​[00:00:00]Â
Jasmine: welcome to Make Good Fashion, the podcast that's all about starting, launching, and growing impactful fashion brands. I'm your host, Jasmine Rennie. /
Hello, my sweet friends. Welcome back to the make good fashion podcast. Hope you're having a wonderful Friday. I am. Enjoying my week, very much. Last week we launched the make good fashion academy. And of course, with anything that you're launching. It's very hectic. There's a lot of planning that goes into it. And so it's been nice to have the first week of just kind of calm and getting to relax a little bit, but I will be back at it shortly.
So. As we plan for the things to come, I really want to hear your guys's feedback because I've created this community and make good fashion to serve you guys well. And so I really want to know what are those things that you guys want to learn? What are those [00:01:00] things that you want to take courses on or that would help you in your business or your startup? . So I have created a survey. Make good fashion.com/survey. So if you go there, you can take it. And it's very quick. It's just going to ask you some questions about your needs and the things that you would like to learn in this community. And there's an incentive. So for those of you guys who take the survey, you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of two prices.
So you can either. Get an Amazon gift card or a scholarship to the makeup fashion academy. And what that looks like is that you're going to get free access to the make good fashion academy, which is. Our comprehensive digital program that teaches you how to start and launch your fashion business from the ground up. Every step of the way we'll be walking through that.
And so it is a great. Program that you really don't want to miss. If you are starting a business, and if you take the survey, you will be entered to win. [00:02:00] Free lifetime access to that program. So. Make sure that you guys go to make good fashion.com/survey to take that survey. And again, it's just going to help us better curate the content that we create to serve you.
Well, don't miss out on being a part of like building this platform and getting what you need, you know, I think. Sometimes we can complain about like, not having the resources to get a mentor or to get you know, a consultant or whatever. And this is your chance to help. Create this platform to get information that you need and help others get the information that they need. So make sure that you guys take the survey. It's super quick. Like I said, and this is not one of those sweepstakes, like, have you guys ever wondered those sweepstakes that you do?
Like maybe at the grocery store or what certain brands where it's like, oh, enter for a chance to win. And you never hear them announce a winner. It's not like that. We're actually going to announce a winner and we will actually. I'm being giving real [00:03:00] prizes for that. So again, make good fashion.com/survey. So today is going to be just me, no guests, but we'll have a guest next week.
So make sure to tune into the podcast next week, because it's going to be super special. You're not going to want to miss it. And it's the end of the season episode until we come back again for season three, so make sure that you guys are tuning in, but today you just get me. And today's episode.
I want to talk about a reason why you should not start a fashion brand. I always want to keep it real with you guys. I always want to tell you the truth and the reality of the industry.
And so. One of the reasons why you shouldn't start a fashion brand is if you are not willing to conform. So I think I'm coming to realize that with creative. Desires and creative gifts. When you take the creative gifts that you have or creative. Ambitions or passions and you turned it into a business. It really kind of changes things. You no longer have that creative free expression. You can not just [00:04:00] design or do whatever you care to do.
You really have to conform to some level to the industry's way of doing things, if you want to make money, and if you want to run a business, and I think this is where a lot of designers kind of get caught up is that they. Kind of want to just stick to doing what they want to do and they are not conforming to the industry standard to start to see those sales and Hey, you can call it selling out if you want. But this is just how things work.
I mean, even if you think about any other industry, so let's think about music, right. People who are successful, and make tons of money in the music world are usually commercially successful. Right? So they usually come up with songs. You know, hit the radios and are playing on the radios for weeks and weeks and weeks.
And a lot of people who are really into music and are into like music on a deep level can not stand that commercial stuff. Right. It's. It's catchy. Yes. But sometimes it [00:05:00] lacks. What is that word? I'm looking for? It lacks adapt, right? Compared to someone who's maybe a independent musician, right.
