Hey, It’s Jane 😀

Recently I’ve been noticing so many emerging fashion designers and fashion band startups not making it past their first three years of running a sustainable fashion business and it occurred to me that most of them have similar problems.

If you’ve been doing at least one of these it means that you are you’re likely dealing with something I call the Curse of the Fashion Designer…trying to sell while your brain is still in creative design mode!!

1.

You’ve been working 14 hour days with no social life for 3 months or more putting your heart and soul into a 20 piece collection but only get 2 or 3 sales of only one of your designs

2.

You’ve been in business for 1 to 3 years but still losing money and every 3 to 6 months your new collection goes over budget so now you’re wondering if you can even afford to do another season.

3. 

For 1 to 2 years you’ve been trying different products and posting images of them on instagram at least five times a week in a...

As a fashion brand startup or emerging designer,  trying to compete with the big brands when pricing your fashion products is preventing you from making any profits and growing your business to the next level.

I get it….   All your friends are telling you that Zara or River Island sell similar pieces for a fraction of what you’re charging .…. But are your friends your customers?   

Trying to keep your prices similar to the big brands could just be your reptilian brain trying to keep you small and safe.....   You might be thinking that if you keep your prices low people won't criticise, reject or judge your designs.

But, they are going to judge them any way.....  and wouldn't you rather your designs were judged for being high quality & high price that allow you to grow a profitable business instead of being judged as poor quality & low price where you can't make any profit.

This fear also shows up in your marketing when you hold yourself back from EFFECTIVELY communicati...

Most fashion designers, and this probably includes you, want their designs to be sold and in their customers wardrobes...

... They have lots of fabulous ideas and want to get noticed.   They want their talents to be recognised, to be in-demand and not have to worry about how they’ll finance the next collection.   They want lots of loyal customers who value their designs and will pay a fair price for them.

The problem is that most designers work flat out depriving themselves of sleep to produce their collections and when they attempt to launch get no sales so they waste time and money switching from design idea to design idea hoping that eventually they’ll land on a winning design that will make them “famous”!  

But that never happens.  They loose sight of the fact that it’s not just about any one particular product.   There is a lot more going on.    It's about the SYNERGY of designing and producing an original product and communicating its value to the right people at t...

One of my students , a few weeks ago, came to me in a bit of a flounder.    She said there was no point designing anything because everything already exists and she felt it impossible to design anything unique.

She didn’t want to add yet more unwanted clothes to the worlds surplus….

….So it all just seemed pointless and she was about to give up!!!

Do you ever feel like that?

I'm sure it was just her brain finding excuses to keep her “safe” and prevent her going after her scary goals!!!

But nevertheless it got me thinking that technically she was right!!!    When it comes to clothing everything has already been done before!

But, as I said to my student, not designing and following your passion as a designer because the things you want to create have already been done is one of the worst things you can do if you’re trying to become a successful fashion designer

I completely understand why she would think that.  At uni design tutors told you everything had to be c...

Most fashion designers think that to grow a successful fashion business all you need are fantabulous unique designs, customer acquisition, sell as many products as you can and make great profits.

I understand why you think that….It’s what everyone told you: college tutors, business books, the marketing guru’s, your bank manager,  business advisors…!   We are conditioned to believe that business is all about the cold bottom line and that we have to focus only on the intellectual aspect of a sale....  But,  have you ever wondered why 60% of UK businesses that put blood sweat and tears into great products, sales and profits fail in their first three years.

Don’t get me wrong….you do need fabulous unique products, sales and profits to grow a successful fashion brand…..However what is very often missed is the EMOTIONAL CONNECTION.   Building strong emotional connections with both your customers and your team will form strong lasting relationships that keep your customers returning, ...

Every Bodacious Fashion Entrepreneur knows that it pays to keep ahead of the curve when it comes to retail trends and to build a UNIQUE brand that embodies their individual style. 

 If you enjoyed last weeks blog about the demi-couture business model, and you are still not sure about the best business model route for you, then you’ll definitely like this post.   I’m about to give you another really EXCITING business model that I’m sure you’ll love.

Are you still procrastinating in indecision about which business model is best for you and making these mistakes:

• You don’t know who your customers are;
• Have no idea what the price points should be for your market;
• Have not yet gone past the starting line and you’re feeling FRUSTRATED because you don’t know why it’s taking you so long;
• Have no clear direction so are overwhelmed by SCATTERED business advice and can’t retain anything because it’s all too much.

Or perhaps you have already started your business but you: 

• c
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