The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: Start and Run Your Own Fashion Business

The Fashion Designer Survival Guide provides the necessary tools to get a fashion line or label up and moving on the right track, including: How to create a viable business plan Figuring out how much money you need, where and how to get it, and how to make it last, including the latest on private equity The best sources for fabric and materials Navigating the pitfalls of production both at home and abroad Marketing, branding, and getting the product into the stores and into the customer’s closets Romancing the press, dressing celebrities, and creative publicity techniques Producing a runway show that will get results

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The FashionDesignerSurvivalGuideRevised and Expanded Edition

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Contents

ForewordPreface

One Piece of Advice

1 • Before You Start

The Reality

You Survived the Bad News

2 • The Fundamentals

The Plan

Elements of the Plan

Setting up the Business, by Melanie Jones

3 • The Money

How Much Do You Need?Where to Find Money

Factoring, by Tim Moore

4 • Product Development

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Have a Point of ViewThe Trends

The CollectionSignature ItemsThe Quality StandardIt Must Look the PriceCommerciality and Show

5 • Fabric and MaterialsLearn FirstThe ChallengesThe SourcesOnce You Order6 • ProductionThe Production PlanSample Production

Tips and Considerations When Hiring aPatternmaker, by Sally Beers

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7 • Marketing and Branding Materials

Be Your BrandLogos

Press and Sales KitsOther Marketing Materials

8 • Sales

The Financial Realities of SellingWhere to Sell

Selling to the Stores

Cold Calling, by Rachel Shechtman

The AppointmentThe OrderGetting Paid

Customer Service and Supporting SalesWho Should Sell the Line?

Trade Shows

Making the Most of the Shows, by BarbaraKramer

9 • Press and Public Relations

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The PR Strategy

Dressing Celebrities, by Roger Padilha

Who Should Handle PR?

10 • The Runway

To Show or Not to ShowProducing a Runway ShowSponsorship

11 • Copyrights and Knockoffs

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Foreword

When I began my business in 1972, I wish a

book like The Fashion Designer’s Survival Guide

had existed that I could have turned to for adviceon how to launch a fashion business Fortunately,Mary Gehlhar has provided such an invaluabletool for today’s generation of designers Readingthis guide brought me back to my first days as adesigner and my own journey.

New designers often ask me what the key tosuccess is when starting a business in fashion Myresponse is simple: you must first understand whoor what you want to be What is your vision? Forwhom are you designing clothes? It may takeseveral months to figure this out, but once you do,the rest should come naturally.

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as apprentices or assistants to establisheddesigners, which serves as a great opportunity forgaining exposure to the business of fashion andestablishing industry contacts with suppliers,factories, editors, and retailers I, myself, workedin a printing factory in Italy before I decided todesign and launch my dresses.

Finally, never hesitate to seek help.Organizations such as the Council of FashionDesigners of America (CFDA) off er support andassistance, scholarships to design students,mentoring of emerging talent through the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and other programs, andongoing panels with industry experts on thebusiness of fashion The CFDA is committed toworking hard on behalf of the fashion industry tohelp designers succeed As president of theCouncil of Fashion Designers of America, Irepresent all designers, new and experienced, andbelieve in sharing all I have learned with emergingtalent.

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recognize that there will be ups and downs inone’s career and must be prepared for constructivecriticism by press, buyers, peers, and so on.Always remain confident yet grounded, embraceadvice and criticism, learn from your mistakes, anddo not hesitate to ask for help.

I did not know the mechanics of how to start acompany, but I managed to do so because I was notafraid to ask You should always ask and seekanswers for what you do not know Many of these

answers lie within the pages of The FashionDesigner’s Survival Guide , a great resource for

new and established designers.Fear is not an option…Go for it!

Sincerely,

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Preface

This book was originally published in 2005 andnow, three years later, the proposition of being anindependent fashion designer is as exhilarating asever Few industries move as fast as fashion, andopportunity abounds as the competition increasesand the playing field changes daily.

