Figuring Out Your Fashion Brand’s DNA, Part 2: Fashion Marketing And More

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brand consultant, brand strategy, Digital strategy, fashion brand DNA, Fashion brand launch, fashion business mentor, fashion design, fashion design consultant, fashion marketing, fashion retailer, fashion startup, Inventory managent, Omnichannel, retail strategy, startup fashion expert

This is part two of a two-part series on starting and running your fashion business. We begin with branding and logistics. 

Up until now in Part 1, we’ve discussed two elements- components that make up a fashion brand, and ways to find and source the right material. In the second half of this series, our focus shifts ever so slightly to the business model and deciding on a marketing strategy.

The retail landscape today is very different from what the norm was even a decade ago. In early 2010, omnichannel retail as a concept was whispered in close quarters and often left alone as something for the big players. Today, every retailer, at some point in the business journey, explores an omnichannel strategy. Online sales channels are very different from offline selling in that orders need to be shipped, delivered, and the returns processed.

These aspects also bring in choices in fashion marketing such as which channels to advertise on, what promotions to run and how to get maximum traction for the business. As with branding, a fashion business coach can help you look into everything from inventory and sourcing to sales and beyond. Having such a support system can help cut unnecessary costs from your business and set you up for success.

Let’s discuss a few more aspects of selling through your fashion brand.

1. The Channel Choice: This one is by far the toughest choice you’ll make. Whichever channel you choose, you’ll be losing out on the other in the beginning. Over time, you will want to try out all channels such as online and offline sales media as well as features like the Facebook shop to increase the chances of making a sale.

That said, for someone starting out today, the scales tip slightly in favor of online selling. With this method, you do not have to spend upfront on store design, day to day operations and bringing in customers. You can, instead, stock up at a warehouse, set up a web store and reach out to a much wider audience. That said, online selling also presents a few challenges such as getting pictures and descriptions absolutely right, as well as the consideration of whether people will buy online from a relatively new apparel brand.

Think about your specific product category and which audience type it appeals most to. Base your channel decision on their most preferred way of shopping. Also, this is only a choice of launch. Over time as revenues go up, you can expand to as many other channels as you’d like.

2. Cashflow Considerations: For every retail business, good cash flow is a lifeline that helps keep the business running. When you have enough operational cash, you can make sound decisions on sourcing and inventory handling that are not dependent upon a cash crunch.How, then, do you keep cashflow under control? By managing inventory well! For many fashion brands today, marketing spend is not optional. You need to spend on advertising to get more visibility. Quality of the product, on the other hand, is not up for debate. So, the only way for you to save your working capital is to handle inventory better.Many fashion retailers today use ERP systems to manage their inventory right from the very beginning. Apparel and accessories sell in good volumes which is why it is better to leave the inventory management to systems built to achieve just that.

   Beyond that, accurate financial reporting, and accounting is a business best practice and it also helps you make better business decisions. Hire a qualified accountant to do the job for you and ensure that books and actual values are in line from time to time.

3. The Digital Strategy: Fashion marketing is all about making repeat impressions that eventually lead to a conversion. We have surely noticed how when we browse a product online, similar suggestions keep cropping up for a while. That’s just good digital marketing, at the end of the day. This is also why advertising usually pays off in this domain. When someone browses for apparel, and they are shown similar ads from other brands, they are far more likely to want to click on the ad and browse.

You can always focus your digital strategy around the Cost Per Conversion metric, which essentially means that you will pay the platform a price for every conversion that happens through them.

However, paid marketing isn’t the only sales avenue there is. The ultimate goal of any digital strategy is to move to organic reach. Customers should be able to find you with a simple search term, should already follow you on social media and should open most of your product emails, if not all. To get to that point, marketers use a mix of paid advertising and organic content to market your products better.

As part of this process, you will also work on one aspect of content marketing known as content strategy. As with all planning processes, hiring an expert is your best shot at getting optimum results. You need to think through aspects such as the type of content to produce, the frequency of publication and distribution, which posts to promote through paid ads, etc. An expert can also help you track your site analytics and suggest if any changes need to be made to improve conversion.

4. Beyond Digital: While digital marketing is an essential part of sales decisions today, it isn’t the only way to market your brand. If you have an offline store, you need to find ways to bring people from their online accounts to your offline store as well. Moreover, if you sell online exclusively, you still need to find ways to engage offline- through city-based events, pop-ups, and workshops that your audience is likely to enjoy.

Usually, these decisions are very specific to the business. This is why a startup fashion expert is brought into the picture to help you get maximum returns on your marketing investment.

