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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The Stages Of The Fashion Branding Process That Decide Your Brand’s Position

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brand colors, brand identity, brand style, branding, corporate kit, fashion, fashion brand, Fashion Branding, Fashion Business, fashion designer, Fuel4Fashion, logo, logo designing, style guide, visual elements

In the world of branding, the terms used to refer to different processes can be confusing and frustratingly similar. So, before we discuss the stages of fashion branding, let’s get the jargon out of the way.

Branding is the umbrella term that refers to the process of coming to a consensus on a brands style, design, and purpose. In a way, branding is a verb, an action item. Brand identity design is the actual use of all of these conclusions to design the logo, decide the type, etc. A brand style is all of these elements like logos and packaging put into action across media, and a style guide or a brand guide is your one-stop reference point for all of these attributes.

Now that that’s understood let us look at the six key stages of the fashion branding process.

1. Who Is Your Business? The ‘who’ is important, because every fashion business represents a distinct personality. Many people confuse this with, “who are you?” and quick ironically end up transferring their own personality to their brands. Branding professionals spend most of their time digging out this aspect- workshops, questionnaires, interviews are all a part of this process. This is also the stage where you define how your fashion brand’s personality aligns with business goals. For example, a house of fashion always puts quality over numbers.

2. Where Is Your Market? In the second stage of the process, you need to understand if your business goals align with who you think your audience is. And for that to happen, you need to know your audience. Market research can be conducted through surveys, interviews with real people, designing consumer personas, etc. Your brand’s design eventually needs to appeal to these people.

3. Designing The Logo. Most branding agencies design the logo before moving on to other visual elements. This is because your fashion brand’s logo has the highest recall value among your audience. A lot of thought, therefore, needs to go into it. Quick example: Think Forest Essentials, Nike, Good Earth. Surely, the logo popped into your mind with no effort involved.

4. Designing The Visual Elements. Using the insights from steps one and two, and using the logo as inspiration, the visual elements are born. For example, think Zara. The typography used to represent the brand is recognizable in almost every language. Likewise, every fashion brand has elements other than the logo, such as what goes on a shopping bag, that help reinforce the brand’s image.

5. The Corporate Kit. Once all these elements are in place, they still need to make sense to a designer, or a production manager. Most branding agencies also help with designing the visiting cards, letterheads, bags, boxes, etc. to depict how the branding elements must be used across different elements. Needless to say, this is also the aspect that most clients look forward to seeing.

6. The Style Guide. This is like the bible of a fashion company’s branding exercise. A style guide is often a very comprehensive document, developed to serve as a future reference. Some branding agencies may pass on the mantle of advertising after a while. In such a case, the style guide helps all stakeholders use all of this material correctly.

As you can see, the first two stages of the branding process can seem like a black box to those just beginning to contemplate branding for their business. This is also why experts come into the picture at these stages- because a keen understanding of the industry and prior experience with niche branding always helps you come to more accurate conclusions.

Overwhelmed? Why not take a look at this article we did on branding secrets to know what you need to, and need not, do?

And as far as branding your fashion business goes, you’re in good hands because

a) We’re fashion branding experts, and can help you make the process seamless. Get in touch at supriya@fuel4fashion.com for a consultation.

b) We’re dedicating the entire month to discussing all things branding and style. So, do drop in your questions, subscribe to the blog, and sign up for our newsletter (businesses, here and students, here) to learn more.

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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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Cracking The Social Media Code For Fashion Startups

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fashion designer, fashion, Fuel4Fashion, fashion brands, fashion marketing, Fashion Business, fashion labels, social media planning, instagram follower, social media for fashion brands, fashion consultant, brand consultant, fashion entrepreneur

Being in the fashion space is no small endeavor. Apart from the actual design and production, you also need to focus on building your brand, gaining visibility and reaching the right target consumer. It is not enough to simply be present on social media channels and post regularly- instead, you need to find a way to reach your consumer’s headspace and stay there.

We’ll address the whole gamut of content, email and digital marketing for fashion in a separate article. Today, let’s discuss the world’s most valuable rented property- social media.

Brands and consumers alike flock to social media because of its broad outreach. Brands feel that this platform takes them to many more people, much like being on a stage and announcing that you are there. Consumers too subconsciously resort to social media for information, awareness, choices, and relevance.

Social Media for Fashion

Before we delve into the five essential aspects of social media for fashion brands, let us do a quick recap of what a brand means. Why do you wear sneakers with a swoosh mark on them? How do you recognize a McDonald’s in a foreign country?

Now, that’s what a brand aims to be- the most popular personality on the planet, so much so that it is recognized everywhere. That’s the brand you are trying to build.

With this big goal in mind, here’s what to do with your social media.

1. Have A Voice: Like a person, a brand believes in certain values, and communicates them in a certain way, either through language or through cues. For example, Victoria’s Secret embodies the idea of the ethereal woman, while Zara is for the generation that moves fast. Likewise, what does your brand stand for? It is worth speaking to a branding agency about this aspect before beginning your social media effort. All your communication should then speak to these values.

2. Choose The Channels: Not all brands need to be present on all channels. Many businesses start off on multiple channels only to be swamped by endless content calendars. Choose two channels and choose them well. If you sell B2B, you probably don’t need Facebook as much as you need LinkedIn, even as a fashion brand.

3. Attract The Right Users: How do you bring people to your pages? Step 1: Send invite links to all of your friends and family. Then, invite them again until they join. Step 2: Advertise. Spend some money and do your ad targeting right. Put out ads that the right people see. Talk to your primary customer personas. Step 3: Close the funnel. Once people see your ad, you want them to like your page. Include the relevant call-to-action within your ads. Step 4: Moderate your page for unwanted posts and comments.

