Relying on social media marketing to grow your fashion brand is DEAD!☠️

Huhhh. 🫣……

OK…..   I am being a little dramatic!!!  🤣 

BUT the reality is that you can no longer rely SOLELY on social media marketing if you want to avoid an empty order book!

According to McKinsey & Company BRAND MARKETING is back!!   

They said in their annual State of Fashion report that [in 2024] 71 percent of executives plan to spend more on brand marketing than in 2023.

So what does this mean for you as an independent fashion designer….

It means that brand marketing is more relevant in 2024 and you cannot be AS dependent on Instagram!!   

You need both social media AND brand marketing!  

In 2024 your Instagram, other social media marketing and Facebook (Meta) ads demand more raw authenticity than ever….  and your content needs to be turbocharged to create an emotional connection if you want to drive people to eventually become a customer.

A HUGE mistake I see hundreds of ...

Most of the designers I meet are working 14 hour days designing and doing photoshoots but struggle to get any more than 300 views and 5 likes on Instagram.   They think social media is the only solution but it is not…  

So, take off your Gucci sunglasses and watch closely because I am about to show you how to FINALLY get your brand noticed:

STEP ONE

Firstly here’s how to turn your audience into loyal customers.  Most  fashion startups burn themselves out designing amazing collections for an audience who don’t actually want to buy them. 

So they invest more time and money designing more and more products but it doesn’t matter how many products you design if people don’t resonate with your brand they won’t buy. 

Instead what you want to do is define the vibe of your brand.  This is an attitude or feeling  that will inform your designs,  photography, videography, and merchandising so that all your designs and communication of them are consistent and aligned with what your audie...

Most fashion designers, when pricing their garments and products, will follow a percentage mark-up method which should ideally leave them with a workable profit margin.

However it’s never that simple because some customers don’t care what your make price is,  the pricing method used or even how much profit you made.  They just want the BEST!   ….  

Some want the cheapest but some customers want the BEST;   the most durable; lowest cost per wear; the most timeless or some want the best fit.

Of course it’s understandable that you use the percentage mark up method because it’s what you’ve been taught to do and it is the simplest way to approach pricing…..

But I don’t need to tell you that when your garments are priced like this you STILL get people telling you the price is too high! … and thousands of designers all over the planet use this method and STILL can’t sell enough to make a profit.

The popcorn you buy at the movies has a mark-up of around 1,000%.     You happ...

If all independent Fashion Designers get behind a new concept we could create a paradigm shift in the fashion industry, making it much easier for small creative fashion designers to thrive alongside the big brands.

I call this concept LUXIE.    Luxie is a hybrid concept where big LUXURY brands collaborate with small INDIE designers.

When I started my business in the 90’s consumers wanted big brand labels so it was a struggle and that’s why I want to make it easier for independent designers to thrive in a much more even playing field without the struggles we experienced.

For the first time in at least 40 years more consumers now actually do want to buy from small independents and at long last realise that it is cool to buy more authentic, unique products produced in small quantities and to have a real connection with the designer.

I think the large luxury brands could risk becoming dinosaurs if they don’t adapt and the most obvious solution is for them to work with, spon...

Wanting To Sell More Is Not Going To Help You Sell More!

Don’t worry.  I understand why you want that.   Every independent fashion designer wants to sell more and you might have been trying for at least three months to sell but can’t find enough people who will actually pay for your fashion products or garments.

But I’m going to ask you a question:

If you were an accessory designer selling £50 purses to gen Z direct to consumer and a futurist said to you “I’ve looked into your future and you are going to get one new sale in the next 90 days” would you be jumping up and down in excitement that you had made….  Erm, lets see 🤔 £3.33 a week.

But, if you were the designer of exclusive designer pieces selling wholesale at £1,000 to high end retailers such as Neiman Marcus who has 36 locations and would  probably buy a significant number of each piece and that soothsayer or futurist said the same thing ….  “I’ve looked into your future and you will get one new sale in the next...

Why you DON'T want to be the most OUTSTANDING, conceptual fashion designer!

Most fashion designers think it's becoming really great at DESIGN that leads to fame and success but that is the most DELUSIONAL idea thats actually likely to keep you broke.

If you keep thinking success comes from putting 100% of your attention into being an outstanding designer you could actually just be working yourself into burn out with no sales or profit to show for your efforts.

If this is you your audience probably don’t even appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of your products so you are undercharging...

... and now you are running out of money,  wondering how to pay for your next collection and you’re tired of posting on social media every day when nothings selling!

If it was true that every conceptual, innovative design sold then EVERY  conceptual designer who JUST focused on design would be successful and we all know that is NOT what happens!! …

 ….   On the other hand w...

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...

You are more than likely suffering from Overdesign Syndrome if you've been struggling to sell your products for more than three months, have trouble manufacturing a wide variety of products  and you’re running out of money.   

It could mean that you are failing to EDIT your collection succinctly enough.   You might be trying to get every single one of your great ideas noticed in just one collection and its confusing your audience.....   And we all know that a confused customer never buys!!...      Or maybe you're unsure what will sell so you give them everything….. but designing “everything” is keeping you broke!!

What you really need to do is FOCUS on a specific product range and strategically edit it to a final range of designs you know will sell and is as cost effective to produce as possible.

Have you ever wondered how brands like Prada, Loewe or Gucci can make 100 piece collections repeatedly several times a year, scaling into the millions?...

... Yes, I know t...