5. Launch Planning: A brand’s launch is a memorable experience for everyone who has been working on it for long. It is the first opportunity we get to put the brand out there and see what people think. By all means, the launch should be turned into a big event. We recommend using social media to generate interest well in advance with countdown timers, early bird promotions and the like. Also, get a checklist ready before launch to account for aspects such as the website’s stability, measuring and gathering data about the number of people tuned in for the launch, having a live customer service team, ensuring all operations are in place and so on. In the offline context, this would also include decking up your store, ensuring that all POS terminals are operational, provision of refreshments, etc.  

6. Influencer Marketing: Today, wherever you look, there are fashion influencers. Some of them command a huge number of followers and their opinions are often taken very seriously. Such influencers know what they are worth and therefore, they do not come cheap. However, if you can afford them, there is value in getting them to endorse your new fashion brand.Influencers who work professionally often offer statistics on their outreach, the number of posts they will publish, and the results you can expect from the effort. Calculate the result of an influencer campaign after each new post is published, and then once the entire effort is complete.Remember, the influencer market is also reasonably crowded. Unless they have an engaged following, influencers may not quite be able to get you the results you want. Proceed with caution, ask for past campaign statistics and never be afraid to negotiate on your terms.

Up until now, we have covered all aspects of launching a new fashion business that we could think of. What other aspects would you like to hear from us on? Share your ideas with us in the comments below.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Figuring Out Your Fashion Brand’s DNA, Part 1: The Building Blocks That Makeup Who You Are

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brand collaterals, brand consultant, fashion brand, fashion brand DNA, fashion brand identity, Fashion Branding, fashion consultant, fashion design consultant, fashion start up expert, fashion startup, freelance fashion designer, sales channel

There’s a tiny bit of a difference between being in the creative domain and turning that into a business. The moment you begin thinking of your fashion design studio as a place where supply chains come to life, there are several aspects to look at beyond doing just the creative work.

Where should I source my suppliers and manufacturers from?

How can I build a memorable brand?

How can I ensure that an entire team stays on track with the brand’s vision?

How do I bring internal and external stakeholders such as brand consultants, design experts, and marketing managers to the same table?

There is no correct or wrong way to do this, and many creative professionals become entrepreneurs quite naturally. However, it always helps to have a few milestones along the way so you can measure progress and know what’s next on the agenda. With that in mind, this article is designed to help you come up with the components that will eventually make up your fashion brand.

Fashion branding is a whole different ballgame, and traditional branding principles often need to be reconsidered to get them just right. This is because fashion as an industry is full of thriving and new brands- there is almost no scope for securing the first-mover advantage in such a scenario. Plus, fashion trends come and go, and brands striving for consistency often struggle to match market expectations with the brand’s original story, thus losing their way. A brand consultant who has worked extensively in fashion retail is often your best bet for someone on your team who will give you sound, actionable advice. Once they are on board, here are a few things you might want to discuss. 1. The Brand Story: While many people make the mistake of assuming that a story is born of the product, the exact opposite is actually true. Every product makes its way into the market to solve a problem or address a need. Branding workshops and exercises are dedicated to finding this story- the values, pillars, and principles that make up every single company. Often, brand values often match those held by the founders. In a niche that changes as fast as fashion, it is worth separating the brand purpose from the founder’s vision. This way, the entity is more flexible to market forces.

It is difficult to adjust and evaluate culture as you go along, so the first step in setting up a brand identity should always be to figure out what it stands for. This way, communication to all stakeholders is clear and compelling even several years down the line.

2. Brand Collaterals: Usually, the work of a brand consultant is clearly cut out. Not only do they develop the story, but they also think through visuals and elements that will likely make the brand stand out. The logo is one aspect of this. It is important that your brand consultant be the one to work on these elements as well to avoid getting lost in communication.

For instance, some people choose to go with a new designer once the brand story is created. However, this approach often fails because the new designer does not have access to the same kind of information, or insight, as the person who first figured out the story. Hence, always retain all work with one expert and their team.

Brand collaterals themselves can include a huge list of things- signage, visual communication in a store, letterheads, stamps, visiting cards, stationery beyond the usual, digital presence, brand guidelines and a style guide, the type and fonts to be used, packaging material, garment labels, etc. Beyond this, you will also have standard requirements such as the size chart you follow, accurate garment care information, etc. Consider which of these adapts you need and which ones you can do away with for now. Focus only on those elements that you need in the next year or so, so as to keep costs to a minimum.3. The Market: At the end of the day, you are selling to the world outside. The intent behind the branding exercise so far is to help you connect with this audience. Therefore, identifying who your customers are is an essential part of the process.

For fashion brands, consumer personas are a lifesaver because they accurately tell you whom you need to target and who you can avoid. For example, Forever 21 is a brand that is clearly aimed at the young shopper. Everything from their name to the store layout and sizing makes this clear. As a new brand, you may be unwilling to take the risk of alienating some prospects. However, doing the consumer persona exercise will tell you if your approach is foolproof or has flaws in it.

