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Modest fashion rose to popularity because of the demand of certain cultural and religious demographics. More consumers from these demographics are advocating for inclusive clothing lines that adhere to their standards while keeping up with trends.
Despite the increasing demand, mainstream fashion is slow to accommodate the change. This has opened the market for new entrepreneurs to launch their own start-up modest-fashion line.
However, starting a fashion line requires more than talent and passion. Capital, business acumen, communication skills, marketing savviness, and other qualities are essential to launch and sustain a start-up fashion line.
Let these tips help you when you open a personal modest-fashion line.
Create a Business Plan
It’s strongly recommended to clear the basics before diving head-on into the more complicated steps. Step 1 then means to create a business plan before marketing and selling the fashion line.
A business plan is the first step to achieving the goal. Traditional business plans normally contain the basics: an executive summary, company description, product overview, operational overview, and marketing and sales.
Business plans basically outline what the company is all about, its products, its target market, and its means of production, distribution, and marketing. The business plan can be a guide for next steps to take.
A modest-fashion line is targeted to certain cultural and religious demographics, so it’s important to keep that in mind when crafting the business plan.
Organize the Logistics of the Business
Now that there’s a direction to follow, the next step is to organize the logistics. Who will produce the products? Where will the raw material come from? To answer these questions, the entrepreneur must choose the business model of its fashion line.
Business start-ups can choose from three common options: print-on-demand, wholesale or private label, and custom cut and sew.
Each model has its advantages and disadvantages. Print-on-demand saves cost, but it is at the risk of uniqueness and customization. Wholesale or private label allows for more creative adjustments, but the products will be more or less identical. In custom cut and sew, one has the freedom to be unique and creative, but it will cost considerably more.
Part of the logistics includes business capital, product pricing, delivery of materials, and manpower, to name a few. Iron out the business details from the very beginning to create a sustainable business.
Choose the Distribution Channels
There are two ways for distributing products. You can either open a physical shop or sell your clothes online. Budgeting for a brick-and-mortar shop may be impossible on the get-go for a new entrepreneur. Distributing through e-commerce platforms or developing a business website is easier and more economical.
Opening an online shop also has several advantages. It requires fewer people to run it since one doesn’t have to hire employees to man the counters, guide customers, and restock shelves. An online shop can be manned by one person, the business owner herself.
If it’s a personal website, a commissioned designer and developer or a third-party service provided can maintain the website while the business owner can take the reigns of selling and marketing the fashion line.
Market the Fashion Line
Since the general target market has been determined, which is the specific cultural and religious demographic, the entrepreneur must reach out to them. How?
The business owner must identify the age range. If she decides to sell online, the most reachable market is young people or those in their teens, twenties, and thirties. This means building an online presence, especially in social media.
The old-fashioned word-of-mouth method continues to be effective, so in-person marketing (e.g., talking to family and friends, pitching to coworkers, etc.) should not be neglected. Interpersonal skills are highly valuable in promoting the fashion line.
Final Thoughts
Many designers dream of launching their own fashion lines, but without practical steps, these goals cannot be realized. Launching a fashion line requires commitment, as well considerable time, energy, and money to accomplish anything.
However, with a clear business plan, well-thought-out logistics, funds, and sustained effort, the goal can be accomplished. There may be highs and lows, but no one has ever succeeded by quitting.