Fashion trade shows are almost a rite of passage in the fashion industry, and they can be a great place to start if you are looking for suppliers. They can also be a great source of confusion and overwhelm if you go unprepared. 

I’ve attended Premiere Vision Paris a couple of times while developing my handbag collection.  My experience from the first to the second time I visited was like comparing chalk with cheese. Let me tell you why, and share my tips for getting the most out of attending fashion trade shows.

The first time I attended PV, I was in the very early stages of my business. At that point, I didn’t have any contacts and didn’t even have a fully-formed idea of my designs yet, or even the type of leather or material I wanted to use – so this trip was very much about finding inspiration, seeing the scope of the industry, and gaining experience with sourcing.

Walking into the show for the first time, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by the amount there was to se...

Creatives are famous for being "perfectionists." They are never satisfied with the end result. Always trying to improve on a product, they often overlook the effects this has on the business. Deadlines often come and go and products remain on hold because of small detailing not being "just so." But when you run a business and your business is product-based, you cannot afford to chase perfection. Commercial thinking must be exercised, deadlines respected and the business needs put first.

New entrepreneurs often focus on wanting to create the "perfect" product or service for their customers. Most seasoned businessmen will quickly tell you if you asked, that this focus on perfection is rather misplaced.

While you may compare yourself to your competitors who have been in business for a number of years, and feel that there are few more improvements to be made to an already good product; this strive for perfection could hold you back and prove to be a big mistake for a number of reasons.

In today's day and age of advanced technology, nothing seems impossible. So much so that the latest labour market statistics show that self-employment accounted for 37% of the increase in employment during the past year in the UK alone.

The fashion industry is one sector where there has been a large influx of new blood. While in the past one may have had an idea and not done much about it, today it's an entirely different story – we have an idea and we know we have infinite possibilities to make it happen. But how do we translate an idea into a finished product ready to show to buyers?

As a new fashion designer, you’ll run through the gamut of emotions once you have embarked on a creative project. Many thoughts will occupy your mind, ranging from doubt to exhilaration. They often come one after the other, in quick succession or at times even together and never leave you for long, so be warned and get used to it.

Never underestimate the importance of sampling as it is at the heart

...

Embarking on sample making is one of the most exciting and satisfying parts of the design process. Bringing your ideas to life in the form of a tangible product is the icing on the cake after months of designing, fabric sourcing and pattern cutting.

Not to mention the endless factory visits to find someone worthy enough to actually produce your samples and happy to do sample making. Some start-up designers assume that one sample of each design will be sufficient to show to a customer or buyer – but what happens if you need to source additional factories for your actual production, if your sales agents have appointments simultaneously, or if you get multiple press requests for a specific design?

The three phases that require accessories or garment sample making are Design, Sales and Production.

Design-related samples are used to model design ideas and (ideally) finalise the pattern for production. These are used by the designer and pattern cutter. Sales-related samples are used to wi...

Whether you are new to the industry or seasoned professional, embarking on product fashion sampling is one of the most exciting and satisfying parts of the design process. 

Bringing your ideas to life in the form of a tangible product is the icing on the cake after months of designing, fabric sourcing and pattern cutting. 

Not to mention the endless factory visits to find the right fashion manufacturer, trustworthy enough to actually produce your samples.

Many start-up designers underestimate the number of samples it takes until you end up with a product sample that is "perfect".

They also wrongly assume that one sample of each design will be sufficient to show to a customer or buyer. Lack of industry experience often allows them to neglect to consider what happens if you need to source additional factories for your actual production, if your sales agents have appointments simultaneously or if you get multiple press requests for a specific design?

This article will provide you w...

Sourcing fabric for new collections is one of the most exciting aspects of running a fashion label. But if you are new to the experience, knowing where to go and what to ask for will make a difference to your product.

[embed]https://youtu.be/E1eMaZuG-rk[/embed]

When I started my business, I was lucky, because I bought my cloth from a great retailer in London who also sold minimum quantities (25 metres across 3 colours) at wholesale prices. This was rather unusual in the 1990s and I was upset when they switched to retail sales only. But as they say, all good things come to an end and indeed they did.

However, when I subsequently found out about Premiere Vision, a fabric and trimmings trade fair in Paris, I needed no excuses to visit one of my favourite cities. Some of the fabric suppliers held stock at their warehouses so it was relatively easy to visit the fair, order sampling and then order larger quantities when your production order book closed.

Fast forward to the 21st century,...

The ultimate goal for any business is to generate sales that will fuel the company's growth and generate profit. For most fashion brands, sales largely depend on having a great product that sells in volume. While one can argue that the success of a product depends on the style and what the demand is for it, another largely undervalued aspect is the quality of the product. A great product poorly executed will not sell in any notable volume.

To ensure a well executed and manufactured product, it is the designer's responsibility to provide the correct final sample and supporting documents like a spec pack to the factory. Setting the right expectations and choosing the right factory for your product is preparing for manufacturing success.

Making a perfect garment sample good enough for the factory to follow through to production, can be approached in three ways.

Whichever way you choose, your final outcome is to produce items to a very high standard so that they can be used by a factory...

The perfect fitting of a garment lies at the heart of your customers' evaluation of an apparel product. With vast differences in body shape and size, fit problems form the basis of returns of online clothing purchases.

As part of the product development process, designers and their team, typically develop sample size garments for a specific size range based on their target market.

When a sample is finished, it is usually checked for fabric type, compliance with specified garment measurements, and construction details. However, it’s imperative that the garment is evaluated on a model in order to judge comfort, appearance and last but not least, fit.

A fit session is a meeting between the design and technical teams where they assess the fit of a collection.

A fit session is a meeting between the design and technical teams where they assess the fit of a collection. Fit samples (samples sent from the factory at various stages of development to assess the fit) are sent from the fact...

Sourcing materials at fashion trade shows is vital. Though the reasons why one should attend industry trade fairs have changed over the last few years, their importance especially when it comes to sourcing raw materials and trims, has not diminished.

It has never been a better time to be creative than in today's day and age. In the past fashion designers worked alone or in small teams - quietly and secluded. They mostly relied on the same materials and sources for inspiration. Perhaps it is why the whole world moved slower and there were long periods between new trends emerging.

Alas, those days are truly gone. Today the world is a much faster-paced place. Inspiration is all around us. We don’t even have to leave the room to know what happens around the world and be inspired.

But the downside is that we are losing personal contact with people. And in fashion and many other businesses that counts for a lot.

Sourcing materials at trade shows is best done in person

Many manufacturers...

 Working with bloggers has become a mainstream modus operandi for anyone looking to gain media exposure for their brand. Some communicate with their audience via copy, some via video (vloggers), and some do both. If you’re not familiar with what a blogger is, think of the names you might have heard in conversation or even in the news, like Zoella, Liberty London Girl and Bryanboy. In this article, we will tell you how to work with bloggers.

These people offer their personal reflections about trends, products, brands, food or anything that they choose. They build up unique fan bases and large followings of people who look to bloggers to inform their purchasing decisions or trend research. It’s a phenomenon that fashion brands have bought in to; bloggers are approached by companies with products and asked to share their positive feedback with their following – and sometimes the bloggers are paid to do so.

It’s important to note that not every blogger is as big as Zoella, and each blogg...