All Photos: Ron Lach
The clothing business is definitely one of the biggest and the most diverse in the world. When building your own clothing business from scratch, there are a bunch of important aspects to consider: from picking a niche and designing, to manufacturing and selling your products. But, don't let this bother your business idea, as customers always look forward to the new fashion brands.
The clothing industry is a great field to get into if you want to build a business of your own. However, there are a few important things to consider before you set foot in the clothing business. The process from the beginning to the very final step is going to be challenging, but there is nothing better than experiencing happiness from the first sale.
#1. Pick Your Niche
One of the first things you want to do when starting your clothing business is to pick a specific niche. You need to choose what is in your field of interest and consider the cravings of your future customers. Concentrate on a unique idea that will highlight your brand from the crowd. Once you figure these two things out and pick a niche for your business, you'll have a strong foundation.
I spoke with Pazit R. from Shawlovers.com to share her experience as a fashion designer, seamstress, and independent clothing shop owner for over 10 years. According to her, your first consideration when picking a niche MUST be:
''Choose with your heart! Your niche is going to be something you’re going to live with every day, and especially at the beginning, it might take time for your clothing business to thrive, so if you choose a niche only by logical reasons or competitive analysis, you might find yourself struggling to keep your motivation going. From my own experience, it took me a couple of months to get things going (or even get my first sale!), but I was lucky enough to choose a niche that I was extremely passionate about, so it was pretty natural for me to spend this time with ease by developing my collection, improving my images, learning from other brands, and going through TONS of inspiration! If I wouldn’t feel connected to my shop’s theme, the whole process would have been nearly impossible, not to mention boring!''
#2. Determinate the Level of Your Market
The next important step is figuring out the levels of the fashion segment you want to take. This choice will determine the path of your clothing brand: the style, price, material, and even the process of production. There are five levels of fashion markets:
Haute Couture: Made to measure, Haute Couture is the most specialized and highest level of fashion. It shows the collections of two seasons in a year.
Luxury Brand: Luxury brands are brands like YSL, Fendi, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, etc. who use high-profile advertising to sell and market their products such as accessories, perfumes, and ready-to-wear collections. Designers are brought in to develop the fashion range.
Designer/Rtw: This range of brands includes Jonathan Saunders to Dries Van Noten. The garments embody the designer aesthetic, even though the garments are made in standard size.
High-Street Brand: In this brand, the labels create mass productions and buy in large volumes which are mostly sold in their individual stores.
Online/Home Shopping: In this, the shopper is given several options that they can see online and buy. The brand then sends it directly to the houses so that the customers enjoy a more relaxed shopping experience.
#3. Create a Lean Business Plan
To start a successful clothing business, you'll need to build a reliable business plan. This might seem like a big and scary task, but it is definitely important to know everything about the field you are about to jump into. Building your business strategy and knowing what is waiting for you in the market will help you to achieve short-term and long-term plans.
Logo and Brand's Name: Make sure your brand name is unique, stands out, is easy to remember, and something that has a story. Extra brownie points if you can create a logo for your brand as well which would authenticate your business.
Problem Worth Solving: Know what the people are looking for whether it is a better product, a cheaper brand, or a good store location. Tell your customers how your brand solves their quest to find what they are looking for.
Solution: Answer this question – how will your brand set itself apart from all the competitors in the market today.
Target And Market: Know your target audience and their key attributes. Describe each group if you are targeting multiple segments of people. Add details about them and how large the total market would be.
Advantage: Tell the audience all about the advantages of your products like unique components and how it is better than the competition.
Sales Channels: If you have salespeople who would be working on deals then you need to work on a sales plan as well to convert potential customers into loyal customers.
Marketing Activities: Work on a marketing plan for your product and how you will tell people about your brand. Work on a content strategy and all the marketing plans.
Revenue: Your revenue should be based on your market research. Have a detailed plan for the same based on the market study. Highlight what kind of growth you are looking for.
Expenses: Know the notable expenses, the direct costs, and everything else related to it.
#4. Create a Reference/Moodboard for Your Brand
Any fashion-related business starts with a bright, visual idea. A moldboard for a fashion business can be created using various materials and mediums, including magazine clippings, fabric swatches, photographs, sketches, digital images, and even textures or objects found in the environment. It is a flexible and personal tool that enables the fashion business to express its unique identity and differentiate itself from competitors. This fun and creative process will help you in developing a consistent visual language that guides all aspects of your clothing business, including product design, marketing campaigns, website design, and even retail store aesthetics.
#5. Test Your Clothing in Action
Once your clothing is ready, you can hire models and prepare the first photoshoots. Upload the pictures to the social accounts of your brand, and get the magic of social media marketing to do the job. Later, you'll be able to test your products in action by taking them to small vendors both in the physical and online stores.
Now You are Ready to Take It to the Market
Now, when your clothing line is ready, it is time to sell it. Take care of the following things while doing so:
• Market your brand;
• Organize deals and promotions;
• Price your products;
• Pack your products;
• Create an online store (based on your needs);
• Ship products;
• Deals with customers and their issues;
• Plan ahead of time for the new line.
Final Thoughts
Starting a clothing business can be an exciting venture, but it requires careful consideration and planning to ensure success. Building something from scratch is never easy, but the first fruits of your hard labor are always the yummiest, am I right? By considering these five essential factors, you'll be able to lay a strong foundation for your clothing business and increase the likelihood of long-term success.
Lots of love,
Liz
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