The main objective of this study is to describe the economic evolution of Muriaé, Minas Gerais, and analyse the prospects for development from the perspective of local actors. Until the beginning of the last century, the city of Muriaé and the Zona da Mata Mineira region benefited from the development and political and economic prestige that coffee cultivation and trade brought to Brazil. However, in recent decades, the city and the mesoregion have faced economic difficulties and low development. Given this scenario, how have local actors and institutions acted to promote local development in Muriaé? Initially, information was collected through secondary data in the public domain, followed by twenty semi-structured interviews with local actors in the municipality. The results of the research point to the various economic cycles that have occurred in Muriaé and indicate the relevance and endogenous nature of the fashion and clothing sector in Muriaé through the existence of a development support structure composed of various organisations.