How to Start a Designer Clothing Line

The clothing industry has been taken by storm since the 1980s by labels like Juicy Couture, Ralph Lauren and Gucci. These designer clothing lines have generated millions of dollars in annual revenue as consumers flock to high-end labels. The British Ministry of Culture reports that the country's fashion industry brought in $910 million in revenue in 1997, with half of this money sent from overseas. The profit potential for a designer clothing line means nothing without a great plan, a clear vision and sufficient startup capital.

Instructions

Create a Designer Clothing Line

1. Detail your clothing line's brand-building efforts and initial finances in a concise business plan. Your business plan should contain sample print ads, an advertising budget and a plan to attract distributors for your designer clothing line. A balance sheet comparing materials and advertising costs to startup capital can help lenders determine the amount of money needed to start your line.

2. Sketch dresses, jackets, shoes and accessories until you have found the perfect clothing for your designer clothing line. Ask for input from friends, fellow designers and art students about your sketches to refine your clothing line before it hits stores. Keep every sketch made during your line's early days to spur inspiration in the future.

3. Seek out startup funds for your designer clothing line if you do not have sufficient savings to cover initial costs. Commercial loans from local banks might seem burdensome for clothiers, but they offer relatively quick access to startup capital. If you know designers and boutique owners in town, use these connections to solicit small investments of money and supplies to get started.

4. Work with a market research firm like Pivot Point Research Inc. to determine price points in your niche of the clothing industry. Pivot Point and other research firms produce reports that break down average prices for major competitors in your niche. Balance price point information with your line's expenses to determine prices for clothing and accessories.

5. Recruit sewers, designers and interns to carry the load for your designer clothing line. Since your line will start in local and regional stores, you can keep your costs low while breeding a generation of clothing designers by recruiting recent fashion design graduates. Look at schools like Boston's School of Fashion Design for interns and recent graduates who want to help build a designer clothing line from the ground up.

6. Advertise at colleges and local talent agencies for models to wear your clothing at shows and photo shoots. Look for models with different physical profiles to show that your designer clothing line can be worn by a wide range of consumers. Search for models who understand your small-scale operations and want to bolster their portfolios as they work or finish school during the day.

7. Invest in inventory management software from a developer like Apparel Information Management System for your clothing line. Your office will need to track samples and shipped units from warehouse to retailer online to avoid lost assets. Use bar code readers and inventory management software to check in shipments and check out finished units from your office.

8. Purchase fabric, sewing machines and other clothing supplies from a supplier like Mood Fabrics for your line. Your designer line's profits can be squandered quickly by purchasing excessive amounts of cloth and thread for each production run. Ask about volume discounts from your fabric supplier to reduce costs as your line gains popularity.

9. Participate in fashion shows and trade events like Detroit Fashion Week to show your clothing line to the world. Reserve space for your staff and models months ahead of fashion events to ensure access to fashion buyers, journalists and boutique owners. Match your designer line's clothing to your models before the runway show to reduce stress at the event.

10. Speak with independent boutique and shoe store owners in your city to find distribution for your designer clothing line. Bring samples and sketches of your line for boutique owners to peruse before agreeing to sell your products. If you are offered multiple distribution deals, look at boutiques that match your line's target consumer and image.

11. Search for a small retail space to act as your clothing line's flagship store. Your flagship store can be little more than a few mannequins wearing your signature clothing, a counter and a sewing space. Recruit a few salespeople and a tailor to handle custom sizing for your designer clothing line.

Tips & Warnings

• Brainstorm the color scheme, font and imagery used on your clothing labels before sending your line to shops. Your designer label should feature a color scheme and lettering that matches your line's creative vision. For example, a designer clothing line that creates men's formal wear can use black backing, white lettering and a clean font to show a focus on small details.

References

• Fashion-Incubator
• Clothing Line Help

Resources

• Detroit Fashion Week
• Mood Fabrics
• School of Fashion Design