Providing factories with a “Technical Drawing” otherwise known as a “Flat Drawing” is one of the essential requirements when manufacturing garments or accessories. Whether you
Ever thought of starting a fashion label? Many do – every day and as soon as they think about it, their heads get inundated with questions… Questions about the design process in general like… Do ideas come from inspiration or from materials? What is the best way to go about designing a collection?
Individuals and brands don’t mind copying a design, if they think they can get away with it. In this article, we cover various ways in which you can stop getting plagiarised and protect your future designs.
At the start of every new season, fashion designers sift through their research and distil the essence of it into what is commonly referred to as “fashion moodboard”. A visual diary of details and inspirations that will later serve as a guideline and constant source of further inspiration while finalising the new collection.
If you want to discover what invaluable lessons I learned from launching a fashion fine jewellery brand, then read on. It is often said that
Every day, the average person creates enough waste to fill a trash truck. That means that you’re responsible for producing around 4 pounds of garbage
In product-based businesses, the issue of excess stock is often a problem that is overlooked. It is, in fact, one of the silent killers known
Designing a fashion collection is relatively easy. Anyone can do it. But creating and putting together a cohesive fashion collection that sells requires you to
Fashion pricing strategy is one of the most challenging areas for fashion apparel and accessories brands. For the most part, the challenge is due to
In today’s oversaturated market, to build fashion brand trust, stand out and build or create a loyal following is not so easy. Not impossible, but
Infusing your fashion brand with Know Like Trust factor is incredibly important in today’s oversaturated designer fashion market. Or any industry for that matter. Gone
To launch a fashion brand to a specific niche of customers or market is an age-old tested recipe for business success. To grow your fashion
When starting a fashion business, much like starting any business, there are some rules that apply and are there for a reason. Rule number one
Working with clothing manufacturers overseas is a natural progression for many fashion brands. The move is often necessitated by two main factors – a need
The 2008 global recession has a lot to answer for. Aside from so many fashion brands and retailers closing doors and filing for bankruptcy, many
Were you aware that there are six, yes six popular methods presently used to transfer coloured patterns onto cloth? No, neither did I. With so
Selecting the correct size label for your clothing range and whether you use letters or numbers sends a clear message about the market you aim
Are the students learning anything valuable (i.e., updated) in terms of the real-world fashion jobs? After graduation, students are not left with enough opportunities thus, leading to designers only. Here we explore more fashion jobs opportunities after graduation.
Brands with any integrity have been thinking of ways to build their businesses with a sustainable advantage for a while now. Below are 7 Eco-friendly practices that a fashion business can do to contribute to sustainability in the fashion industry.
How to get the best out of your pattern cutter should be at the forefront of your mind if you’re about to embark on developing a fashion range. Learn how to prepare for your meeting.
The Fashion Switch is an essential easy read for anyone interested to start a fashion business or even for those who are already in the industry. It is insightful and practical, peppered with case studies and examples of business mistakes or wins.
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is a requirement of factories – the lowest quantity of a certain product that a supplier is willing to produce.
Cutting fabric for production is a skill seasoned professionals know about and use as a way to make savings. Scaling up from sampling to production is a huge leap in regards to fabric and trimmings consumption.
“Double Double” by Cameron Herold is a business book full of ‘unexpected’ lessons. The premise behind it, that if you followed the basic teaching of it, you will double your business in three years.
Fashion product testing Furthermore enables the reduction of risks such as product recalls, helps protect your brand and gain the trust of the consumer. Learn what are the basic tests you should perform for your product.
How to find a factory to make your product? A common question anyone looking to turn their fashion idea into a reality will ask countless times. Not because it is hard to find contacts these days, but simply because the prospect of contacting a manufacturer, whether by phone or through email, for the first time can be a scary one.
Care instruction cards are an excellent way to communicate your brand values and educate your customer about your product, especially if your products are handmade or use any specialist materials.
As a fashion designer, exploring the options in regards to manufacturing, there are many things to consider. One of the hardest and most important decisions would be how to get your bulk production made. Learn how successful brands do it and the two most widely used methods they work to.
Working with Indian manufacturers offshore is a good option for any growing fashion brand looking to improve margin, but before you embark, consider these wise words and the benefit of others experiences.
The One Thing by Gary Keller is an insightful book about eliminating what you want less and including what you want more. The One Thing reaches to a near about perfection in delivering what it promises – mastering ONE THING.
Before embarking on production for your fashion start-up, you will no doubt research the differences between manufacturing locally or offshore. Costs will surely be at the forefront of your mind, but there are so many other things to consider.
What is a critical path in fashion? It is a continuously reviewed system, which is used to track the progress of fashion projects and production deliveries. A production plan that contains a list of all of the necessary activities that are required to be done within a particular time frame.
