Sunday 22 April 2012

How to Start a Fashion Label: Getting the Edge

New York Fashion Week - who wore what during The Oscars, what Vera Wang has for brides this coming spring, which America's Next Top model wore Versace's creations better - if you've found yourself constantly tuned in to any of the above, can accurately match the designer to the star on the red carpet all the time or spend hours in front of the mirror fussing over the details of your every outfit, then you must have a passion for fashion. And if so, why not put your time spent watching E! to more productive use? Start your own clothing line!

How to start a fashion label, you may ask? Though it may sound easier that it actually is, if you have the right mindset, the motivation and determination, you can start small and gradually build your way up to the top to compete with Jessica Simpson's celebrity clothing label!

Decide on What You Want to Sell

As with any business venture, planning and foresight are the keys to making sure your entrance into the fashion world is smooth as a runway and doesn't see you flat on your face. Make up your mind on how to start a fashion label: do you want to produce more high-end clothes of the limited-edition, special-occasion variety or are you catering more to the mass market who prefer utilitarian and versatile articles? If it's the former, that means you'll be selling less for more, but are clothes made of quality materials and are one-of-a-kind designs, tailor-made and coming from a small batch. If it's the latter, you can go for less expensive materials and can produce a lot more clothes for a bigger market.

Break Out Your Sketches and Designs

If you're a fashion fan, you should already have a couple of these stored somewhere or lying around your place, even if you're not quite the artist. Don't worry, you're not aspiring to be the next Van Gogh; all you need is a clear concept of how you want your clothes to look. A clothing line reflects your personality, so how you dress and what kind of style you like will always come out in your designs. The key here is to remember to show some individuality and unique qualities that will make people want to buy your stuff. Imitation is the best form of flattery, true, but you may come off as a copycat and rip-off if you're not careful on how to start a fashion label.

Know Your Materials and Manufacturers

Having designs and having memorized each gown Nicole Kidman has ever donned, you should by rights know your fabrics as well, along with the other items necessary in making clothes. Being able to differentiate rayon from chintz and shaft buttons from invisible zippers is an essential skill, as knowing the difference between an A-line skirt and a peasant blouse is. If you can't sew garments yourself, you should find yourself a good seamstress or manufacturer that charges reasonably. Bulk orders come cheaper, so if you have a couple of designs, you might want them all created at one time. To get the best deal, shop around for prices of fabrics, accessories and other materials and compare rates for manufacturers and seamstresses. If you begin with a few key pieces that are eye-catching and good to wear, you'll soon find yourself taking more orders and before you know it, you can even write your own success story on how to start a fashion label!

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