How to Start a Clothing Line

1. Create a solid and clear business plan. Your business plan needs to lay out how you intend to manage your clothing line. Try to be as realistic as possible when you write this. Remember, it's better to underestimate your profits and be pleasantly surprised than to overestimate your abilities and be disappointed. Think about these aspects:
   
   
   
   
   
   • Funding — How much money will you need in order to launch your clothing line? Do you have money saved up for this, or will you need a bank loan? Consider an SBA loan, or another type of loan to get your business started. To get a loan, you might need to have collateral.
   • Costs — Read through the rest of this article, then make a list of all of your anticipated costs (materials, manufacturing, supplies, equipment, advertisement, marketing, overheads, etc.). Add up how much it would cost to run your business for a year. Will your available revenue offset these costs?
   • Research — Who is your current and likely future competition? Who is your target market? It can be a good idea to get a part-time retail job at a store that caters to your target market. See what the store is buying and what the customers are buying. How much do you think you can sell your designs for at the retail and wholesale levels? Ask around. Get feedback. Talk to store owners and potential customers alike. Find examples of clothing that is similar to what you're going to design, and learn where and for how much they sell.
   • Profitability — Do you want to do this full-time? How many years are you willing to wait before this company starts turning a profit and then giving you a salary? Or do you want it to be a side thing, that if it makes money, it's a bonus, but you value expression more than profitability? You'll probably spend more money than you earn for the first four seasons (1 year) but once you're established, you might be able to expand with funding from angel investors, celebrities, and pre-orders with store accounts.
   • Legalities — Decide on your business structure (LLC, partnership, corporation, etc.). In the US, you'll need a tax ID number, a business license, and you'll also want to fill out a DBA (doing business as) form at your local bank so that you can accept checks written out to your company's name.
   • Employees — Will you need to hire help to work on your clothing line? Consider what sort of assistance you'll need, how many hours per week you'll require, and what you'll be able to pay.
   • Build your brand. Now it's time to make some fun aesthetic decisions! How you set up your brand will define what people associate with your clothing line, so choose wisely.
   • Choose a name. What name will represent your clothing line? You could use your own name (as did Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs), a word you coin yourself (such as Rodarte or Marchesa), a word from another language (for instance, Escada means staircase or ladder in Portuguese), or words whose aesthetics you like (such as Iceberg, Mulberry or Imitation of Christ). Whatever you pick, make sure it's unique and recognizable.
   • Design a logo. Brainstorm a lot of different logos, but narrow it down to one and make sure you are completely sure about the one you choose. People are going to recognize you by your logo and it will confuse them if you keep changing it. Check to make sure the name you pick has an available domain name, and look into registering for a trademark (most jurisdictions allow for and encourage this).
   • Your brand name and company name can and should be different. Your company name, for example, can be your initials or a variation of your own name, while the name of the collection (the clothing line) should be something more creative and representative of the style you're going for.[1]
2. 2
   Design the clothes. This is the fun part for many people, but it's only 10-15 percent of the process! Make sketches, get feedback, and decide which ones will constitute your first collection. Pick out fabrics and materials that are cost effective and current.
   
   
   
   • Ask whoever is producing your line whether there are any restrictions, such as if they can't print certain colors. If you are designing a T-shirt line, get the following information from the printer: size specifications (specs) of the design (how big it can be), the type of shirt you want to print on, and the weight/quality of the fabric (for example, choose thinner, less expensive fabric for summer clothing lines).
   • Detail is everything. When you do your sketches, create a layout that shows every detail clearly and uses the proper terminology. If you don't know what the terminology is, find a photo and show it to the manufacturer and ask what they call it. Learn the jargon and be prepared to properly identify the fabric you wish to use by weight (yield), content, and construction.
   • Collections are usually designed by season. Most departments stores buy at least two seasons in advance, while smaller stores buy one to two seasons ahead. You'll need to time your design, production, and delivery accordingly.
   • Produce the designs. Bring your sketches to a seamstress, manufacturer, or screen printer. Typically, a prototype or sample is created so that you can be sure that the clothing is going to be produced the way you want it to be. No matter what, be sure to ask lots of questions, and always get everything agreed upon in writing.
   • To find manufacturers, do an Internet search for "clothing manufacturers". Many people use garment manufacturers overseas because the costs are lower. Keep in mind that many overseas manufacturers only do large quantities, so ask about minimums before proceeding. Shop around, and ask for turnaround times and how fast you can get samples sent to you (they should provide samples before your designs are finalized for production). Also bear in mind the conditions of manufacture––consumers are much more conscious about "sweat shop labor" than in the past and will penalize clothing lines that use it.
   • If you know how to sew, you may be able to create the patterns and prototypes yourself. Consulting with someone who's an expert at sewing apparel is also an option.
3. 3
   Create a website to promote your clothing line. Make sure it looks very professional and presents your line in the best light. Provide contact information, in case stores or other merchants want to get in touch with you. If you want to give people the ability to buy clothing from your website, you'll need to set up a shopping cart and merchant account so you can accept credit card payments.
   
   
   
4. 4
   Promote your line. These costs can run into the thousands for just one year. Here's what you can do to get your brand out there:
   
   
   
   • Write a press release, send it to local newspapers and magazines.
   • Purchase ads in papers and on websites that people in your target audience read.
   • Sponsor events that cater to your target audience.
   • Get a celebrity endorsement (or get the most popular person you know to wear your stuff by giving it to them for free).
   • Use social media to spread the word, such as Twitter, Facebook and your own blog updates. Make sure you have a good LinkedIn profile too.
   • Establish relationships with websites and blogs that can bring attention to your brand and site. This includes selling your clothing through auction sites and arts and crafts sites that allow clothing sales.
   • Use yourself as a walking billboard. Wear your own fashions and ask people's opinions and record them; this will also aid you in designing a product people will like. Take every suggestion a person has to offer; it's like having your own marketing and design team and it doesn't cost you a thing. Starting out, money is going to be tight, so take advantage of every opportunity you can.
   • Take orders. Sell at festivals, markets, and to everyone you know. Get appointments with local stores and convince them to carry your line. Offer your clothing on the Internet. Print a catalog and mail it to clothing stores and potential customers.
   • Go to a fashion trade show (for example, the MAGIC Fashion Trade Show held in Las Vegas in the US, Europe's Bread and Butter fashion trade show) if you have the funds. Paying for a booth can be expensive.