Owning a clothing brand is the ultimate goal for many fashion enthusiasts. However, the journey of starting a clothing brand is filled with challenges, requiring not only extraordinary creativity but also need business acumen and the ability to see a big picture. Based on the knowledge and experience of my friends and me, I have compiled this guide to share with everyone. I hope these insights will benefit those who aspire to start their clothing business.
1.Things To Consider Before Starting
1.1 Figure Out the Reason of Starting
Creating a brand is not merely about design, it involves more than just drawing up a few sketches. It's normal for a brand to take several years from its inception to become profitable. If you can feed yourself in the first year, congratulations, you're exceptionally fortunate! Many people need a full-time job to support themselves and their clothing brand. Considering why you want to start a clothing brand largely determines how far you can go.
1.2 Commercial Brand vs. Independent Designer Brand
These two types of brands follow completely different paths. Which one are you?
Commercial Brand: Focuses on mass production and market coverage, with designs that cater to mainstream demand. They rely on extensive marketing channels and mature supply chains, targeting a broader consumer base. Commercial brands do not confine themselves to a small segment and often evolve with the trends.
Independent Designer Brand: Typically led by the designer's vision, these brands prioritize individual expression and aesthetic representation, often being more creative, free, and distinctive in their approach. This requires the brand to have a strong identity, as it’s not about following trends but creating them. If a designer lacks a solid philosophical foundation and aesthetic sensibility, superficial gimmicks will only attract passersby, failing to build a dedicated following.
2.Things To Be Well Prepared Before Starting
Things can be divided into the following 8 areas. Please write in as detail as you can and keep the information frequently updated.
*Note: Consistency in all strategies is crucial.
2.1 Company Structure
Business Type: Is your company a sole trade, limited company, or partnership? Carefully review the advantages and disadvantages of each type of company and choose what suits you. In the UK, you can register a company here. If opting for a partnership, it is vital to partner with someone who shares common values and can bring different resources or expertise, ensuring a complementary relationship.
Employment: Consider whether your team needs additional hiring. Carefully think about the types of employees needed, the required weekly hours, and what salary burden you can sustain.
2.2 Financial Plan
Income: What is your current income? Is it a stable source of income? Is there an opportunity to obtain external investment?
Budget: How much money do you plan to allocate to start your clothing brand?
Cost: List all anticipated costs (materials, manufacturing, transportation, advertising, marketing, rent, administrative fees, etc.). Also, leave some room for unforeseen expenses, such as annual website fees. Can your budget cover these costs?
2.3 Brand Identity
In simple terms, how do you make sure that people can instantly recognize this clothing as coming from your brand?
Name: Choose a name that is concise and easy to remember, which helps enhance brand recognition and communicability.
Logo: A visually unique logo that reflects the core values of the brand, usually the visual center of the brand. People will gradually recognize your logo, but constant changes will confuse them. Check to ensure the chosen name has an available domain and consider registering it as a trademark.
Visual Identity: It is best to maintain consistency in the brand's visual design to enhance brand recognition and inspire trust. This includes but is not limited to the website, images for product photography, and video style. Also consider easily overlooked details like product packaging.
2.4 Production Design
For many designers, this is the most exciting and easy part, but it accounts for only 10-15% of the entire process. Create sketches, seek feedback, and decide which designs will be your first collection.
Remember, the devil is in the details. When drawing sketches, use precise terminology to create detailed sketches that showcase each detail. Learn the industry jargon to correctly identify the details and structures you want to design.
2.5 Clothing Manufacture
After the design completed, the next step is to hand them over to the manufacturer. Typically, a prototype or sample will be delivered first to confirm that the garment is what you want. In any case, communication must be thorough.
This step can be overwhelming for most designers, with challenges primarily in four areas:
Manufacturer variety and risk: The mix includes a broad range of manufacturers, and you may even encounter frauds. Selecting a satisfactory and suitable manufacturer not only costs time and money but also about trial and error.
Unreasonable pricing: Under a low order quantity, the production cost per unit is doubtlessly higher.
Lack of communication: The final product may not be what you wanted.
Discrepancies: What you receive may differ from what the manufacturer initially promised.
This is exactly why we are here! We differ from other manufacturers in several key ways:
No MOQ: With our own factory, which has been operational for over 30 years, we offer greater flexibility and reduce financial and inventory pressures.
