Are you a creative fashion designer looking to start your own brand? Starting a fashion brand can be exhilarating and tumultuous. Between designing, producing, marketing and maintaining a fashion business there is a lot of work involved. But with the right guidance and know-how, any designer can navigate their way to success. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to start a fashion brand.
Step 1: Do Your Research
Before you dive into starting a fashion business, it’s important to do your research. What type of business model fits with your vision? Do you want to manufacture, subcontract or purchase directly from other manufacturers? Do you want to focus on a particular fashion category, such as womenswear, menswear or childrenswear? Gather as much information as you can to assess the best path to take in building your brand.
Step 2: Get the Legal Stuff Out of the Way
The legal side of starting a fashion brand is incredibly important. You’ll want to register your business and obtain a tax identification number. You will want to choose a name for your business, which should also be trademarked or copyrighted, as well as purchase liability insurance. Invest in a good lawyer and/or accountant to secure these for you as it will save you time and money in the long run.
Step 3: Create A Visual Identity
Your brand’s visual identity is the face of your brand. You need to create an engaging logo, website, and social media presence. Incorporate colors, fonts, and imagery that define your brand’s message. Use these in all of your marketing materials to help build brand recognition.
Step 4: Establish Your Target Audience
To create a successful fashion brand, you need to know who you’re selling to. When determining your target audience, be sure to narrow down the age, gender, and interests of your target consumers. Surveying existing and potential customers can also be beneficial in determining how to fine-tune and reach your desired target audience.
Step 5: Develop a Business Plan
Creating a business plan will help ensure the success of your fashion brand. You will need to factor in budgeting, finances, and cash flow. Your business plan should also include marketing and advertising strategies to help spread the word about your brand.
Step 6: Source A Production Facility
Whether you’re manufacturing, subcontracting, or purchasing from a third-party, you’ll need to secure a reliable production facility to create your clothes. Start by researching local and international production facilities, which you can visit to assess the level of quality you will be getting. Make sure to obtain samples of their previous work, and ask questions to ensure you’re getting the best quality clothes produced.
Step 7: Utilize Social Media Platforms
Social media is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. Establishing a presence on the major platforms, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, immediately puts you in front of potential customers. Consistently post engaging content, offer promotions and contests, and be available to answer customer inquiries. This will ensure your engagement on social platforms remain high and drive traffic to your website.
Step 8: Promote Your Brand
Now that you have a website and active social media presence, you will want to get your name out there. To do this, it’s important to develop relationships with bloggers, influencers, and fashion editors who can talk about and support your brand. You can also use content marketing, email marketing, and events to engage customers and provide a platform to showcase your fashion collections.
Step 9: Track Your Performance
Once your business is up and running, track your performance to understand how to continuously improve on your fashion collections. Utilize analytics tools to measure your website’s engagement, as well as the effectiveness of your social media following. This way you can adjust to improve your current strategies, while simultaneously making more informed marketing and business decisions.
Starting your own fashion business can be a difficult and overwhelming process. But with the right guidance, any creative designer can take the necessary steps towards becoming a successful fashion brand. The key is doing your research, planning ahead, and continuously assessing your progress in order to successfully build and grow your fashion business.