Like branding, a consumer persona exercise is best done in the company of an expert brand and marketing consultant. Today, there is both the scope and the need to go beyond the demographic data and look at psychographics- the thought attributes that influence buying behavior. This is particularly relevant in the case of fashion brands that have more than one collection aimed at different target markets.

The source of such information can be anything from market research, surveys and a soft launch to studying competitors and their traffic patterns to identify an overlap.

4. The Suppliers: For any design to translate into reality, you need suppliers and manufacturers. From the base material to the embellishments and until someone to put it together, it is your vision that needs to come through clearly.

On the supplier end, the networks are often very strong. Most supplier businesses work through recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing. They may have a basic presence on the internet but that may not always be accurate.

One way to find manufacturers and suppliers is to use listing directories like Yellow Pages, Merchant Circle, Yelp, Justdial and the like. Cold call them, meet them and see if their levels of efficiency match your vision. A better way is to ask friends in the industry for vendors they trust.

When evaluating someone for fabric sourcing, always ask where they get their material from and cross-verify this information. Ensure that you ask for customer references and speak to these people, so you know what to expect in the areas of delivery, timelines and quality. Think through the option of bringing a startup fashion expert on board to help provide such recommendations and to tell you what other aspects you’d need to negotiate on.  

5. The Sales Channel: The moment you think of setting up a fashion business, you probably already have an idea of which sales channel(s) you would like to utilize. In any case, once all of the other blocks are in place, spend the time to evaluate that choice.

Particularly, are your customers more likely to buy in-store or online? Would they prefer, instead, to browse in a physical location and then buy online? Such questions help you decide if you need to open more stores/ sales channels than you had initially planned for. It is always better to do it right the very first time.

In the second part of this article, we plunge right into marketing, and accounting best practices. In the meantime, what other advice do you think you’d need before starting a fashion brand? Tell us in the comments so we can address these issues.

Don’t forget to sign-up for our newsletter that brings all that’s fashion design and more, right to you!

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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The New Colour On The Block: Decoding Living Coral For Everyday Application

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brief history of pantone coty, color palette, color trends, fashion blogging, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion startup, freelance fashion designer, inspiration, Living coral pantone color of the year 2019, pantone color of the year, pantone colors, Pantone COTY 2019 living coral, pantone living coral, Pantone Living Coral 16-1546

When in doubt, always be childlike.

That statement sums up our collective need to get away from the complicated and embrace life’s little joys. And what better color to sum that feeling up than Living Coral? Pantone’s color of the year for 2019 is remarkable as it is mellow, and it makes a statement because of its simplicity.

Indeed, there’s never been a better time than now to think about all the coral reefs that we’re collectively bleaching, because we simply cannot seem to stop polluting our seas.

The connotations and interpretations aside, Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s vice president has this to say, “It is a color we see in nature, lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem.” You’ve heard it from the color experts!

The minute we saw the color on our screens, the first thought that came to us was Fjallraven. After all, who can make the world’s most desirable schoolbags except for a Swedish company with a psychedelic color streak? And luckily for us, they don’t disappoint- the Kanken bags are now available in Living Coral for anyone looking to add to their bag collection.

Bringing Home The Living Coral

 When you compare it with last year’s ultraviolet, Living Coral is a quiet, well-behaved sibling. We live in an era of being bombarded with information, and we want nothing more than a #throwback to the earlier times when gadgets were non-existent, as was the concept of a voice assistant or AR powered dressing rooms.

Maybe that’s precisely why so many different industries are taking to the color like never before! Surely, one would think twice about painting their walls a vivid purple, but a mild orange? That could definitely go on a concept wall.

From a fashion design perspective, Living Coral has the distinct advantage of being adaptable across several different textiles and forms. It adapts as beautifully to upholstery as it does to light chiffon, making it our favorite color for the year.

In clothing and accessories, the color has definite advantages- it makes for excellent shoes as well as outerwear. A Living Coral jacket is just what one needs to keep the coming winter’s blues away (Winter Is Coming, again and again). We’re also looking at Living Coral jackets that are sure to appeal even to people who traditionally prefer the blacks and the blues. It is just one of those shades that everyone loves to look at!

Not just clothing, even makeup has found a place for living coral. Nail enamel is the obvious choice, but creative makeup artists have also figured out uses for it as eye makeup and even lipstick.

Here at Fuel4Fashion, we’re all about adaptations. The color lends itself exceptionally well to some of this year’s most significant trends- streetwear, urban prairie, and even the not-so-obvious plaid trend. Plaids in Living Coral? A big ‘yes’ from us.