Wanting to launch your own fashion brand is on the wish list of many fashionistas. While many dream about it, only a few get to see their idea realised on paper. The fashion design process takes time and what may have seemed like a simple idea at the start turns into Pandora’s box.
Creating pattern for garments is exciting, but the art of pattern grading is a skill not many posses. Yet the mass market relies on it for scale.
Starting your own brand can be the most exciting thing in the world. Designing your dream line and the prestige of selling your collections in renowned stores are surely very enticing. However, the reality of setting up shop will be something entirely different to your initial perceived idea. Read up and find out what is vitally important to know before you start.
A succinct, engaging, and practical guide for succeeding in any creative sphere, The War of Art is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul. Always wanted to write, start your own business, or paint? What is stopping you?
Atlas Shrugged is a black and white story of characters that are destroying themselves for reasons that will baffle you. It is not a story for the faint-hearted.
In the 1940s the Toyota Motor Company pioneered a type of manufacturing called “Just-In-Time.” Its objective was to eliminate waste, inconsistencies, and unreasonable requirements from the production process, thus resulting in improved productivity. Simply put, it meant making only what was needed, when it was needed, and in the amount needed.
Finding the right pattern cutter for your needs can be a daunting experience. Often people in the industry say that good pattern cutters are like gold dust. Knowing how to find the right one can be hard or easy if you know how to look for one. Read on to learn what to look out for.
Asking fashion factories key questions before working with them will save a lot of time, money and heartache. Learning how to identify the best from the rest will be the single most important skill you need to develop.
The mysterious person who liaises with designers, adapts designs to suit production methods, sources fabrics, and accessories, undertakes quality evaluations of materials and responds to product queries, including complaints, from wholesalers and customers is the Garment Tech.
As a designer in the fashion industry, it’s a necessity to deal with factories and manufacturers. Knowing the difference between Specification sheet and Spec pack (often referred to as Tech Pack) and using them to your advantage can make or break your business.
Did you know that it takes 10,000 litres of water to make one pair of jeans! But please don’t let that put you off working with denim. It’s one of the most distinctive, hardwearing and versatile fabrics available for use in the fashion industry.
Ask any successful entrepreneur what book has helped and influenced them most, and chances are most will mention this perennial favourite. Dale Carnegie’s best seller, written in 1937 is timeless and as relevant as ever before, even in today’s competitive world.
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is widely sued in the Fashion industry and was created to allow designers of any discipline to ‘colour match’ specific colours when a design enters production stage—regardless of the equipment used to produce the colour.
Finding the right fashion manufacturer for your idea is not an easy task at the best of times. In fact, entering the world of manufacturing can be a heady mix of initial excitement followed by angst, unnecessary expense, and frustration.
The fashion industry is a highly visual marketplace. Most designers communicate design ideas through drawing, toiling, and sampling.
Quality control in the fashion manufacturing industry is incredibly important. Failing to maintain certain standards can lead to all sorts of problems, especially for a
Learning how to sew is a little bit like cycling. Once you learn it, you never forget it. And once you know how to sew
Approaching fashion factories for the first time can be a nerve wracking experience, especially if you’re new to the fashion business
The Freelance Fashion Designer’s Handbook is your essential guide on how to work for yourself and take control of your career.
Registered trade mark protection gives the registered proprietor the exclusive right to use the brand.
Pre-Suasion an essential tool for anyone serious about science-based business strategies.
If in architecture you cannot build a good building without a blueprint, in the fashion you cannot create a product without a Specification sheet. Let’s learn all about Fashion Spec Sheet in this article.
Simon Sinek is leading a movement to build a world in which the vast majority of us are inspired by the work we do.
Every successful fashion brand has a hidden pattern cutter in the background. Read why it is so important to have one and the types of pattern cutting available to designers today.
No matter how amazing your fashion product design may be, without a Tech Pack, and with no experience or knowledge of the industry, most factories will not take you seriously, deal with you or if they do, you will face countless problems. And yet so few fashion entrepreneurs know about it or know how to put one together.
Fashion business mistakes are easy to make and hard to correct. Seemingly small, they can fast lead to the death of your business in a matter of months or less. We look at what they are and how to avoid them.
Many emerging designers are making the decision to crowdfund their projects – a great post-recession fundraiser – to create a product that they love and know their target consumers will also love, and buy.
Public speaking can help you with everything from winning pitches to gaining exciting PR opportunities so perfecting this art is essential.blog
For any entrepreneur, time is of short supply and of great demand. So here are 6 simple productivity hacks that may help a little manage your time better.
Finding a good manufacturer is not as tricky as many believe it to be. Like with any first business meeting, you need to go prepared and armed with clear information about who you are, what your business is about, where you want to go, and what you need out of this meeting.
