All about Starting Your Own Label & Becoming a Fashion Designer... (SEE POST #1 FOR RELATED THREADS)

[thefrancofille]

Starting a line with NO formal training

I know it can be done. Rachel Roy, Tory Burch, Marie-Chantal Miller (Princess Pavlos of Greece) and others were able to do it. If this has already been posted, I apologize. But I wanted to discuss PRACTICAL information for getting a line started when you don't have much construction experience. I am an artiste and have been drawing/designing for years, but I can't sew or create sample. I'd really like to get a small line going over the next 5 years. Any place that I should start? Books to read? How to create a business plan? Etc.

THANKS!!!

 

[PetiteB]

Well it does help if you are married to Damon Dash, are a New York socialite with a degree in Art History or a member of the Greek Royal family.

I guess it depends what sort of line you would like. It's simple enough to get samples made up, but really it comes down to marketing and PR, and having a unique selling point that will get you into the first stores.

Having key contacts might make the whole thing easier. Have you considered starting with something smaller? What sort of things do you design at the moment?

 

[Diamond Star]

But aren't the people you listed famous beforehand? I think you've got your answer there..

 

[Meg]

I think people made excellent points (in terms of those women already had in's and major financial backing) but what about the Mulleavy sisters at Rodarte? Neither of them (as far as I'm aware) had very much professional sewing experience. Regardless, I think they are the best model to follow because they were total outsiders and basically just went to NYC with a trunk of their clothes and booked an appointment with loads of buyers and press.

If anything, I think these days, it can be easier to get your stuff out there because there are a lot more smaller boutiques online who cater to that market. But what someone said above is crucial - you have to have a unique selling point. Just like Rodarte was amazingly constructed and very very pretty, doing "Bop Basics" isn't going to get your picked up anywhere. What I would do (other than reading all the threads on C&E regarding the industry) is find someone who is really really good at sewing and is able to construct what you design or who you can collaborate with. There are a lot of people out there who do alterations for a living who really know their stuff. One woman in my hometown, I would take pictures of prada runway dresses to her and she would run them up for me. Then I would focus on creating some samples, creating a lookbook, and then hit up independent boutiques in your area, email a high-quality version of your lookbook to other online boutiques, do the trade show in Vegas, and listen to the feedback you are hearing. If someone simply says "no - not right for us" I would follow up and say "Thanks so much for your time - I'm continually working on my line. Would you mind letting me know what exactly didn't work for you?" and go from there. And set up your own website online potentially with your own e-store. From there, start calling up PR people and see about getting your clothes in editorials. That part to me seems to be the most difficult. You can really do all the other stuff on the cheap nowadays thanks to technology and friends with talent!

 

[educo]

^^ The Rodarte sisters studied Art history in college. I think one of them even graduated with an art History degree.

Look, the fashion industry LOVES people like you. You don't know anything and you want o put out a line. I would atleast do a couple courses on sewing, design history, fashion history or even how to run a retail store before even considering starting a line. People in the industry can tell those who are absolutely clueless about fashion. I don't care how many friend you have that have talent. It's your line, and if you don't give them direction, they will make you look bad. In order to give direction, you have to know what you're talking about. Get a little education first, try an internship with a small designer and see how hard it is, then you'll know where you want to go because you have seen stuff first hand.

 

[AnneMarie]

I agree with the above comments and I would go one step further and try and find someone locally who already has these skills and get some private lessons. With other forms of group lessons, it will take much longer to learn! Start small and build up your experience of the techniques you will want to use.

It is no good outsourcing your designs if you cannot see where problems could lie and you may not appreciate 'shoddy' work. Remember that buyers turn garments inside out to check the finish ... if you are leaning toward the more designer/upmarket clientele.

Keep your dream and work at it one day at a time. Believe me if you do that, you will get there.

AnneMarie

 

[nangnangnj]

I think if you want to start a line of your own you really need to consider a serious business plan. Even if you knew all the other stuff about garment construction, you still need to know about running your own business.
We have guest speakers come along to our Uni who have their own small labels etc and one of the things they always bang on about is getting clued on business practise. There are many short courses around you can take for this. I thinking of doing one when I graduate, even though next year we will cover this topic a little in my current course.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the examples you gave make me think that maybe you need to be a little more realistic.

 

[_Andrea_]

Everyone was so clear and i agree. You need to learn pattern and sewing to be able to tell people how you want your outfit. Appart from that, obviously you need a good business plan, if not, you can have all the great ideas you want but you wont get a thing.
There are also agencies for labels, such as models agencies but with labels. One you've got your line done, try to go there with a good presentation of your work, with a portfolio, etc. and ask them to put your label there. If they see something interesting they will promote you.

Btw, sorry for my mistakes and "hi", it's my first post here

Good luck!

 

[Meg]

I agree about the business plan. It's also a solid business plan that will help you secure state sponsored funding/backing (not sure where you are from, but my province has many business loans and grants for entrepreneurs) as well as other financiers.

My point about the Mulleavy sisters is straight on then, they might have done art history but they didn't do sewing/fashion construction/etc. All great advice in this thread.

 

[tigerrouge]

If you have a strong vision of what you want your business to supply, you can leave the job of 'making the product' to your workers. Your job is 'company figurehead' - you represent the company, promote the company's image, make contacts, etc. The product is made by your workers.

Consider - the man who owns a car factory doesn't necessarily know how to make a car, he just understands the car industry.

If however, you want to be the person who makes the clothes, I'd reckon you'll have to do some academic training plus some sort of on-the-job work experience, so you gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience of the craft of clothes design.