A New Color Trend Is Born 

If we told you that every fashion trend is born about four years before it becomes mainstream, would you believe us? Yet, that’s precisely how it works! The Color Council in Paris is where every new color trend begins. What’s more, each color trend is a compilation of colors across the spectrum and never just one shade.

Yarn manufacturers then take over and create samples that fashion houses pick up and showcase on the runway. That’s when these colours and patterns come to the notice of fashion editors, who popularize them further. From the runway, the colors are picked up by other fashion labels and marketed under the specific trend label.

By the time Pantone picks the Color Of The Year, the trends around it have been spinning around for a while. However, Pantone’s declaration is almost like validation, because it brings the color into mainstream use.

Thanks to a connected world, today, everyone has enough information about the products they are interested in. (Well, how else did we pick up on the Fjallraven bag?) This, coupled with trends reports, often sets the stage for wider adaptation.  This is a bit like seeing trends on Pinterest and soon finding them in every outlet you visit. The people regulate the popularity of a trend.

And thus, a trend is born.

In what ways are you adapting Living Coral into your collections? Have you spotted some unusual and exciting adaptations on the internet? Share with us in the comments.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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A Circle Of Colors: How The Pantone Color Of The Year Trend Started

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brief history of pantone coty, color palette, color trends, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion startup, freelance fashion designer, inspiration, Living coral pantone color of the year 2019, pantone color of the year, pantone colors, Pantone COTY 2019 living coral

Some trends are such path-breaking ones that it can often seem like they are traditions. When we think of Pantone’s Color Of The Year, we often assume that it has just been around forever, maybe even since before the world wars.

However, Pantone has only been declaring the Color Of The Year for about twenty odd years now. However, we can track trends from further back- fifty years to be precise since the time Pantone was started.

Yes, the defining authority of color is only about fifty years old!

Interesting, isn’t it? Here’s a brief history of Pantone, trends over time, and how cyclical patterns help expand the seven colors of the rainbow into a plethora of hues and shades.

A Brief History Of Pantone’s COTY  

It all started with Cerulean in the year 2000. The very first Color Of The Year made as much of a splash as the very first one can be expected to make. However, what held Pantone in good stead on the years since is the fact that they comb every trend, every medium and every significant event in the year gone by to predict a color that best represents the future.

If you think this is abstract, think again. Since the times of early theatre, the use of color in costumes has been a way to represent a range of emotions. Red for anger, blue for sadness- we all remember these things!

So, it is not really a surprise that the current socioeconomic mood dictates what color we go after. What’s truly remarkable is the process itself.

The first step, of course, is observing what is already being picked up. People are the early indicators of trends shaping up. Then, color experts look at trends across industries and consumer products, evaluating everything from lipsticks and bags to cars and wall paints. Lastly, there’s the process of defining the shades and applications.

Indeed, it also helps that Pantone is an authority on the subject, so the fashion industry follows suit, and we begin to see these colors both on and off the runway.

A Cyclical Affair  

Perhaps because trends are wont to reappear, or maybe because we only have so many colors at the end of the day, we often notice patterns over time in how the colors make a comeback albeit in different shades. In 2000, the world was upbeat and the new millennium had just dawned- and Cerulean Blue represented hope and ‘looking up into the sky.’

However, come 2002, and the world had not recovered from the shock of the 9/11 attacks, thus giving way to True Red, the color of compassion and love.

But in 2003, blue was back again as Aqua Sky- a reflection of contemplation and serenity. This also inched closer to the very first COTY by several degrees. We see this trend continuing in 2005 with Blue Turquoise and again in 2008 with Blue Iris. That the preceding years were often marked by significant transformations is no coincidence- 2002 marked the beginning of the US war on Afghanistan, while 2007 was the year when having the first African American President became a possibility. In other words, blue is the color of calm and balance in a changing world.

We see this with other Pantone colors over the year as well.

Shades of orange and brown have often been chosen as statement-makers, and this year’s living coral is a great example of understated exuberance if such a thing can even be said to exist. Before Living Coral came Marsala in 2015, and Tangerine Tango in 2012. We’re really curious about the last one though- was Tangerine Tango supposed to be the last hurrah before the world was supposed to end. (Yes, that does seem like a long time ago, doesn’t it? Instead of the world’s end, what we got was a doomsday prophecy and a lousy movie, but we digress.) Colors on the orange spectrum often represent earthiness with a hint of OTT. Warm, welcoming, assertive- everything that today’s millennial is striving, sometimes struggling to be.

In the next article in this series, we’ll be talking about Living Coral and what it means in fashion. But before that, what is your favorite Pantone COTY? Tell us in the comments!

