Last week I was involved in a mentoring session organised by the girls of Re Dress as part of their annual Fashion Evolution event. I met so many wonderful aspiring creative talents.
Since then I have received quite a few emails asking for further advice, so I thought I'd put a post together focusing on questions of those who are attempting to set up their own label.
I'm pretty sure I'm not the best person to give advise, I don't always practice what I preach.. but that doesn't mean I don't want too...sometimes I need to say it to myself..and the universe.. to be convinced!
So, if you are working on your first collection these are a few tips...
1. Get experience, and I know this might sound like a step back, it will be worth it. It's the only way to learn the knots and blots of the industry. Learn from their success and their mistakes. If you haven't worked for another designer for a few seasons, at least, I would say don't even think of setting up your own label.
2. Once you've gained some experience, research as much as you can in terms of the concept of your creations and who you think your customer will be. I really believe you only have one chance to give a first impression so make sure your designs are up to scratch. I would rather wait for a year or two before putting something out there that I know is not as perfect as can be.
3. Keep your first collection small and concise. A 6 to 10 piece strong collection can be enough to seduce your customers. Don't try to do everything. You can build up the collection in the future, but it will be easier to grab your customer's attention if you have a specific and clear concept.
4. Pricing. Once you've chosen a design concept and the market you think it will be for, be very conscious about costs and pricing. If you are designing for a younger market price point must be adequate to their spending capacity ( this comment is very specific to Ireland..in other countries where there is a bigger population you will find a more diverse customer base with a broad range of budgets)
5. Don't under price your collection. The temptation is to undercut yourself at the beginning trying to get into good shops. It will be hard to charge what you should be charging later on.
6. Capacity. Be very clear what your limitations are, financially and production wise. Say no when you are unable to commit. It's better to say no than to say yes and then letting people down.
6. Stay small for as long as possible. It's the only way to learn without making huge mistakes or taking huge risks.
7. Build up a private customer base as well as nourishing a few shops. Don't step on their toes by selling at discount, this may come back to haunt you.
8. Press are always looking for new stories and great images. Invest in a good shoot, it doesn't have to be overproduced or costly..having great images is priceless. Write a press release. The story is so important now. Everyone from customers to journalists want to know the story behind the label so make sure there is soul in what you're doing.
If there are any other questions I haven't covered or you'd like something more specific let me know!
Yes.
Very true, very well stated.
Of course I like your statement on nourishing shops .. that's so important; they do support designers and tend to be very supportive of new talent, especially with those that are honest and keep them informed of any production issues that might delay a shipment. My bias is showing.
Really this is very good, Eilis.
Posted by: Madeleine Gallay | 05/31/2010 at 02:22 PM
The mentoring sounds admirable and good fun. And here's a question for you: would you advise those emerging designers to blog? Is it a useful adjunct to the creative process and a worthwhile means of communication, or is it a happy distraction and a personal log of ideas?
Posted by: pretty far west | 05/31/2010 at 10:00 PM
What a great question Mise......I think I'll do a post to answer that!!
Posted by: Silent Storyteller | 05/31/2010 at 10:20 PM