This is only the start of a major shift that will bring exciting opportunities for fashion designers to work independently on their passion and create a work/life balance doing what they love!    

Society has been set up in such a way that prevented people going after their dreams.  The large retail chains dominated the market for so long and most graduates gave up their dreams of having their own fashion brand to work for these companies instead.    I was one of them….. When I left college I initially worked as an employee, working all hours, underpaid and I felt as if I was stagnating in “designer jail” …. Yet I did it for five years before finding the courage to be my own boss. 

Working really long hours, as an employee, in an understaffed, pressurised environment actually gave me a chronic health condition, so it has been my mission ever since to prevent young designers experiencing the same.

Yes, I found the courage to take the leap of faith ….  But most people who ...

If you have a burning desire to create sustainable hand crafted unique products but are still procrastinating about starting your fashion business or if you have started but can’t make a profit…..then you’re more than likely, what I like to call a Floundering Fashion Designer 😜.

If you are a Floundering Fashion Designer then you more than likely are doing one of these three things:

• NOT MAKING A DECISION about which business model to start, who your customers will be and at what price points.
• You have a business model in mind but are not sure if customers will pay high prices points for your unique EXQUISITELY created artisanal products…because they can buy it Primark for £2 and your manufacturer quoted you £80 JUST TO SEW and embroider it!!!
• You have already started but UNDERPRICED your products that took hours of love, devotion, blood sweat and tears to create!

So, this indecision and fear keeps you:

• FLOUNDERING in procrastination, not getting across the starting line.   
...

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...

If you’ve been THINKING about starting your fashion business for three months or more without taking any action it could be because you don’t want to waste time or money producing the wrong products.  

Perhaps you’re worried that all of your ideas, so far, might not be original enough to sell…..  and you want to create a really ORIGINAL brand that goes VIRAL!

Well I’m about to give you a method that’s going to help you find the best concept and most original product for your fashion business so that you can stop procrastinating and FINALLY get started!!!

You see the biggest mistake I see most designers making is that they think they have to create a huge range of designs and they don’t focus enough on any SPECIFIC original product that would best suit the personality, lifestyle, finances and resources of themselves and their customers.  Its a bit like throwing all your darts at a dart board blind-folded and just hoping that one will hit the bulls-eye!

Unless you have a ...

CHARGING LESS FOR YOUR FASHION PRODUCTS IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL FASHION BRAND

If you have lots of unsold inventory I know how tempting it can be to lower your prices THINKING that it will increase sales….

But that could be the worst thing you can do to build your brand! 

I know it can be really disheartening when no one is buying....

But have you ever considered that if lowering prices meant increased revenue then all cheap garments would fly off the shelves and we all know that’s not the case!

Customers queue to buy £3000 Chanel handbags and bespoke Ferraris have a 5 year WAITLIST! ... Yet I’m sure you’ve seen all the images being circulated showing huge landfills of cheap clothing!

If you are lowering prices like the Floundering Fashion Designer then you’re probably burning yourself out working more hours, attracting the wrong customer and deterring those who ACTUALLY want the best, most expensive products…. Or, perhaps resorting to...

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
...

Do you know how the workers in your factory are treated?  For example are they allowed to join other workers in a trade union?  

Forming or joining a trade union to protect the interest of themselves and colleagues is a fundamental global human right as set out by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  It's something I am passionate about and in Fashion Entrepreneurs Academy (my group coaching programme) I only advocate manufacturers that uphold their workers rights and treat them fairly.

The trade unions are empowered to negotiate with employers in “collective bargaining”….basically this just means that the union negotiate with employers (collectively) on behalf of the workers for things like salaries, equalities, human rights, fairness, responsibilities, working hours, working conditions, sustainability etc. to arrive at a collective agreement that will form the basis of the employment relationship. 

Collective bargaining involves a specific process of joint de...

If you read last weeks blog you’ll know how to get the most out of attending a large fabric trade fair…..You might already have attended last weeks London Textile Fair.

The next event on the calendar is Premier Vision New York which is on 20th and 21st July and Premier Vision Paris   21st to 23rd September.

PV New York,  held at Centre 415, 5th Avenue (bet 37 & 38th Streets), will have 200 exhibitors and highlight a new emphasis on sustainability highlighting responsible industry measures.

In addition to the huge selection of  fabric suppliers and agents they also have a new Smart creation area based on a global eco-responsible approach which is based on:

• Social and ethical responsibility
• Environmental performance
• Traceability
• Finishing & Dyeing processes
• Recycling technologies
• Organic content
• Alternative materials

Most fabric fairs are not only the best place to source fabrics at wholesale price they are also a good place to discover the seasons major trends...

So, it’s that time of year again……Time to design your next collection…..and find some fantabulous fabrics that will inspire sell-out pieces and get your Instagram followers all in a tiz!!!

So, where do you start looking for fabrics?    If you are still over-paying retail stores its time to stop that and take your business seriously. 🧵

You could use dead stock fabric or start some up-cycling etc, but if your brand really needs metreage you should start attending the professional trade events.   These will be taking place worldwide over the next few months showing fabrics & trends for A/W ‘22 and the London Textile Fair starts in just a few days!

Fabric fairs are opening live for the first time since the pandemic and the London Textile Fair starts on Wednesday 13th July.   Premiere Vision New York is 20th & 21st July and Premiere Vision Paris is 21st & 23rd September live or 20th to 24th September on-line.

The fabric fairs are not only the best place to source your fabric...