Once upon a time, not that long ago, the word “logo” was synonymous to “brand”. Fast forward a couple of decades and today a “logo” is merely a shadow of a “brand”, but nowhere near what a “brand” is. Yet – not many people seem to make the distinction and realise this. Especially start ups.
Being in the fashion industry means that you have to schmooze (read: network as a professional) at events. But being a fashion business owner means that you have to effectively network with a range of people, at a number of different events.
If you have decided that finding an investor for your fashion business is the best option for you, here is some advice on how to prepare yourself to find the right one; whether you’re looking for a venture capitalist, an angel investor, a super-angel or a growth investor.
If you are considering crowdfunding to launch your fashion product, there are a number of legal issues that should be considered before trying to raise money through a crowdfunding platform. Tahir Basheer of law firm Sheridans shares his advice to keep you ahead of the game (most of the points are relevant to Equity Crowdfunding).
Many fashion start-ups seek out investors in order to grow their businesses, but there is a lot that you need to know about investment. Tahir Basheer of law firm Sheridans has the key information that you need to know.
At the Enterprise Nation’s Fashion Exchange event on Wednesday 16 September, Founder of WGSN and CEO of Stylus, Marc Worth shared his advice with fashion entrepreneurs on running a successful fashion business. It was a day filled with entrepreneurial spirit, and fashion professionals sharing knowledge and experience, and making new contacts.
The editor of U Magazine attended a talk at last week’s International Jewellery London show, on the ways in which fashion brands and designers could work effectively with the trade press.
It is no secret that the fashion industry is predominantly a product-based industry. Success is often underpinned by great design, strong product and well-structured collections. Learn how to translate your ideas correctly into the products that you want.
Being a fashion start-up business owner means that you need to wear a lot of hats, and one of the most challenging to make fit, is the legal hat. So this week, Tahir Basheer of law firm Sheridans explains what issues need to be addressed regarding employment contracts.
Rarely does a new business start with enough money to last until a profit is turned. It might happen in the movies, but what happens in real life – more often than not – is that you start spending some or all of the capital you have raised.
Here are some tips on how to work with a manufacturing supplier.
How frustrating is it when you contact factories or suppliers and get no response? Here are the Do’s and Don’ts of communicating with factories so that you get better results.
In his last article, Tahir Basheer of law firm Sheridans explained what anti-competitive arrangements mean for you. This week he explains vertical agreements and how fashion businesses can be affected by them.
ACID, the organisation concerned with helping designers and manufacturers to protect their intellectual property, explain what to do to prevent someone ripping off your design and more.
Financing a fashion business is essential for success. Some businesses don’t require large capital at the start. Sadly for most fashion businesses. Learn how to fund your fashion start up.
Financing a business can come in many forms, but regardless of how you raise cash, more often than not you will be dealing with equity or debt. So, let’s explain what they are, and how they can work for or against us.
There are so many things that you prepare yourself for when launching your fashion business, but no matter how ‘ready’ you are, receiving a letter that could threaten your business, and an intellectual property (IP) battle with a big brand would shock anyone. So what happens when a fashion start-up is told that the unique name created for their brand, is an infringement on a big brand’s trademark? It happened to Michaela Anderson last year, and she shared her journey with us to inform others.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority announced that it had opened an investigation into suspected ‘anti-competitive arrangements’ in the UK clothing, footwear and fashion sectors. Tahir Basheer, an Industry member specialising in fashion and media law for leading London-based law firm Sheridans, explains what that means for you.
Well done! You’re about to launch your fashion business, there is so much you need to focus on and your mind is busy with endless to-do lists. We’ve compiled the key things that you need to bear in mind to give you clarity, and act efficiently and effectively.
Anti Copying In Design (ACID) is a trade organisation set up by designers for designers & manufacturers, to help them protect their intellectual property.
Fashion product pricing is essential, yet tricky to get right. To make your fashion business work, one of the key things you must do is make a profit. Learn what is required in order to get the price right outright.
Tahir Basheer of law firm Sheridans uses an example of a trademark infringement case to explain why brand owners should have a brand enforcement strategy in place.
A well-written and curated press release is a sure way to get into the inboxes of key fashion editors. If executed well, it may secure you much desired editorial coverage and publicity.
In his previous article How to Franchise from a Legal Perspective, Tahir Basheer discussed franchising, specifically from the franchisor’s perspective – i.e. the brand owner. But what about guidelines for the franchisee?
This is Diane von Furstenberg’s personal memoir and it is raw. It may seem like an explanation of who she is, why she works hard and the pride she takes in her profession. But, it goes deeper than that.