Driven by celebrity obsession, fashiontelevision, and the Internet, fashion is in hotdemand New designers are benefiting from anincreased interest by retailers, editors, stylists, andeven investors wanting to discover fashion’sgreatest new hidden talent and off er shoppers adiverse selection Consumers are more interestedin what’s new than in big brands.

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new, U.S.-based sources, and Europe is becominga viable market Accessories are booming asconsumers willingly invest in high-end bags andshoes that don’t fluctuate with their weight Newmarkets are available to designers as massmarketing and low-end design gigs at large chains,such as Gap and Target, have gained acceptability.

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At the end of day, there is still a great need anddesire for true innovation and creativity mixedwith strong business acumen.

Few resources are available to help preparedesigners for having their own labels Fashionschool will teach you about patterns, draping, andtrend forecasts It can prepare you for a successfulcareer as head designer and even off er classes onbookkeeping and business plans But running yourown business is another matter.

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Through the course of writing the book, I’vespoken with more than 100 designers and industryprofessionals about their specific areas ofexpertise I have gained valuable insight from theinnovative thinkers and great business minds whohave generously shared their experiences Amongthe buying offices, editorial departments, fabricmills, factories, and financial institutions, there is apassionate crowd rooting for the next generation ofdesigners.

These pages will demystify the world of youngdesigners and reveal the tough parts whileproviding the knowledge and tools to carry on It isa collective summary of what it takes to survive.The advice is not sugar coated, and it’s not alwayswhat you want to hear But knowledge is powerand should not discourage you.

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One Piece of Advice

If you could give today’s young designers onepiece of advice what would it be?

John Bartlett

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Tommy Hilfiger

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thought out way.”

Donna Karan

“There are three things you absolutely mustkeep in mind: Realize that in the end, it’s allabout the customer—your customer You needto decide who she is and then really get toknow what she’s about That single-mindedfocus is the way you create a strong,consistent message Make sure the peoplebehind you are better than you and that you’reall on the same page Lastly, never believe thegood press because that means you have tobelieve the bad Be true to yourself.”

Richard Lambertson ofLambertson Truex

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can’t be everything to everybody I also can’tstress enough that the more practicalexperience you have the better Everyonewants to work for the big names but you canget even more experience working for a smallhouse.”

Christian Louboutin

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around this The more you are free, the moreyour design will reflect this sense of liberty,which is after all, one of the essences offashion Fashion tends to represent differentpoints of view and meaning, and at its bestshould reflect individuality, eccentricity, andwit.”

Cynthia Rowley

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much of being successful is changing andadapting while remaining true to your visionand maintaining your integrity.”

Richard Tyler

“I started when I was 18 by opening my ownstore There’s nothing like it for finding yourown niche and it ensures your survival Youshow your clothing to the world the way youenvision it It’s healthy to see what peopleadmire and what they can truly wear Whenyou get to know your client, they keep youbalanced between designing what drives andinterests you and designing for the personwho is wearing your clothes.”

Diane Von Furstenberg

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“One piece of advice from theup and coming labels.”

“Be passionate and have a vision that youstick to Always be humble—In fashion, successcan be short-lived.”—Jane Ko, Nervenkitt,

jewelry

“Start with a very focused niche, just oneproduct such as a very special jacket or shirt,and off er just 10 styles Use just one fabric, onefactory, do it from home, and with as little cost aspossible to maintain a 30 percent margin thengrow slowly, very slowly.”

—Robert Geller, menswear

“Be true to yourself—you will get a thousandscomments on what you should do—if you takethem all into account you will be tooscattered.”—Kristen Lee, shoes

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Clausing, Ingwa; Melero, womenswear

“Do it however you can there are manydifferent ways to start and they all can work It’simportant that you do it in a way that suits you,or you may never do it at all.”—Lily Raskind,

Sunshine and Shadow, womenswear

“Focus on what you really love to do—notwhat you see in the street or in theindustry”—Gustavo Cadile, eveningwear

“Know exactly what you are doing and whoyou are doing it for.”— Ana Beatriz, Lerario