That super talented, but they kind of want to just stick to their way of doing things. Maybe they just come out with albums, like every. 20 years, every 10 years, like, think about all of the people who have had like really amazing albums, like Lauren Hill, right? Like we've only got like one really solid album from her, but it was amazing. And it stood the test of time. Right. But then again, if we have someone who comes on the scene that decides to conform to the industry's ways of doing things, we get a lot of music from them, right?
So the same thing goes with fashion. There is a level of conformity and you know, a lot of artists don't like that, but that's why that phrase starving artists came from because of that. So let's talk about some ways that you will need to conform. If you start at fashion business, So one way that you would have to conform is that you need to [00:06:00] conform in the way that you design. So when we talk about designing. There's a way that you need to design to make money. One, you have to make enough styles, right?
Like you can't design one collection of year. Unless you have like a timeless collection where you can just change out the colors and you know, it's just basics and people will buy all year round. People want different things, right? So one way when we talk about design and conforming for design is. Season need to be designing for season.
If you were making things that are. , all sleeveless, then you're losing out on a home market, a whole side of the world who is not California and who is having real seasons. Right. So you want to make sure that you're designing to seasons so that you don't miss out on a whole opportunity to sell to a whole. Region of people. And of course this depends on your target demographic, right? So if you're only selling in Alaska. Okay. Yeah. But you're gonna have to [00:07:00] conform to seize it, and then you're going to have to conform to your sort mint. And this is also depending on whether you will be selling direct to consumer or wholesale, but with wholesale, you know, stores want things on their fours all the time and they want to. Swart meant to choose from, like, they don't want to just see three styles. A lot of people want to see 20 styles minimum.
And so you need to make sure that you have a full assortment. You also have to conform to trend. Are you designing according to what people actually want to buy? And obviously there are people who are creating collections that maybe are more of a slow fashion type of model or a minimalistic model and all of that.
But even with that, You can still incorporate color trends, right? What colors are people gravitating towards? Because you really want to make sure that you're making sales. That's what a business is all about is actually making money. But if you were making things that people are not wanting to buy at the moment, You're not going to be making sales and you want to give [00:08:00] yourself the most opportunity. To be in a position of what people actually want. So trend is another thing that you will have to conform to.
And that all, again goes into the design category of how you will have to conform when it comes to your design, you also want to think about your collection. Again, a lot of times people will. Just design, according to whatever they want to design. So you have like a line of just like three tops and a random dress.
Right. But a lot of times when retail buyers are looking to pick up your line, they want to buy full collection. So they want to make it easy for the customers to. Purchase your thing. So if you're making a top, a lot of times, they're going to want a bottom to go with that. And so you want to think about, am I making a full collection of things that there's something that can pair with everything from this collection?
So I have a pants there's a top that goes with that. And so, are you designing and full collection? Another way that you need to conform is conforming to exactly what your customer wants. And, you know, I know the [00:09:00] phrase, make sure, you know, your target customer is so trite.
Like we hear this all the time and it's the same thing with any business, this is not unique to fashion. You will need to know your customer and know them very intimately in any business. And I think the problem is like, especially for people who are a little bit more established, so you've been. In business, maybe over two years. And uh, right. A lot of times, I think we can get set in our way of like, oh yes, we know our customer of blah, blah, blah.
But we don't really do the proper investigation to really know if we know our customer. And you see this often, like, Let's say. You started you're brand new. You're not sealing seeing sales in your brand. And. It's not because of marketing. Because that could be the problem too. Like you don't, you haven't properly marketed.
And you know, if you're not really putting money behind your marketing and your marketing organically, it's going to take longer to grow your community and all of that. So understandable. But. Let's say [00:10:00] marketing is not the problem. People know your brandon exists. You see website hits like, you know, people are constantly buying, visiting your website, but they're not purchasing. That means there's some misalignment.
So that could mean that, you know, you don't truly know who your customer is, so your prices are off, right? Your prices don't attract your target customer or the designs that you're creating are not attracting your target customer. And so, although you may love it and you may rock with it, that doesn't mean your customer does.
