How To Start A Clothing Line: Top 10 Do's And Dont's

THE TOP 10 DO'S & DON'TS OF HOW TO START A CLOTHING LINE The global clothing, fashion or apparel market was valued at US$1.7 trillion in 2012 and employs approximately 75 million people. DO'S DONT'S THINK - PLAN! DO your RESEARCH thoroughly You DON'T have to have all the DO a BUSINESS PLAN ANSWERS DO get your clothing line CONCEPT TIP RIGHT DO find a MENTOR if you are working SOLO LEARN AS YOU A OTF YOUR CLOTHING LINES' BRAND GO ALONG CAD DO keep it SIMPLE DON'T OVER THINK the process DO choose a name you LIKE DON'T PROCRASTINATE DO get OPINIONS and use the ones DON'T choose a name with that are relevant NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS DO REGISTER your BRAND NAME TIP 3 LISTEN TO DESIGN YOUR GUT DO create REALISTIC designs DON'T SEND out sketches NO ONE DO make the STITCHING details UNDERSTANDS CLEAR on your sketches DO look at your COMPETITORS TIP HIRE A FREE-LANCER SPECIFICATIONS DO get the FIT of your clothing line DON'T leave it ENTIRELY to RIGHT someone else keep involved even if DO make sure you and your you DON'T KNOW about garment manufacturers both have the same technology COPY of your clothing lines' SPECS TIP DO be PRECISE on measurements I$I USE THE EXPERTISE OF FINANCE OTHERS DO make sure you have your DON'T PAY for anything unless you have approved it first SURVIVAL BUDGET worked out DO PLAN your finances to the very DON'T SPEND on unnecessary costs last penny DO keep a RESERVE FUND in case you go over budget MANUFACTURING DO make sure your manufacturer is DON'T PAY AN ADVANCE clear on your TIME LINE for manufacturing until you have DO CONFIRM your maker is CLEAR on all the MANUFACTURING approved a first sample TIP aspects of your clothing line DO NEGOTIATE the COSTS of manufacturing before your start 7 BE CLEAR BEFORE PAYING PHOTOGRAPHY DO get your final images as COLOUR ACCURATE as possible DON'T leave it to CHANCE make sure your photography meets your DO get your images in the CORRECT expectations IMAGE SIZE and RESOLUTION TIP DO KEEP A COPY of the HIGH RESOLUTION photo shoot images VISUALLY APPROVE ALL YOUR IMAGES ONLINE DON'T take what DIGITAL AGENCIES TELL you at FACE VALUE DON'T PAY LOTS OF MONEY to go online it's not that complicated DO GO ONLINE DO keep it personal PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE DO have SYNERGY with your online presence and your brand SALES & MARKETING DO DEVELOP your SALES DON'T SIT and WAIT to get sales TECHNIQUE DON'T Leave your sales it to DO GET OUT THERE and PROMOTE CHANCE your clothing line DON'T leave any stone unturned DO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS SELL...SELL...SELL! 10 CHAVE FUN 60% of UK workers not happy in their jobs (Investing IN People IIP) & 52% of Americans are unhappy at work (Conference Board) DO something you ENJOY, LOVE & have a PASSION for and most important of all HAVE FUN! JCooper.co.uk