 

[_Andrea_]

Well, i'm also interested in the costs on a new label and i've been looking a bit. This is what i found:
You can registrer you label only in your country, troughout the Europan Union, or internationally.
The cost, obviously, depends on the registrer you get. In Spain, the costs are more or less:

200-300€ for the national label.
1000-1300€ for the comunity label (EU)
and the internationaly it says it depens on the country. But for you i think your interested in the Europe label, right?
Well, it's a really basic information, but i don't really know anything else
Hope i helped though

 

[BetteT]

I'd like to know more about it.

Especially the costs of a new label in Europe, more especially in Paris.

xx

I've merged your thread into the ongoing thread about starting up a new line/lable/design business .... assuming that is what you are talking about ... starting a new business .

I've heard that in the US ... it can cost a minimum of about $100,000 to start a new line. Probably similar in Europe.

I think that there is some talk about the earlier in this thread .... maybe you could take a look through it.

 

[pout306]

A serious business plan will be necessary. If you don't want to take courses or anything I would suggest doing an internship even if for half a year to see how things work.

 

[Fashiongirl1]

Sorry but the people that the thread starter listed has something I call, the EASY way in. If you are married to a rich man like Rachel Roy, or Kimora Lee Simmons for that Matter. If you are a Heiress or a Socialite, its a lot more easier to get a line up and running than if you have no prior experience in fashion at all. Patternmaking, Sewing etc... I am not talking a bout if you are a model lol. Which is why I mostly admire the Designers with real skill and talent and worked their way up in the industry. I usually look at the Bio's of many of the people who have their own line and I make a distinction between Fashion designers and the "Fashion Designers". Theres a big difference in my book. But that is just my personal opinion. Once I find out that someone has some type of connection to a rich man, a rich father...they are the heiress of some rich family or some socialite, I overlook them. Next!! Thats just my opinion. On the flip side I am sure there are business minded people who just want to start a line and then hire someone to do the fashion designing for them. Or even team up. I consider that a lot more reputable then celebs, trophy wives, heiressess and the like. I am sure someone is going to say your jealous, because they are upset at what I said which I am not lol. I am just stating my opinion.

This makes me think about when I was a business major in college. When professors ask about designers today people were like Sean John, Baby Phat, Rocawear lol. I did not hear not one REAL designer out of their mouths. Okay I don't want to go any further. Im out.

Good luck and many of the previous posters are correct.

 

[Willow_100]

Sleepwear Designer

This may seem like a silly question but........ how would you start a sleepwear company? Im interested, and would like to design my own. Do you think it is necessary to have studied in fashion design? i'm just unsure how to go about it all.

Thanks so much
x

 

[romeoelliott]

Sorry but the people that the thread starter listed has something I call, the EASY way in. If you are married to a rich man like Rachel Roy, or Kimora Lee Simmons for that Matter. If you are a Heiress or a Socialite, its a lot more easier to get a line up and running than if you have no prior experience in fashion at all. Patternmaking, Sewing etc... I am not talking a bout if you are a model lol. Which is why I mostly admire the Designers with real skill and talent and worked their way up in the industry. I usually look at the Bio's of many of the people who have their own line and I make a distinction between Fashion designers and the "Fashion Designers". Theres a big difference in my book. But that is just my personal opinion. Once I find out that someone has some type of connection to a rich man, a rich father...they are the heiress of some rich family or some socialite, I overlook them. Next!! Thats just my opinion. On the flip side I am sure there are business minded people who just want to start a line and then hire someone to do the fashion designing for them. Or even team up. I consider that a lot more reputable then celebs, trophy wives, heiressess and the like. I am sure someone is going to say your jealous, because they are upset at what I said which I am not lol. I am just stating my opinion.

This makes me think about when I was a business major in college. When professors ask about designers today people were like Sean John, Baby Phat, Rocawear lol. I did not hear not one REAL designer out of their mouths. Okay I don't want to go any further. Im out.

Good luck and many of the previous posters are correct.

well said

 

[ksl8313]

well said

^agreed,

 

[kathleen fasanel]

Once I find out that someone has some type of connection to a rich man, a rich father...they are the heiress of some rich family or some socialite, I overlook them.

On the flip side I am sure there are business minded people who just want to start a line and then hire someone to do the fashion designing for them.

Money makes anything easier, doesn't matter what kind of endeavor it is unless of course it's something like modeling. Plastic surgery only goes so far . However, that is not to say that business minded people who want to start a line have to hire someone to design for them anymore than people with money do.

In real life, it's more typical that celebs are more likely to hire it all out, everything from design to production. The reason is, a celeb is a brand, a clothing line is just another revenue stream, another branch of products they can slap their name on. Most celebs don't design or produce at all. Rather, they license their name to someone who already produces a given range of products (sunglasses, footwear etc). At best, the licensee presents a range of style ideas and the celeb selects the items that resonate with their image. This is the most typical course of affairs. There's a few exceptions tho, like Gwen Stefani. She's been sewing since she was a kid. It was in the news a couple of years ago that she broke her finger sewing her own samples.

 

[west63]

very very basic outline for you.
1.sketch
2.patternmaker
3.fabric(for simplest look for one that you can buy bulk later on)
4.sales samples (oh and fittings)
5.show to stores/boutiques
5.get orders
7.get patterns marked and graded
8.send markers, patterns, samples and fabric to factory

 

[semolinapilchard]

west63, nice to see it broken down to bare bones. appreciate.