So you are a designer that feels the need to indulge women in their love of accessories, in particular handbags. Women love handbags and shoes, almost more than they love their boyfriends, husbands or children! The beauty of the handbag is you don't have to be the perfect size, in other words, no dieting required!
Accessory collections provide some of the largest proportion of the fashion industries income. Hitting a home run with the perfect bag can mean creating a following with women all over the world.
What are the principles one needs to know to start your own handbag collection?
Like any other fashion category one needs to have a great idea.
how do you start a clothing line Research is key, what is out there currently? Ask yourself, where would your handbags sit in your favorite department store? Would it be in the junior department or do you see them all done out in fine Italian leather and being a neighbor to Valentino, Chanel, and Gucci? When you determine where you will understand who and what your potential competitors are and what they are doing. You will also get a range of price. The price and the look are the keys to targeting who your customer will be. Will she be a very young with a more limited budget, or will your customer have a large discretionary income. The look is going to be your calling card, sleek, modern, vintage, bohemian, lady like......you decide and make sure your every piece you design fits your target look and target audience.
Once your concept is focused on a target audience. You could ask everyone you know who falls into that demographic what they need and like, talk to them and let them give you feedback on your design ideas. You could also ask the sales associates in the stores what they sell easily and what things that don't work in general.
At this point, if you haven't done so already, you can start to sketch your ideas. An important thing to understand, the more details in your designs the more labor that is needed to make them. If you are in a moderate price point or you are gearing your accessories to a young market, competing with a major company will be a challenge. Remember large corporations have the funding necessary to make many handbags overseas before they go to market. Generally a new designer doesn't have the history nor the budget to create ten,000 handbags out the gate!
A great rule of thumb for a brand new handbag designer having a restricted spending budget indicates little run production, keeping a close eye on materials expenses, and setting aside funds to complete advertising and sales following the handbag samples are produced. Even new designers wanting to create a luxury item will have exactly the same specifications.
It's at this point that numerous individuals get lost. They've fantastic inventive suggestions, and have place with each other a cohesive collection. How on the planet do you make a handbag? Granted generating a complicated fitted jacket has its issues, but everybody can visualize sewing clothing.......(trust me, it's a little much more complicated also, however it does appear simpler!)
The very first factor would be to make certain your sketches have taken into account measurements. How lengthy will be the deal with, how large will be the big compartment, what sort of hardware would I prefer to use. How lengthy are the zippers how numerous compartments are on the within. Obtaining a little much more complex and scary correct? Do not fret.......discover a bag that's close and use it as a reference. Getting dimensions figured out is really a necessity.
Now you should discover a pattern maker. If comparing your self to an architect as designer, the pattern maker will be the engineer. A qualified pattern maker will know if your strap is powerful sufficient and how you can make it powerful sufficient so it does not rip off the base from the bag. He or she will make pattern pieces (a lot like a puzzle) which will be sewn with each other to make your sample. It's usually a great thought to obtain a pattern maker which will function together with your sample maker........lack of communication will trigger you to have numerous redo's and plenty of blame generating on each ends top you to a mess of a sample along with a lot of wasted time and cash.
Nearly simultaneous using the pattern maker you need to know what supplies you would like to make use of. The pattern maker requirements to understand this, once more an engineer requirements to understand in the event you are utilizing wood or concrete. Specifications of supplies will make the patterns function with out a hitch and they'll also have to know about your intended hardware. Hardware is as essential, perhaps much more essential than the leather or fabric you're utilizing. The high quality will probably be the figuring out element in what cost your handbags will probably be sold. Hardware is really a tough factor to supply and usually is carried out overseas, but you will find some locations within the US that nonetheless make high quality hardware and you will find sources right here exactly where you are able to purchase generic closures, zippers and also the like. When sourcing fabric, ask in the event you are you able to get much more ought to you get orders, exactly the same using the hardware. Whilst you might pay retail costs for the sample, this would make your handbags grossly non competitive within the marketplace location. Also note that timelines need you to obtain fabrics and hardware ahead of time.
Subsequent you discover a sample maker.........crucial right here, do they've the gear to obtain the job carried out also as the skill to make use of that machinery. Leather sewing machines, dies, sometime molds are essential. Ask to determine examples of some thing they've in function.....anybody can show you a stunning bag somebody else place with each other.
As soon as the supplies are within the hands of one's sample maker you begin to locate your self very excited. Your sketches will lastly take type. Your heart begins to beat extremely quick. Alas at this point be ready to need to function out issues, discover option options and possibly make minor style modifications to accommodate machinery and materials constraints. This really is Regular...obstacles are a typical element within the style company. Be versatile and be Inventive. With great preparation, great supplies, a sensible timeline that allows for mishaps and professional support in terms of labor you will have completed the first part of your handbag collection. You will have samples and something to show to sell...
This is the first half......marketing and sales will be just as important. Make sure you leave yourself enough money to get your product in front of the appropriate buyers. You can choose to go direct, go online, or sell retail stores. This is just as complex and I will handle this at a later time.
After reading this article about How to start a clothing line you mightwant toconsult myblog which has even moreinformation on this topicand even How to start a clothing line
Latest Comments