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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The Fashion Business Epiphanies We Garnered From New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019

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brand consultant, fashion brand, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion labels, fashion startup, Fuel4Fashion, Mara Hoffman, Marc Jacobs, Naeem Khan, New York fashion week, NYFW, Prabal Gurung, Ready to wear, Rebecca Minkoff, RTW, Tadashi Shoji

The recently concluded edition of the New York Fashion Week held not so many design surprises as it did business lessons. It is only natural, then, that we wanted to do a feature right away!

Fashion is a form of expression- there’s a reason why people buy so loyally from the brands they love. This applies to all strata of the fashion society. People love their labels as much as they enjoy the ease and comfort of label-less, brand-less clothing. And that’s what NYFW was all about- shunning the label in favor of the individual.

Here, we deconstruct eight ideas from NYFW SS’19 that are worth exploring in your own fashion business.

1. The Return Of The Self: Colors to make you feel better, shapes and silhouettes to help you feel safe- clothing is now about your mood. You may remember from one of our earlier features that color is a huge determinant of how we feel and how we express this to the world outside. A similar idea was extensively visible in the designs of Prada and Givenchy.

2. Landmark Collections: Ralph Lauren turns fifty. Fifty years of bringing enhanced sports fashion to mainstream shows. Emotions ran high at NYFW, but what we took away is the message that sportswear is becoming the new casual wear. Looks that respect this notion will go very far.

3. Tailoring Done Differently: Was it only yesterday that form and fit were the fashion buzzwords to look out for? Well, both form and fit are on holiday at NYFW, and the focus is instead on comfort and function. Not surprising, considering the urban commuter who moves around so much, and people’s general lack of interest in buying pieces that only ever sit in the wardrobe.

4. Feminine Goes Fierce: This year, even the more conventionally minded designers shifted their focus to clothing that made a stronger statement. Case in point- Brock Collection. Their collection is so much more refined and represents strength, inside and out.

5. Subtlety Over Statement: While everyone is busy making a statement, The Row toned it down. This is a potent message for fashion houses designing their collections right about now. Sometimes, in a world that is screaming statements, not making any statement at all may just be the most powerful way to go about anything.

6. Nostalgia: Perhaps the harshness of the world we live in today, with its myriad issues and its elected leaders, is making us fond of the services, army, and even the eighties! Junya Watanabe and Isabel Marant both took this nostalgia and channeled it into something beautiful.

7. Beyond Visual: The tink-tink of Paco Rabanne’s dress collection proved, yet again, that there’s no end to innovation in fashion. Auditory stimuli aren’t the first thing you’d associate with a dress, but they need not be the last either. We’re not rooting for squeaky shoes and hopefully, haven’t descended to dresses that play songs, but as long as the sound is pleasant to hear, why not!

8. The Return Of The Unisex: There’s no way to know how much of it is because of a movement, and how much merely a factor of comfort, but clothing collections are no longer split along gender lines. Case in point- all of the designers who exhibited their collections for men and women at the same time, on the same stage. Come to think of it, why doesn’t love a multipurpose piece?

The looks we loved from New York Fashion Week SS’19: 

1. Mara Hoffman: We love a designer with a voice, and what a statement voice she has! We love her easy whites, stand-out silhouettes and statement florals.

2. Marc Jacobs: elegance never goes out to style, and neither do high collars and breezy cuts suggestive of the elite. Culottes can be statement pieces too, if you know how to stitch them.

3. Naeem Khan: contemporary has never been this classic. Spaghetti dresses and high collars meet more modern ideas of prints and embellishments in this highly versatile collection.

4. Prabal Gurung: did we say pops of colour? Prada is not left alone on that count, what with Prabal Gurung joining in. We love the bright shades sure to make any day better.

5. Rebecca Minkoff’s collection is perfect for a statement workwear.

6. Tadashi Shoji: a master of the feminine, if there was one. Also one of the few collections we spotted this season with animal prints. They’re not going out of style anytime soon.

Which of these ideas will you use as inspiration for your next collection? Tell us in the comments.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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A Toast To The Best Formal and Semi-Formal Styles We Spotted At Lakme India Fashion Week

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Amit agarwal, brand consultancy, design studio, fabrics, fashion brands, fashion designers, fashion labels, fashion show, fashion startup, Fashion Week, formal wear, formal wear and evening wear, freelance fashion designer, garments, Kunal Rawal, Lakme India Fashion Week, runway fashion, Saaksha and Kinni, sheer fabrics, silhouettes, styles, styles and trends

If you’re a fashion aficionado, an aspiring designer or a follower of celebrities, your timeline was probably flooded with images from Lakme India Fashion Week that concluded just a few days ago.  We know because we’ve been digging some of these styles, too.

Here at Fuel4Fashion, we’re huge believers in practicality. Some of the most stunning styles on-ramp often fade away from existence entirely. Some others look great on models but probably not so much on real people in real situations, minus the flashbulbs. That said, three designers absolutely stood out for us and showcased designs that can be adapted into wardrobes.

