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By: Christopher LunaStarting a Fashion Business

Hobby Vs. BusinessThe ultimate goal is to work as little as possible for the most amount of money Leave the hand beading to the Haute couture in ParisKnowing how to sew isnt as important as the ability to find someone who can sew

Basic ExpensesAccounting programOffice EquipmentSamples (including shipping)Marketing toolsLine sheetsTrademarksTravel

The Easy StuffComing up with a name for your brand as well as a logoDeciding what type of garments you would like to make and sellReserving all desired usernames for your brand on prevalent social media platforms

Building a BrandConsumers dont buy what you sell, they buy what you stand forThe product must have integrityConsumers are savvy and perception of value is important

TrademarksDesigns cant be protected but your brand canIf one doesnt have the funds to trademark globally then its advised to wait until they do before trademarking

Limit the RiskLower the amount of fabric in every collectionAlways ask for landed price if dealing with overseas factoriesHave pre-orders before buying in bulk

Making a SamplePatternFabric, Trims & LaborCuttingFitting (model)GradingDying or screen printingHandling

Types of SamplesFirst SampleCounter SampleSalesman SampleProduction Sample

Know your Consumer Know who youre targeting so intimately that you can guess what they wantCrowd sourcing is a good tool for consumer behaviorUse the information about your target audience to set price points

End Consumer Vs. RetailerFocusing on retailers might be the better option since you can make samples and use the money of their order to place your own order Retailers do some of the work for you

NegotiatingMost factories have minimum order requirements so negotiating quantities and price is importantNegotiate mark-up with retailers

Communicating with FactoriesSamples are not always needed for this processTech Sheets are a viable optionMake sure the factory youre using is item specificUse the factorys history closet

Perception of valueCountry of originQuality of garmentsAdvertising

Getting the word outAttend trade shows Be active on social mediaCreate WebsiteKeep up with editorial calendarsSend Post Cards to retailersLocal road reps

Above AllAt the risk of sounding clich, have funBe creative; consumers are looking to express their individualityHave good tasteBe disciplined