Fashion Business - How to get started

A fashion business is a rather open statement, as fashion can be a myriad of different things. Many people would love their own business and everyone loves fashion, even if they don't think they do. Fashion is the thing you consider when you get dressed in the morning, when you accessorise and when you purchase clothes. People often see fashion industry as being a high vogue end catwalk champagne fuelled party, but it is often far simpler than that. The need for clothes is constant, as clothes are a perishable good in so much as they need to be replaced. This means that the industry is growing as more people enter the world but also as more people are willing to part with money to buy more and more clothes. The reason for this is two fold, firstly the media tell us all we need to look great and secondly it is directly linked to our self esteem. Only a very confident person can feel great in awful clothes.

So how do you exactly enter into this industry and try to make your way in a career which is something you enjoy doing, you know not like that job you do currently sat behind a desk for little reward. Here are 5 entry level ways of getting into the fashion industry.

Parties Agent

Franchising of a product has been around for generations and the rise in working home based parents has meant agents are big business now for brands. With this increased popularity comes an increase in competition so here are some tips on what to look out for. Do not go with a big brand, they are a saturated market and they have sliced their areas up so much many have become a pyramid scheme of agents selling to agents meaning your at the bottom and won't make much money. If you can't find a brand you want to sell for offering franchising why not ask? Approach a brand you love that isn't well represented in your local area and offer to sell their goods for them at a percentage. The principle idea is you sell to friends, family and neighbours products and take a cut of the money. This is a great thing to do if your social and well respected, people will trust your judgement but due to the people you are selling to it is essential you believe in the products you sell, why would anyone want to rip off their friends?

Love Eye Candy offer Jewellery boxes and Handbag Packages to agents with commision rates of up to 50% which make it particularly appealing.

Stalls

Local markets are now back in boom, thanks to the financial crisis and lack of unique sellers on the high street they are a showcase for local talent and many towns have well established markets which attract thousands of visitors every weekend. Setting up a stall is easy if you have the initial outlay of cash for stock, you can build up over time and then begin to go around various markets to get a good wide range of customers. The benefit of a stall is the low overheads, a one off payment is all it takes to get a pitch but remember to do your homework, if your are in competition with another stall your products must have a USP (Unique Selling Point) of either quality or price.

Market trading also gives you the chance to interact with people that may be more critical than your friends and family. Never take criticism directly, it is all about improving your service so all feedback should be gratefully received and any issues acted upon. Sourcing products for a market can be cheap by using local suppliers. The barrier for using wholesalers is often the minimum order quantity that they have (between £100 to £200) which makes it expensive to get a wide enough range of products. Bulk lots are often sold on auction sites or clearance sales from shops is a great place to grab a bargain. Remember ex chain store items are OK to sell.

Make something

Having a skill with a sewing machine or knitting needle can be handy when getting into fashion. Making your own clothes, bags, jewellery or designs will attract a lot of attention if they are good quality. Facebook is a great medium for crafters and gives you a platform to showcase your work, also remember that you are a great advertisement. Getting compliments on your clothes is a sure fire way to get sales, wear your work with pride and let others see your skill. Of course this can be time consuming but once you have an established business factories will work from your design to mass produce your items, that's how fashion labels get started! You can also find plenty of outlets that may take your work on sale or return basis to help you get your work in a retail store. 

Buy and sell vintage

Thanks to our love affair with out of town shopping you will see local high streets can be awash with charity shops. For some time people have been buying up vintage clothing and either adjusting or accessorising to make them glam again. Why not make these your stock supplier. Handpick the items and ensure the best quality, repairing any damage or amending the pattern and then selling to a niche market. Steam Punk fashion is popular and easy to do with some vintage products. Of course it may be some time before we see shoulder pads in fashion again but it could happen. Not only could you pick up some great items you are also ensuring that money is donated to charity, what's not to love about this business.

Remodel

Remodeling of clothes is huge boom past time thanks to the rise of individual blogs. Buying a cheap item from Primark or other cheap clothes retailers but making it individual is a good way of getting yourself into fashion. Often the raw materials are more expensive than the finished garments you can purchase in these shops and you frequently see some great remodeling jobs, a handbag made from a pair of jeans, or a dress made from a man's T-Shirt. 


These ideas are all great ways to get started and can bring in a part time wage quickly, depending on your effort and time it could be a full time career within a year. The thing to remember about getting into fashion is never let money rule your decisions. Figure out a niche or an angle and stick to it regardless if the profit margins are bigger elsewhere. A business can quickly be found out for simply targeting money and losing sight for actually helping customers. Your number one goal should always be that you are helping people to find something they wouldn't have if you weren't around. Making people feel good is a rewarding way to run a business and you can be sure happy customers are the only way to build a brand. Starting in this way can lead on to design, wholesale and stardom, honestly it can there are plenty who have done it. There is one example of what not to do though that we cannot express enough:

eBay Business

eBay used to be the place to be for all home based retailers buying and selling items that could turn a great profit. Due to increased fees and competition this has now become saturated with many large companies using it to liquidate stock, meaning the profit is not there are most items that sell are done so at a loss. To get a good eBay takes years of constant high quality selling and the effort for the return is simply not there anymore. There are lots of smaller auctions sites that will cater for a home based business much better than eBay and will charge you a lot less in fees.

Whatever you decide to do good luck, and if you want us to help promote your stuff give us a shout and we can let you share your new items on our blog. We can also provide advice on setting up, provide you with agent stock or offer sale or return on our online store or high street shop.


Much love
LEC Boutique