The Fashion Brand Launch Strategy Everyone's Still Getting Wrong
Talented independent designers are pouring their heart and soul into their online presence... cringing as they create behind the scenes founder videos, posting 3 to 5 times a week on Instagram, hiring social media managers, running ads... and still wondering why nobody's buying.
If that's you, here's what's actually happening, why it's happening, and what's working instead.
Social media alone stopped working as a fashion brand launch strategy a long time ago. The platforms are saturated, the algorithms favour entertainment over craftsmanship, creativity and intellectual design, and your potential customer has scrolled past a thousand beautifully shot product videos before she's even finished her first coffee.
And yet, sign up for almost any fashion business coaching programme, watch almost any webinar aimed at independent designers, or follow any fashion mentor on Instagram and you'll still hear the same advice delivered as if it's cutting edge: post daily to Instagram, get on TikTo...
Some fashion designers are exploding right now… and the ones who aren't are all making the same mistake.
I was recently in California with a few days free before an event… so I used the time to talk to some fashion founders. And I noticed something quite consistent.
They were all incredibly talented designers with some early success behind them… but their visibility was stuck at the same level. Not enough to be profitable, and they didn't know how to reach the right people, who would genuinely appreciate their craftsmanship and pay what their work was worth, without comparing their prices to Zara or H&M.
They wanted more of the right people to see their collections. But the actions that would actually create that visibility kept getting pushed into the 'I'll do it later' category.
There's always something more immediate… production, admin, finances. running the studio, life. So the work that actually changes how a brand is seen keeps getting pushed to tomorrow… next week… after this deadline… after production… once the collection is ready.
What most designers don't realise is that ...
Jane McMillan
Jane McMillan
Founder of Fashion Entrepreneurs Academy
Jane McMillan is a fashion launch architect and consultant living in London. Her Mac Millan brand gained celebrity clients including a former member of the British Royal Family and her work has been shown in editorial features such as Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, In Style, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, WWD, etc. and featured on several broadcast media including Channel 4 and the BBC. For over a decade, Jane's collections were showcased internationally, appearing on the official catwalk schedule at New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park, the British Fashion Council's Designer Exhibition, On|Off catwalk shows at London Fashion Week, and TranoĂŻ Paris. For many years, Jane consulted for renowned fashion brands including Roland Mouret and Roksanda, while also serving as an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins, where she mentored students who have since become some of the most sought-after names in London, Paris and other global fashion capitals. Today, Jane brings together her experience in luxury fashion, education and business to help independent fashion brands launch their collections, attract the right customers and grow to the next level.
Recent Newsletters