Take notes, fashion entrepreneurs- your customers will be asking for these styles very, very soon.

1. Saaksha and Kinni

Perhaps the clearest example of a designer’s clarity of thought comes through in this designer duo’s collection for Lakme India Fashion Week this time around. Prints are a very urbane expression of the self- in fact, think back to your ancestry, and you’d be sure to remember one print or one weave that everyone spoke about.

Interpretations of Ikat and Pochampally in 8-bit game pixels is a genius move, we think.

Also, everyone needs space, people!

Flowy fabrics are in, especially for formal wear. In a tropical country like India, and for the sake of comfort the world over, people are seeing the virtue in abandoning the sharp suit for more statement pieces. Think blouses with bell sleeves and prints, printed formal pants with plain shirts, and jackets in a variety of cuts and styles. We’d go so far as to say that you should think of one statement accessory in the collection to lift up all the Boring formal wear that all of us inadvertently own. Excited yet? Thanks, Saaksha and Kinni!

2. Kunal Rawal

We love Kunal Rawal’s collection because it comes as a breath of fresh air in the parched men’s formalwear section this Fashion Week. It’s still super cool to wear formal-ish suits and all-black this festive season too, guys!

Also, come to think of out, wardrobes should always be function over fancy, and while it’s nice to have the flower-embroidered jackets, we all need evergreen pieces that can be adapted to a variety of occasions.

And that is precisely what this collection brings to the ramp, and to wardrobes. We highly recommend including some earthy hues in the formal menswear collections this time. They add a nice touch to an array of blues and blacks.

We also like the idea of using self-designed motifs on pants and jackets for an extra layer of detail. Dinner jackets in shades of orange and burnt umber, details on trousers, and brogues with extra motifs at the toe cap- all recommended.

Did we mention athleisure? A wholly tailored suit with pants that mimic tracks are in right now, and this is a trend you can adapt for both genders with relative ease.

3. Amit Aggarwal

Bringing some much-needed sass to women’s evening wear is Amit Aggarwal. We particularly love his silhouettes because of the sheer global appeal of those gowns. Here’s a cocktail dress that one could pull of absolutely anywhere in the world.

Shades of grey and bronze, a dress separated into coordinates, African culture inspired gowns- is there any better way to go global? Also, grey is a color that is kind to all skin tones, and in all climates, so that’s an added plus too. Think cocktail dresses with one central motif, and add in geometric details.

Another way to adapt Amit Aggarwal’s collection into your stores, apart from the gowns, is to design peplum tops in metallics, tailored pants and thinking of bow pants a la Emma Watson.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Bootstrapping Your Fashion Business? Let These Seven Tools Help You

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bootstrapping fashion business, business tools, fashion, fashion biz, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion business owner, fashion entrepreneur, fashion label, fashion software, fashion startup, fashion tech tools, fashion tool, successful fashion business

Choosing to start a business of any kind with no external funding can be a daunting task. If you’ve chosen this path, well, bravo! We’re here to help you succeed. And in today’s work environment, we know that success is directly proportional to the degree of automation we can create.

Here are seven tools that our team uses and approves for running a successful fashion business.

1. Pixlr: Pixlr is a photo editor for those with minimal photo editing skills. Pixlr’s advertised USP is that it has over two million free combinations to try out and it doesn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for something beyond a photo editor and need a tool that can help with design, look no further than Pixlr. A host of icons, illustrations, and base templates almost ensure that you always find something that you need.

2. Pexels: We all know that stock images are costly, and while we may splurge on them for branding, a free photo or two ensure that your campaigns are not held up for want of a beautiful image. This is where Pexels comes in with a host of stock free images that are easy to find with the right keyword. Another tool you can try is PixaBay.

3. AwesomeScreenshot for Chrome: Those who use a Mac probably don’t need a screenshot tool because a keyboard shortcut and the Preview app are quite sufficient. For everyone else, there’s AwesomeScreenshot. This Chrome extension allows you to take screenshots of virtually anything on the browser and even provides cool editing features.

4. Calendly: As a businessperson, you will now be meeting and interacting with a lot of people. You want to ensure that you don’t miss an appointment and that you’re adequately prepared for each one. This is where Calendly helps. Just send a link to the people you’ll be interacting with and schedule them into a time slot. Gather their email address and phone number, and call them proactively. Another handy way to use Calendly is to incorporate the link into your email campaigns.

5. Google Drive: A paid cloud subscription is almost irreplaceable now that you’ll be gathering a lot of raw data. Sign up for one of Drive’s paid plans and store all of your data safely, prevent losses and share what you need to easily.