And I talk about this all the time. And I think. A lot of the times people who've already started think that that is for people who haven't started yet. Like, oh, they need to know their heart customer. Cause I already do, but no, I want you guys to really take account of this and hear me out.
Cause I think. The reason, a lot of people who start brands. And are not seeing sales consistently in their brand. Is because they are not really listening to their customer and in conforming to exactly what they want. And [00:11:00] obviously that's not always possible. Maybe, you know, Price point flexibility or whatever, but .
If your price point needs to be higher, you need to find those people who are willing to pay for that higher price point. And then. Figure out what they want. And I've talked about surveys before doing surveys as I did in the beginning of this podcast episode, asking them what they like, what, when they wished they had in. Clothing, what they're willing to pay for quilting like that. What values are important to them in the brands that they buy and all of that.
So, Don't be afraid like to take an assessment. Take a survey. To pivot. And a lot of times, like also, you know, you could start off thinking. That you really know your customer in the beginning and things change, you know, and you have to adapt to that.
We're always pivoting and fashion. Like think about brands who, you know, at a time they're really hot, but they never evolved. Right? Like they never continue to conform to their customers or customer evolve because [00:12:00] our customer will change too. Right? Like times change people change.
And so we always need to be constantly relearning our customer. It's almost like a marriage. Right? Think about you and your customers in a marriage when you're married and let's say you marry young, right? Like. You guys will change as people. And so you're always constantly needing to relearn, like, how can I serve you better?
How can I be a better wife or a husband? And so I want you to think of yourself in a marriage with your customers so that you can continue to conform. To their needs and to serve them really well. And then lastly, another way you will conform in your fashion business is when you start working with retail stores.
So when you start working with the retail stores and you start selling your brands wholesale. This is one, a lot of conforming comes into play because the thing about, and this is more so for like larger retail. So the think department stores and things like [00:13:00] that. When you're working with bigger companies like this, They know that they have the upper hand and they know that you really want to be in their store. And so a lot of times. They will use that to their advantage. And I don't think this is always fair, but this is what happens. And this will, will show up in ways like they will ask for a discount. They'll ask for a discount so they can get your things for a better price. Sometimes they will ask for exclusives because they know that you are selling your brand to other retail stores, but they want there to be a reason for customers to shop exclusively or specifically. At their store and not have to compete with your online shop or any other retailers you're selling to.
So oftentimes they will ask you. To do maybe an exclusive piece that you already sell, but in a S exclusive color, right. Or maybe. If we can get the same dress, but with shorter sleeve. So a lot of time you're going to have to conform to their way of doing things. If you want to be in their [00:14:00] store and you want to get that large order.
Right. And sometimes that means you're changing your design. So the point where. Maybe that's not originally what you had in mind. And that's up for you to decide you don't always have to conform to that, but at the same time that you can be losing out on a lot of money by not conforming to what they're asking you to do. And so you have to keep that in mind, too, especially those of you who want to sell wholesale, that you may be asked to. Change your designs up.
You may be asked. To, you know, create something special for the stores that you're working with, that you maybe wouldn't have decided to do in the first place. And so you have to kind of assess how far you would be willing to go when it comes to requests like this.
But again, this is just another way that you will have to conform. So all in all. Like I said, there's a lot of things that happen again when you're running a business, it's not just about you getting to be creative, but you really have to think strategically and you have to [00:15:00] know that.
In order for your business, continue to run.
You have to make money and making money means that sometimes you're going to have to make decisions. Or. Do things that you wouldn't always desire to do just like musicians. I'm sure they wouldn't desire to sing some of the songs they sing all the time, but they know that it's going to be a commercial hit and in turn, blow up their careers.
And so the same could be true for you. And so I have this podcast was helpful to you. I never want to discourage you in any way, but I just want to bring you the reality of the matter. And I hope that gives you a realistic look of what it looks like to start a fashion business. .
And hopefully despite of the ways that you have to compromise and conform that you can still find joy as you create an algae belt. So friends, I wish you a happy weekend and I can't wait till we get to chat again. I will see you guys next Friday. On another episode of make good fashion.
