Creating a successful clothing line does not always mean following in the steps of the biggest fashion and sportswear brands. In any case, starting a clothing line today doesn’t work like it did when most of these brands were founded. – The industry is considerably more open today. The reason for this, of course, is ecommerce. It has never been easier to set up a clothing line precisely because there is no need to acquire a physical outlet in which to sell it. And word can spread fast online.
There are also more tools than ever before to help with creating a clothing line, and many services out there that exist specifically for start-up clothing brands and ecommerce. These services make it much easier to source the materials you need and to actually create the clothing products.
All of that said, business has never been easy and fashion business is certainly no exception. You will still need to market effectively, target the right audience, and do what you can to foster instant brand identification. Plurawl, an ecommerce site offering Spanish art and t-shirts as well as other clothing products aimed at the LatinX community, work with a very clearly defined market You don’t need to be as specific as this, but targeting certain people is a must for any type of success with a clothing line.
Authenticity
The reason you should tackle a particular market is that a successful clothing line is one which displays a certain degree of authenticity for the wearer. Authenticity is an oft-repeated word in the world of clothing marketing, and every clothing line should be engaged in somehow capturing it.
Authenticity can mean many things, but if you are sure that your clothing line will have appeal for a specific type of wearer, then this creates the type of identification which fosters authenticity. If the wearer identifies with the brand, the brand becomes an extension of their personality, and this is one measure of success in your clothing line.
Top Tips
But of course, there is more to it than just this. Just like any other ecommerce venture, launching a successful clothing brand will require diligence in areas like product design, marketing, and order fulfilment. Here are some general tips you can follow. However, bear in mind the more specific details will have to come from you.
Consider Feel as Well as Look
To take the humble T-shirt as an example, there are many different fabrics and materials – often blended – which one could be composed of. On top of that, a T-shirt can also be of a variable weight or cut. Accordingly, you need to consider all of this – if an Item of clothing doesn’t feel good, people won’t wear it.
Consider Print Options
To foster brand identification, it’s important that your clothing line is marked in some way. This can be a single a logo or it can be the full front and back of a T-shirt, to take the two ends of the spectrum. There are many options in style of lettering and images, and many ways that a design can be printed on an item of clothing. Know your product, know your brand, and make the right choice.
Begin With the Initial Investment
It’s particularly important to consider how much money you will need to simple create the first products that you wish to sell. After you have that initial inventory, you have a grace period before sales, and incoming revenue should suggest to you what your medium-term budget looks like.
Ultimately, unestablished brands are all about fostering authenticity and originality. But there’s also a good deal of business sense involved too.