6. Noisli: It’s okay to admit that our days are often filled with distractions. The Noisli app is just what you need to put a hard stop to these distractions and do your best work. What better way to do it than with music and white noise? Still, have doubts? Give it a try- you will not be disappointed.

7. Zoho One: Many entrepreneurs call Zoho One their own personal assistant. And why not? With over forty app integrations that work seamlessly with each other, it covers the whole gamut from sales and productivity to finance, and people management. And the price will really, really surprise you.

Which of these tools would you like to try for your business? Also, have you taken a look at our article on Design Tools for your business yet?

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Why You Need A Business Plan For Your Fashion Business

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brand consultant, Business goals, business plan, cashflow management, emerging fashion brands, fashion biz, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneur, fashion startup, inventory management

 Many people falsely assume that a business plan is only for those businesses that want to raise funding or make an investor pitch. There’s no easy way to say this- the first person who needs a business plan, and will most likely use it extensively, is you!

As the adage goes, ‘failing to plan is planning to fail.’ So, a business plan is not just a spruced-up, fancy document that you rarely take out. It helps you determine exactly how you run your business, right from using your cash well to managing inventory.

Mind mapping ideas before creating a business plan

Here are some goals, apart from being an investor document, that a business plan serves.

1. A Communication Tool For Your Team: A business plan is a great way to show your team precisely what each person needs to do to achieve a very defined set of goals. Without a plan, most people don’t know where they’re heading. Worse, you’ll end up paying all of your resources without grasping why you aren’t getting any results. So, use a business plan to communicate your ideas to your team.  

2. A Ready-reckoner Of Goals: Having a business plan means putting down goals and objectives in as granular a manner as possible. You can always go back to your plan and review if you’re meeting goals. If not, the plan serves as a guide to see what went wrong- was it your strategy, or was it execution?  

3. A Flexible Calendar: One thing that all businesses, and young business, in particular, should remember is that no plan is set in stone. A business plan serves as a guide and allows you enough leeway to make adjustments based on the market from time to time. This is one key reason why a structure is essential. It is always good to make changes to a base template than to throw ideas around and let them stay amorphous.

4. A Guide To Inventory: In the first year of your business, when you have no past sales data to fall back on, a business plan serves as a projection tool to decide how much inventory you need. As you know, holding too much stock can block up your working capital, and having too little can cost you a sale. Projections obtained from a business plan are an excellent way to assess just how much inventory you need.

5. Cash Flow Management: Retail businesses need cash to procure inventory, to sell and to keep up sales channels, as well as to pay employees. In fact, a continuous supply of liquid money can decide how far you go into retail. Having a sound business plan helps you decide which months/years involve more spending so you can cut down on other costs proportionately. Likewise, a plan also enables you to determine how much of your profits should go back into the business, and under which head.

What does a good business plan involve? Broadly, it contains your executive summary, your vision and objectives, market potential and implementation plan over both the short and long runs.

As you can see, the headings in themselves are simple enough. However, filling them up with workable solutions is the real challenge. Most of the new fashion brands either turn to mentors or consultants to help give a proper shape to the plan. If you already have experience working in the fashion industry, consider seeking help in those areas that you are not yet entirely comfortable with.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Five Branding Secrets for A Fashion Startup That Is Poised To Succeed

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brand color, brand identity, brand story, brand value, branding, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion designer, fashion industry, fashion labels, fashion startup, Fuel4Fashion, inspiration, logo, startup fashion brand, startup fashion label, value propositions

 In any business, branding establishes the core identity that guides companies in making choices and sells the product or service. Often, businesses fall back on their brand values to make crucial decisions about their operations.

However, nowhere else is branding as relevant as it is in fashion. This is because simply put, your brand is an expression of what you stand for, which in turn is a form of expression for the many hundreds of people who will be buying, and wearing, your clothes.

Quick question: If someone were to cover up your brand’s name and just show the logo, how many people would be able to identify it?

Sounds silly, but this is how houses such as Louis Vuitton or even aggregators like Myntra have made their mark in the world of fashion. Without further ado, here are five branding secrets that will set you on the path to sure brand success.

Selecting a perfect brand name and logo for your fashion brand

1. It is more than the logo. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In fact, logo design is the very last bit of an exercise that often takes days to complete. A good branding agency fleshes out everything about your business and then designs collaterals based on that information. Compare this to creating a logo first and then finding an explanation for it. See the problem?

2. Start small. It is an excellent idea to have a grand vision. However, all grand visions start with a humble beginning, and that applies to branding as well. You do not need multiple standees, name boards, coffee mugs and backpacks right away. Indeed, producing these items can get quite expensive. Instead, consider what you need to get started- what the consumer will see. Then, expand with time.