Reasonable Prices: Thanks to our robust supply chain, our prices remain competitive even for orders with low MOQs. Additionally, we ensure the highest quality within your price range.
Transparent Production Process: We provide timely updates at every step of production, in the form of photos or videos, to identify and resolve issues early on. If there are ambiguities in the tech pack, we seek clear answers rather than rushing production blindly.
Advantage in Handling Complex Designs: Our team includes design experts from the London College of Fashion and the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, giving us the confidence in handling complex designs.
2.6 Market analysis
Fashion is both art and a consumer product. If you decide to start a brand, you must accept that your designs will be tested by the market, and considering the needs of the market is essential. Before facing consumers, it's important to clarify what your own designs are and what kind of consumers will like them.
Market Positioning: Market positioning involves defining a fashion brand's unique aesthetic and identity. By identifying a unique style, a brand can create a consistent look and feel across its product range, making it easier for consumers to recognize and connect with their products.
*Coordinate systems can be categorized in different ways, this is just one example
Consumer Analysis: Understanding your target audience is crucial for tailoring brand products to meet customers' needs and preferences. This analysis includes studying demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and location, as well as psychological factors like lifestyle, values, and buying behaviors. With a deep understanding of the target audience, brands can make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and customer interactions.
Competitor Analysis: Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of similar brands, understanding their product offerings, pricing strategies, and marketing tactics. Competitor analysis helps a brand differentiate itself by highlighting unique selling points and identifying areas for improvement. Working part-time in stores within your target market is a good approach! Observe the inventory in shops and what customers buy. Find competitors' products, reference their pricing, and then know how much your designs should sell for in retail and wholesale. Then try to seek feedback from those around you or engage in conversations with shoppers and potential customers. Of course, consider your costs as well!
Fashion Trend Analysis: Analyzing style trends ensures that a brand's product range remains relevant and appealing. This process involves studying industry reports, attending fashion shows, observing consumer behaviors to identify emerging patterns and preferences shifts. By staying ahead of fashion trends, brands can innovate and integrate fresh elements into their designs, attracting fashion-forward consumers and maintaining a competitive edge. Trend analysis also helps brands anticipate market changes, enabling them to adjust and adapt to new consumer demands.
2.7 Marketing Strategy
How do you make more people aware of your brand? Here are some common promotional channels. Of course, it is normal and sensible to combine several methods at the same time.
Website: Ensure that your website design is consistent with your brand identity. Make sure the website's design is clean and easy to navigate, enhancing the user's shopping experience. SEO Optimization: Improve your website's ranking in search engines through keyword optimization, attracting more organic traffic.
Social Media: Promote on platforms that fit your brand's style and target audience, such as Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc.
Offline Events and Experiences: Pop-up shops and participating in industry exhibitions. Host fashion shows, workshops, or other brand activities to offer direct interactions with consumers.
Celebrity Endorsements: Collaborate with celebrities, fashion bloggers, and influencers to promote your brand products through their influence.
Collaborations and Crossovers: Launch collaborative collections with other brands or designers to attract both fans.
2.8 Sales Channels
Online: Sell products directly through your official website, allowing full control over your brand image and customer experience. Use third-party e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Farfetch, etc., taking advantage of their large user base and mature delivering systems. Social media shopping, like Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shops, and other social media platforms, directly sell products leveraging the influence of social networks to boost sales.
Offline: Physical stores fully display your brand image and offer personalized customer service. Store Counters: Set up brand counters in large department stores to attract consumers through the store's traffic. Brand Collectives: Share sales space with other brands, displaying and selling brand products in collective stores to reduce the costs of opening stores. Sell products through trusted agents or distributors to quickly expand market coverage.
Temporary Sales Spaces: Pop-up stores for brand promotion, new product launches, or holiday promotions can quickly attract consumer attention. Participate in professional clothing exhibitions or apply for a booth at music festivals and other events; though these booths are temporary, the attendees are very likely potential customers.
In the End, this article provides a detailed introduction on how to start a clothing brand. The journey is not easy, but at CanvasWhisper, one of the best clothing manufacturer for small business, are eager to support you along the way. We can help you get started with the lowest minimum order quantity or explore our £1000 plan for startups.
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