Fashion Profiles Archives

February 20, 2002, #8   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What's the best way to start your design business? The simplest way you can! Today's issue shows you how.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In This Issue: Fashion Biz: The Best Way To Start Designing Fashion Trivia: The Origins of Nail Polish Fashion Profile: Lillian Vernon   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FASHION BIZ The Best Way To Start Designing Question: "I like designing everything-clothes, shoes, purses, you name it. Where's the best place to start?" - Alicia With the one category you like the most. While your long-range plans may include a whole collection of items, it's best to start with a single item to establish your name and to keep expenses down. Why? When you're just starting out, you lack credibility. No one knows who you are, much less why they should buy from you. If you offer them a unique, attractive, quality product at a fair price, they may give you a try. If they like what you have to offer, they may come back for more and even tell their friends about you. So your goal, at least initially, is to become "known" for something. Strive to be number one or number two in your particular category. If you work towards dominating your niche (market category), you'll gain a solid footing in the marketplace and establish a name for yourself. Once that's done, you can then branch into other areas. If you look at some of the most successful designers and apparel companies, you'll see this pattern again and again. For example: *Kate Spade started with handbags. Now she does shoes, small leather goods, and stationery. *Ralph Lauren started with ties. He later moved into menswear, womenswear, perfume, and home decor. *Giorgio Armani started with menswear. He's since gone on to womenswear, perfume, and makeup. *Vera Wang started with bridal gowns. Now she does bridesmaids, eveningwear, and perfume. *Salvatore Ferragamo was a shoemaker. His company now does handbags and clothing as well. Burberry's, Levi's, Donna Karan, Chanel-if you look around, you'll see this game plan again and again. Why? Because it works! And if it works for large, international companies, it will work for you, too. So don't bite off more than you can chew in the beginning. Start small, make a name for yourself, and THEN move on to the other things. It's a smart way to build a business. Want to learn more about how to define your niche and get started as a fashion designer? Download a copy of How To Get Started In Fashion Design at: http://www.FashionJobReview.com Good luck!   ************** Have a question you'd like answered in "Fashion Biz?" Send it to [email protected] .   ************** FASHION TRIVIA QUESTION: When was nail polish invented? ANSWER: In China, about 5,000 years ago. Red and black were the most popular colors. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), polish was made from a combination of beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes and Arabic gum. The polish we use today is a refined version of car paint. ************** FASHION PROFILE: Lillian Vernon You probably know the name and may even get her catalog of quirky items, but have you ever wondered how Lillian Vernon got started? As an accessories designer! Yep. Back in the early 1950's when Lillian was a young stay-at-home mother, she started looking for extra ways to make money. One day she noticed an ad for a handbag while flipping through the pages of "Seventeen Magazine". A glimpse through a few past issues showed that the ad had been running for several months. What did that tell her? It was making money! "I can do that!" she thought to herself. In fact, she was very well prepared for such an enterprise. Her father was a leather manufacturer and Lillian had worked for him for several years before her marriage. She knew where to get the goods, if only she could come up with an item to sell. After some thought, she decided to offer a leather belt. She designed the item and took it to her father, who said he could make them for her for a good price. But he didn't think you could sell anything through a magazine, so he told her not to get her hopes up. Fortunately, she didn't let him talk her out of it. Pulling all the money from her savings, she placed a display ad in "Seventeen Magazine", which showed a picture of the belt and included an order form. The cost was $750-an enormous sum in those days. A few days after the issue hit the newstands, the orders started coming in. And they kept coming, and coming-and coming. To the tune of more than $30,000 from that first $750 ad. Ecstatic, Lillian placed another ad and started thinking of other things she could sell to her customer base. Fifty years later, she's still looking for new and exciting things to offer her customer base, which now numbers many millions. She travels the world looking for the items she offers, and has helped more than one small designer become and established name. So do YOU have something Lillian might be interested in? One appearance of your item in her catalog could be all it takes to get you up and running as a designer... To learn more about the Lillian Vernon company, you can visit her online at: http://www.LillianVernon.com   ************** Until Next Time, Diana Pemberton-Sikes http://www.FashionJobReview.com [email protected] ----------------------------------------------------------- DID YOU LIKE THIS ISSUE? Why not send it to a friend or colleague? Thanks! MAILING LIST POLICY: I never rent, trade, or sell my list to anyone. Your privacy is completely protected. TO SUBSCRIBE go to: http://www.FashionJobReview.com and fill out the form. It only takes a few seconds. Copyright © 2002 Diana Pemberton-Sikes Donegal Direct LLC • 1502 Loving Road • Gordonsville, VA 22942 [email protected]