Beatriz, womenswear

“Learn how to run a business, whether youpartner up with someone who has the know-how,or you learn yourself Make sure you have a verysolid foundation beneath you; a high-qualityproduct, a unique sales pitch, and mostimportantly, funds to cover production, theupcoming season, and the myriad of mishapswhich may happen along the way.”—Alison

Kelly, womenswear

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clear in your brand, perform to your best, andreach for the sky.”—Diego Binetti, womenswear

“Learn patternmaking You can save a lot ofmoney”— Annie Lewis and Helen Cho, Lewis

Cho, womenswear

“Never lose site of you! No matter whatsuccesses or downfalls come your way stay trueto yourself.”—Jessica Alpert-Goldman, World

According to Jess, accessories

“Planning is the most important thing foranyone starting a clothing line Specifically, Iwould focus on design and vision, sales andfinancial planning Problems in any one of theseareas will inevitably lead to problems in theother areas as well Although you can’t avoid allproblems, you will save yourself a lot ofheadaches down the road by doing yourhomework in the beginning.”—Romain Kapadia,

menswear

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who has a strong background inbusiness.”—Brian Wood, menswear

“Use amazing fabrics there are a lot offantastic, gorgeous fabrics out there and it’simportant that your clothing feels great on andoff.”—Chloe, Samantha and CaillianneBeckerman, womenswear

“Be humble the fashion world is very smalland you should treat everybody nicely andequally with respect.”—Grace Sun, womenswear

“Surround yourself with smart, dedicatedpeople, they make all of the difference Oh, and ifyou have a partner, make sure and have apartnership agreement!”—Jada Simons, Marie

Marie, womenswear

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see results sooner or later Hopefullysooner.”—Jane Ivanov, Eve Alexander, maternity

lingerie

“Make a business plan Try and create asmuch of an infrastructure before you begin tobuild your company.”—Cheyenne Morris,Tashkent, shoes

“Surround yourself in business with peopleyou trust”—Corinne Grassini, Society for

Rational Dress, womenswear

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and sewing has been crucial I made all of myproduct the first year, so when I grew, I knewexactly how it needed to be manufactured Ifyou’re more business based and you have theideas but not these skills, make sure you hiresomeone who does.”—Lara Miller, womenswear

“Expect long working hours, requiring endlessdedication, many degrees of extreme satisfactionas well as compromise Never let go of the dreambecause your desire will take youthere.”—Nicole Romano, womenswear,accessories

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1

Before You Start

Now is the time People are eager for youngdesigners Each year, there is growing interest,buzz, and support for new talent Stores andmagazines compete aggressively to discover thebest new designer first Around the world, industryorganizations have created awards and financialassistance to recognize and support new names.Consumers are tired of the sameness offered by thebig brands and seek something special to set themapart The Internet has made new fashionaccessible to all corners of the world, with manynew sites dedicated to selling emerging labels andprofiling the designers behind them Even realityTV has jumped on the bandwagon to feed thecuriosity about life as an aspiring fashion star.

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The Reality

To help you succeed, right up front we have tostrip away the glamorous image of runway shows,celebrities on red carpets, and designers yachtingin St Barts I don’t want to rain on the parade, butfashion is a business It’s the business of makingand selling clothing and accessories.

Aspiring designers enter the fashion world to becreative, but regardless of creative genius, fashionis nothing without commerce Even designer KarlLagerfeld has said, “Fashion is something youwear It’s not something you put on the runway toshow how creative you are There’s nothing badabout selling dresses.”2

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Designers need to balance the business andcreative sides—one allows the other to live Tosay you are a creative person who can’t do theother side is nonsense Surviving day to day inbusiness is creative in itself Designers find uniqueways to solve problems and promote their productwithout the proper resources or experience EvenAndy Warhol said, “Good business is the best art.”

Where’s the Glamour?

If you are doing this just to be famous, forget it.The fashion world requires hard work, discipline,perseverance, and passion There is no magicformula or secret to success, and while designerscan learn from others, they each must find theirown path.