A franchise is a major decision for a business to make, here Tahir Basheer outlines the main advantages and disadvantages of a franchise business model from the perspective of the brand owner (i.e the franchisor).
Imagine this – you have a great idea, you want to start your own business and everyone you tell is supportive and encouraging, and then they tell you firmly in a non-negotiable tone of voice, “You MUST write a business plan!”
You’ve researched who you want to target on Twitter. Your Instagram curation shows potential followers exactly what your brand is about. Your Facebook fans are liking your posts daily, and your Pinterest photos are beautifully styled mood boards.
Imagine making one of your products: designing it, sourcing materials, manufacturing it and then putting it through vigorous quality control measures, and then giving it to someone for free.
Tahir Basheer explains the additional importance of care labels to fashion brands.
Legal advice is the one thing that every fashion brand needs but not everyone can afford or makes time for – particularly for young designers and fashion start-up brands. Utelier aims to make sure that fashion professionals are as informed as possible.
Tahir Basheer from law firm, Sheridans, offers his advice on considerations to be made before working with an advertising agency.
One of the challenges most often faced and talked about in fashion is the delicate matter of finding a manufacturer – the right manufacturer for you and your brand.
Tahir Basheer – an Industry member specialising in fashion and media law for leading London-based law firm, Sheridans – offers expert legal advice on using agents to sell your products for you.
Following on from last week’s Building A Website – The Legal Steps, Part 1, where Tahir Basheer offered advice on finding a domain name, your website content and data, this week he concludes the two part-series.
If you’re considering making an eyewear line, eyewear designer Sandra Battistel shares her wealth of advice and experience with these top tips.
If you’re setting up a brand to sell online for the first time, or expanding your website to target different customers, there are a number of legal issues you need to consider.
Making the decision to start your own business is the first of MANY that you will have to make during its lifetime. The decisions that you make in the early stages are of the utmost importance, so take time and professional advice where necessary and make the right choices.
Let’s find out what kind of legal issues follow any or all fashion collaboration.
As the end of the tax year approaches on 5 April 2015, Fashion Insiders spoke to Emma Thyer, from savings and investment service Nutmeg, for guidance on how self-employed people can save money and get a return on their investments.
Brand logos will be gracing the silhouettes of bloggers and many other FROW members this weekend at the London Fashion Week shows – and lusted after by many other fashionistas in attendance.
There is a lot more to branding than simply a product being recognisable to others, as Tahir Basheer – an Industry member specialising in fashion and media law for leading London-based law firm, Sheridans – explains.
Our Media and Fashion Law Expert guides you on how to run a fashion competition
We were fortunate enough to engage with the motivational force that is Rose Spinelli, a crowdfunding consultant based in America. She has been named among the ‘Top 100 Thought Leaders in Crowdfunding Today’.
For a long time, counterfeiting had been considered a necessary evil, especially in the luxury and fashion spheres, but its exponential surge has become such a threat that various business stakeholders are now reacting faster and meaner to contain this epidemic.
Working in fashion is often not for the faint hearted. But starting your own business, your own brand – as some would say – that’s a different ball game.
The Glitter Plan is a great book and a must read for anyone thinking of starting their own fashion label.
Over the coming months, in addition to our regular interviews with our network of designers and manufacturers, and industry news scoops, Insider will introduce a regular series of articles on how to set up your own new fashion business.
Take the root of the word more literally and create a movement to resolve your business. There is hope and it is not too late, so, recalibrate and let’s recalculate your 2015 journey.
The fashion industry is multi-national, multi-cultural and multilingual, with the latter approached in a technical manner and interpretation often ignored.
Social media is huge, and arguably one of the biggest changes in the last decade to how we communicate. Utilised correctly, social media can translate into effective and free PR for your brand.
Ever wondered if you can be a good ‘boss’ without being mean and hated? Do you fall asleep at the thought of a business book? Love food and a good ‘How I Made It’ story? If your answers are yes, yes and yes – you are in luck, there is a book that ticks all three boxes.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the world of fashion has never before been as competitive as it is today. To start with an idea is easy in comparison to turning that acorn of an idea into a successful business. There are many prerequisites in the recipe for success but one of the main ingredients is PR. Here are our top tips on how to market your brand.
There are many prerequisites in the recipe for success but one of the main ingredients is PR. While the world of press has also evolved and changed, few things however still remain relevant and necessary to do, in order to garner attention. Here is our top tips
We see it every day, on the commute to work or at a business event; people are almost never willing to speak to one another. When did networking become a chore or a scary situation?
With the help of our expert from Sheridans Media lawyers we bring you the top 10 tips of how to protect your brand.
In fashion we are often surrounded by myths and hear-say information. We spoke to lawyers from Sheridans Employment Group to demistify some of these myths and more…
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