3. Be consistent. Do you have multiple different cover images and logo patterns for various social media accounts? We probably don’t need to tell you that that is a bad idea. In the beginning, you want nothing more than consistency. Consistency is what builds recall.

4. Your branding is not your brand. Branding is an action, much like wearing clothes to an event. Branding in itself does not change your brand’s voice or purpose. Instead, it helps to bring out the finer details and accentuates that which you already do. Don’t ever think that your brand is limited to a style guide or a proposed Fifth Element. A person will always be more than the clothes they wear.

5. What’s your story? Every good brand has a story. And not just any story, but one that’s worth investing in. Remember, everyone who interacts with you is paying you in more than currency- they’re spending their time. You need to give them a compelling reason to do so. Chumbak’s story is creating souvenirs that are distinctly Indian. Wearable eccentricity is The Quirk Box’s brand story. You can see why it might resonate with travelers, and millennial, respectively. What’s your story? Your brand name often finds resonance with your brand story.

At this point, you’re probably wondering how you should go about the daunting task of telling your brand’s story.

Experts in the industry agree that even before you start selling, you as a fashion label must have a strong brand presence.

So don’t buy swatches with your first startup sixpence, but the story of your ‘why.’

Fuel4Fashion now offers branding solutions for fashion startups. For a consultation on the way forward, please write to me at supriya@fuel4fashion.com

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Women’s Workwear Trends in India: The Demand For Better Formals Is Here!

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Allen Solly, apparel, brand consultant, design collection, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneur, fashion startup, formal jackets, formal shirts, formal wear, Fuel4Fashion, Indianfashion, Park Avenue, Van Heusen, womensfashion, workwear

Until very recently, a few niche brands in the Indian market such as Allen Solly, Van Heusen, and Park Avenue have been the go-to options for picking western formalwear. Collections usually range from formal pants and skirts to jackets and shirts.

However, for the more discerning Indian woman, the choices in western formalwear were limited, to say the least. Even though aggregators like Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle began offering their in-house western formal collections, they have rarely been adventurous with their choice of clothing.

Today, the work culture around the world has changed, and India is no exception. Depending on the role they play, the local weather, the degree of comfort required and even how much they travel, women are choosing to dress in a variety of different clothes. Let’s look at the evolution of formal western wear for women here and save the discussion on Indian Ethnic Workwear for a separate article.

Here are some styles that have caught our eye.

1. The Shirt with A Twist: Gone are the days of boring formal shirts, whose best feature was often a ruffle or two around the button line. Today, shirts with lace trims, flowy sleeves and a relaxed vibe are in. Brands building a woman’s formal collection must now keep in mind the fact that many women prefer a relaxed fit, and limit a snug fit blouse to suits only. (Philip Lim, Image Source: Vogue)

The Shirt with A Twist

 

2. Statement Pants: Including that quintessential black trouser in your collection? Well, redesign it, or drop it, because no one is doing quintessentially with pants anymore. Wide-leg trousers are making a comeback and culottes are completely acceptable as formalwear. Think in-prints like floral and gingham. Today’s Indian woman knows how to blend comfort with a statement. (Chloe, Image Source: Vogue)

Statement Pants

 

3. A Midi Skirt: And we’re not talking about the pencil skirts with a slit anymore. Very few women, if any, prefer sitting through endless hours of meetings and calls in skirts that ride up and down on a whim. Instead, an A-line skirt that falls just around the knees is the preferred piece. As always, embellish. (Chicwish, Image Source: Chicwish)

A Midi Skirt

 

4. The New Formal Dress: Black isn’t the only formal tone anymore. In Indian summers, it would be anyone’s worst nightmare to have to step out in something black. Instead, keeping our tropical sensibilities in mind, the formal dress has evolved to be a flowy garment with one fitted element to bring it all together. (AND by Anita Dongre, Image Source: AND)

The New Formal Dress

 

5. Blazer 2.0: What does it take to brighten up the existing wardrobe? A new jacket, of course! Most cities in India barely inspire suiting up. However, some cities like Delhi are known to have harsh winters while Bangalore is known for its year-round need for jackets. Brands like H&M are beginning to evolve to meet this very need, and you’d do well to rethink what a jacket should be. (H&M, Image Source: Vogue)

Blazer 2.0

 

6. The Indian-Western Piece: This could be anything from Ikat culottes to a long line Kalamkari formal dress. India has a rich heritage of looms and fusion brands such as Bombay Paisley are tapping into the growing demand for clothes that let you breathe, and also look stylish and elegant at work. Incorporate a few of these elements into your designs, giving first priority to comfort. (Bombay Paisley, Image Source: Tatacliq)

The Indian-Western Piece

What other pieces do you think would make a splash on the western formalwear scene? Tell us in the comments below.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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