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Gilbert Harrison, chairman of Financo, a NewYork invest ment bank, says starting a smallfashion business is even harder and less than 1percent make it He compares fashion to acting:“How many people go to Hollywood to be a starand end up waitressing?”4

Several designers, including Darryl K, JohnBartlett, and Isaac Mizrahi, who were consideredestablished at one time, had to return to square oneand restart their businesses John Galliano andMichael Kors are two of many designers who haveexperienced bankruptcy.

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Not everyone is happy as an entrepreneur, andthere are realities to brace yourself for up front.

It takes more money than you think When

asked, ” What is the hardest part of runningyour own business?” the majority of designersanswered “the money.” In fact, designerKeanan Duff ty says, “No matter how muchyou think it will cost, multiply that by ten.”6.Up front, you must determine if you can affordto start your own business and whether youare willing and able to work potentially forseveral years, stretching cash and struggling,to pay everyone but yourself.

You will live, eat, and breathe yourbusiness Designers work 7 days a week, 12

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absolutely, passionately in love with what sheis doing Designer Micheal Spaulding ofGunmetal shoes says, “the hardest part is theendless hours you put into it You are alwaystired and every morning you have to get up,and not be tired, and do your work.”8.

It could take years Getting your business on

its feet can easily take five or more years.Many designers who get significant pressattention, grow their sales each season, andare cited as models of success are in fact stillnot making money Ralph Lauren did not gofrom tie salesman to fashion emperorovernight.

You will design less than 10 percent of thetime A designer takes on many roles and

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themselves, and while many learn to love theother aspects of the business, they generallyspend only 5 to 10 percent of their timedesigning.

It demands militant self-discipline When

you work for yourself, no one is there to makeyou get out of bed each morning, meet yourdeadlines, or prioritize your time Anentrepreneur must create his own structureand set daily goals to stay focused and ensureeverything is organized and on schedule thebuck stops with you, and when problemsarise, you can’t run and hide.

You need to be tough and assertive this is

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sensitive.”9 Business owners must dealaggressively with factory supervisors, storeowners, and collections people who bully,intimidate, and try to rip them off You willhave to call people who owe you money,make tough decisions that can upset others,and learn to say no.

You are on your own Being independent

means facing the daily stress of not having asteady income, benefits, or any guarantees.Despite how nice it sounds to not have a boss,working alone can be lonely Independentdesigners spend hours by themselves andoften feel isolated.

Business can be shady People will steal

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business At times, you have to fight foryourself, but at other times, you have to justmake the best of it, like the designer whowalked into the offices of a large, well-known clothing brand and saw photos of hiscollection on their design board Rather thanexplode with anger, he offered to consult forthem and ended up making enough money tofund his next runway show.

Or You Could Be Tom Ford

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Paige’s Story

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design skills have flourished.”10.

While she admits there are times when it’s hardto have a boss, the imposed structure has its goodpoints She can design a lot more product and do itquickly, whereas with Frou, she would labor overtiny details “I was a prisoner before,” she says.“With Frou I had so much anxiety about the otheraspects of the business that I often played it safe.Psychologically, it has been very liberating todesign under someone else’s label and ultimatelymore creatively fulfilling.”

There Is No Rush

Many young designers start their own businessestoo soon without the resources to survive theirmistakes or the experience to avoid them Bepatient and realize there is no rush Showroomowner Denise Williamson said, “Too manydesigners want immediate gratification You haveto build it over time and be smart about it.”11

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want to use up too soon Putting yourself out theretoo early, building up debt, and making mistakeswill slow you down rather than get you therefaster Don’t strike until you are ready Build yourresume and put in the time If you aren’t ready now,you can be later If you are talented, that will neverleave you.

Realize that you have more than just one shot.Designers do take time off and come back stronger.they survive bad experiences with the stores andmagazines Everyone makes mistakes, and theindustry will still be there when you come back, ifyou have the product, energy, and drive.

The Most Important Advice in thisBook

Work for someone else first Regardless of how