This will help you determine how much time, effort, and funding you will require upfront. If you are interested in the fashion world but have no interest or skills in design, consider reselling by buying wholesale or trying dropshipping.įor those designing a clothing line from scratch, this is the point where you will decide what type of business you are looking to run. This guide is for those looking to design and develop their own clothing brand and collections. How much does it cost to start? When should you pursue capital for your startup? What outside help will you need to navigate legal, financial, production, and distribution aspects of the business? Where and how will you produce your garments? Let’s dig in. Starting a clothing line requires many of the same considerations as starting any business. Create a business plan UnsplashĪs Sarah discovered, the world of fashion and the world of business have a lot more overlap than she expected. Check local community colleges for virtual or part-time formats that accommodate your schedule and budget, or consider learning through sites like MasterClass (there’s a fashion design course taught by Marc Jacobs himself), Maker’s Row Academy, or Udemy. If you have more drive than funds or time, there are a growing number of fast-track and online courses for fashion industry hopefuls. Schools like Parsons in New York and Central Saint Martins in the UK are world renowned for their fashion programs. Many institutions offer fashion design and small business programs in varying formats. “I think that I needed the time to grow and to get advice and experience.” “It took me a long time to be confident enough that I could fill a store with my clothing,” she says. Sarah is a huge advocate for spending a few years learning the ropes from other brands and designers. It took me a long time to be confident enough that I could fill a store with my clothing. “I wanted to work for myself,” she says, “But I felt that it was important to get experience.” While Sarah owes a great deal of her success to learning professional skills in a classroom, much of her education was gained on the job, working in corporate retail. It’s possible to skip school and still launch your own clothing line, but formal education, whether in a classroom or online, has its merits: learn the latest industry standards, access resources and equipment, make contacts, and get feedback from pros. We live in a time of access, where rebuilding an engine or tailoring a t-shirt can be learned simply by watching a YouTube video. And they started their careers pre-internet. Open a retail store, launch a pop-up, or sell at marketsġ. Develop your fashion design skills Sarah Donofrioĭesigners like Vivienne Westwood and Dapper Dan found massive success in the fashion world, even though they were self-taught.Pitch your clothing line to fashion retailers.Plan your collections around fashion seasons.Setup clothing production and manufacturing. ![]() ![]() Source fashion fabrics or design your own.She has since launched her namesake brand as an online store on Shopify, won multiple awards, and had her work appear in multiple publications and retailer shops. In 2016, Sarah was a contender on Project Runway’s 15th season. She has struggled and thrived, sometimes simultaneously, over her many years in the industry. Sarah has lived and worked in two countries, and her experience spans everything from design and production to education and physical retail. Meet the fashion industry pro Sarah Donofrio In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of starting a clothing line from scratch-everything from education and design to manufacturing and marketing-with tips for selling clothes from a seasoned pro. What she’s learned over the past two decades is that taking your dream from idea to launch and making it in the frenzied world of fashion takes a specific set of skills, a generous dose of creativity, and a pinch of business savvy. Today, Sarah is a successful designer and owner of her own clothing line. To take your dream from a business idea to launch and make it in the frenzied world of fashion takes a specific set of skills, a generous dose of creativity, and a pinch of business savvy. Her education, however, didn’t really teach her how to actually start her own fashion line. After collecting her degree in fashion design, Sarah Donofrio stepped into the real world with the same question that has long troubled creatives of all ilks: What now?įashion school taught Sarah about pattern grading, sewing, and draping.
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