Ask directly whether your preferred event date falls during or near a scheduled fashion market, to avoid last-minute conflicts.
4. Budget separately for parking, since the downtown location means guests will likely use valet or metered street parking rather than a large dedicated free lot.
5. If comparing FIG to other Dallas event venues, weigh its Arts District location and industrial-loft character against venues that include more built-in furnishings or catering packages.

FIG at a glance

Detail	Information
Address	1807 Ross Avenue, Suite 167, Dallas, TX 75201
Location	Dallas Arts District, near the Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center
Approximate size	Roughly 25,000 to 28,000 square feet of loft-style space
Architect	George Dahl
Primary function	Trade-only wholesale fashion market, held about five times per year
Secondary function	Rentable special events venue (weddings, galas, corporate events, art shows)
Reported guest capacity	Approximately 20 to 1,500 guests, depending on layout
Public access	Not open to the general public during fashion markets; open to renters and their guests for booked events

Frequently asked questions

What is Fashion Industry Gallery (FIG)? FIG is a building in the Dallas Arts District that operates as both a trade-only wholesale fashion market, held several times a year, and a rentable event venue for weddings, corporate events, and galas.

Is Fashion Industry Gallery open to the public? Not during its fashion markets, which are restricted to registered retail buyers. The venue side of the business is accessible to anyone hosting or attending a private event booked there, and it has also hosted public events like the Dallas Art Fair.

Where is Fashion Industry Gallery located? It is located at 1807 Ross Avenue, Suite 167, in downtown Dallas, Texas, at the northern edge of the Dallas Arts District.

How often does FIG hold fashion markets? FIG hosts wholesale apparel and accessories markets approximately five times per year, with specific dates announced ahead of each market.

Can I rent Fashion Industry Gallery for a wedding? Yes. The building operates as an event venue outside of its market schedule, and it has been used for weddings, receptions, galas, and corporate events, with reported capacity from around 20 up to about 1,500 guests depending on layout.

Does FIG provide furniture and catering? Generally no. Reviews and vendor listings describe the space as a largely unfurnished shell, so tables, chairs, linens, and catering are typically arranged through outside vendors, though the venue has allowed outside catering and alcohol.

Who designed the FIG building? The building was designed by George Dahl, a well-known Dallas architect, and features a mid-century modern, marble-clad exterior paired with an industrial-style interior.

Is parking available at Fashion Industry Gallery? The venue is in downtown Dallas, so options generally include valet parking and metered street parking, rather than a large dedicated free lot. Confirm current parking options directly with the venue when booking.

The bottom line

Fashion Industry Gallery is not a single-purpose “gallery” in the art-museum sense. It is a dual-purpose Dallas building: a trade-only wholesale fashion market for retail buyers several times a year, and a flexible, industrial-style event venue the rest of the time. Knowing which side of FIG you actually need, the market or the venue, is the first step to getting useful, accurate information and a straightforward booking or registration process.

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