Have you ever dreamt of starting your own clothing label? I remember flipping through the glossy pages of fashion magazines wondering how it would be like to start my own clothing label. And I’m sure just like me there are other women who have been thinking the same. After some research I found out that starting a clothing label like many other businesses, requires you know these basics.
- Commit to start
So many people had the aspiration to own their own clothing label but never followed through with their dreams. At the end of the day, starting their own clothing label becomes only a daydream.
If you are really serious about having your own clothing label then you need to make the decision to get started and commit to your decision.
Some ways to prove to yourself that you’re committed to launching your clothing label is to come up with ideas on how you want your clothing label to be like, the vibe you want it to have and maybe have a couple of preliminary designs of the clothing items you want to have in your clothing line.
- Know your target audience
Once you’ve committed to get started on working on your clothing label, you need to know your target audience. Who are the people you want your clothing label to appeal to and why?
Having a clear image of your target audience helps you create and deliver clothing that they will love and value.
- Identify a need
When you’re able to know who your target audience is, the next thing you need to do is delve deep into what their needs are and how your clothing item can help them meet their needs.
For example, let’s assume that your target audience is tall ladies. You need to find out what challenges they are facing right now that available clothing labels weren’t able to solve. How can your clothing label add value to your target audience? Is there a particular style, shape or size that your target audience can’t find?
- Hire the right people
To embark on a venture like starting your own clothing label isn’t something you can do all alone. You would need some help.
Get yourself a team of people you know will help to make your clothing label possible. You would need a designer, a marketer and someone in charge of logistics. If you’re not sure who would be a great fit for your clothing label, you may seek the help of a recruiter who will help you find the right people you can get on board.
- Find a factory you can trust
This is one of the most important aspects of having your own clothing line. You need to find a factory that will be able to follow your specifications to the letter.
Make enquiries from factories if they will be able to create your designs. Try to get some samples, if possible. It is crucial that the factory you choose is one that will do a great job.
- Market your clothing items
Now that you’ve arranged for a factory that can help you have your clothing items made, you need to market your clothing label to your target audience.
You can use Facebook or Instagram ads to help you reach a lot of people. You may also use influencer marketing to help you get across to your target audience.
- Be resourceful
Maybe at this point it seems like you’ll require a lot of money to get your clothing label up and running. However, you may need that much money to make your clothing label a reality – that’s where being resourceful comes in.
For example, instead of getting yourself a large boutique you can get started with an online store. Instead of hiring a photographer, you can ask a friend who’s a decent photographer to help you take pictures of the clothes in your clothing line. You may not have to hire professional models to model your clothing items. You can ask a couple of friends to help you out instead. The options are endless!
- Acquire some business know-how
Setting up and running a clothing label requires some business know-how. You have to learn how to market your products, how to handle your clients and give them the best customer service.
It’s alright if you are not an expert in business, so long as you know the basics. Having someone on your team who is business savvy can be a plus too.
- Keep improving
There will be times when you have to go to the drawing board several times before you can get it right. As your clothing label grows, you have to work on getting better all the time.
Review the clothing items in your clothing line and think of ways you can make them better. Get the feedback from your target audience on how you can make the clothing label to best serve them.
- Stay consistent
Some people give up after a couple months or even weeks of getting started. The reason most people do is because they find the process of running a successful clothing label difficult.
The truth that it takes time before you can get any traction. That is why you need to keep working hard. You need to keep reaching out to your target audience, keep coming up with creative designs and keep improving the business in order for it to grow. So you need to be consistent with your efforts to make your clothing label a success.
Have you ever played with the idea of setting up your own clothing label?