4. Follow A Calendar: Today, almost all social media channels give you access to analytics. You can see how well your posts perform and track when your users are more active. Do more of what the audience likes. You may be a great opera singer, but on-stage, if your current audience wants instrumental, that’s what you deliver. Experiment with various content forms and choose those that work for you. Most importantly, follow a routine and do them consistently.

5. Convert The Customer: There is a good saying in the world of business- visibility does not dinner buy. You don’t want 10,000 followers on Instagram and zero sales on your site. Lead people to your web/ retail outlet and give them a reason to close the loop. For every post, consider what purpose you want it to serve, and check if that purpose has indeed been served. Email marketing is an excellent next step after social media to convert a slow-moving funnel.

What challenges are you facing with your social media?

Or, do you have a success story to share? 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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Designing A Collection: Circumventing The Problems That Don’t Come Calling

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#fashiondesigner, #Fashionentrepreneur, #fashionlabel, #fashionstartup, #FreelanceFashionDesigner, brandconsultant, fashion, fashionbrand, Fashionbusiness, fashioncollection, fashionconsultant, Fuel4Fashion, garments, mannequins, patterns, production, sizerange, techpacks

In the manufacturing industry, and any other industry involving a physical product, it is a well-known fact that not everything always goes to plan. Even the smallest oversight can result in the wrong product being bulk produced.

In the world of fashion, such an aberration can mean that the entire collection is ruined. No consumer would tell the store representative that a particular piece of clothing didn’t fit them to perfection. As a result, your chances of making the same mistake over and over again are very high as well.

Today, we discuss two such cases where the tiniest problem resulted in some rather significant outcomes, and how Fuel4Fashion helped fix them.

Case 1: The Case of the Incomplete Tech Pack

In an earlier article, we discussed the importance of being thorough with your tech pack. After all, this material serves as the basis of every garment you design and every brief you send to the manufacturer.

In a couple of instances, hiring an inexperienced fashion designer has caused companies to falter along the way. In this particular case, their designer of choice had no experience in delegating work to different teams and had never worked on an actual tech pack before. As a result, the information sent out to the manufacturer was incomplete and fraught with errors.

The result? Over 60% of the proto samples came out wrong. Immense amounts of time and money were wasted in trying to correct the problem at each stage, only to realize that the problem resided in the tech pack.

Fuel4Fashion entered the scene at this juncture and redid the tech packs from scratch, as well as delivering them in record time to help the client get ready for the season’s launch.

The business lesson: If there’s a gap in sampling, always look at the tech pack first. Many problems could be lurking there.

Case 2: Shape Challenges

One of our clients had been getting a lot of complaints from their consumers. The owners of the women’s fashion brand were dealing with issues ranging from incorrect waist size to very tight armholes.

This was a strange conundrum because a recommended size almost always fits the end consumer, and even when it doesn’t the problem lies in a single area. Since we were creating the tech packs and had taken complete ownership of design, we went through all of the material created once more but found no flaws there.

It took a while for us to figure out that the client was testing the proto samples on live models, adjusting according to their measurements and sending the altered samples into production. Hence, as opposed to standard sizes, the end product was being manufactured in the size of three very specific models.

As a result, the clothes wouldn’t fit anyone else who wasn’t the exact same measure as the three models.

The business lesson: Use a mannequin! They come in standard sizes which comply with the rules of standard garment sizing. By using a mannequin, you can be sure of the end result. Even models have a specific body type, and that doesn’t always sit well with the end consumer.

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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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Designing A Spring Summer Collection For 2019: The Loopholes You Need To Avoid

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#fashiondesigner, #Fashionentrepreneur, #fashionlabel, #FreelanceFashionDesigner, brandconsultant, bulk, colormatching, fashion, fashionbiz, fashionbrand, Fashionbusiness, fashioncollection, fashionconsultant, Fuel4Fashion, garments, production, SS19

Having ideas is just the beginning of the fashion journey. We firmly believe that fashion is one of those industries where there is infinite scope to ideate and design, but as a business, there are certain limitations on time and budgets. If you are a fashion label that isn’t planning for SS ’19 yet, there’s no better time than now to start.

A little over a year may seem like a long time, but in over six years of running Fuel4Fashion, we have noticed that clients struggle with unforeseen circumstances more often than not. In this article, we address some of these errors in planning and how they can be corrected well in time for you to have a smooth, seamless Spring Summer collection launch come 2019.

1) Designing For The Brand: The creative process is fraught with loopholes, the biggest of which is believing that the market will invariably like what we design. One of our clients approached the design process from the ‘brand-first’ perspective. As a result, the team’s personal preferences were accounted for, but they did not accurately reflect what the end consumer was looking for.

• The Fix: There’s a lesson in marketing for all businesspeople here. Always, always seek out and gather consumer insights. Even your next-door neighbor may have clothing preferences that do not match your own. Interview your target audience extensively, look for forecast reports and then add a bit of yourself into each of these saleable elements. For more design inspiration, take a look at our active wear recommendations for Spring Summer 2019.

2) Spending Too Much Time On One Aspect: Quick decision-making is a virtue and one that a fashion business owner would do well to develop early on. Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in the nuances, which is just what happened with one of our clients. They had spent so much time in sourcing the right cloth that they missed the launch window entirely and spilled over into the next season. However, by then, their designs weren’t relevant anymore.

• The Fix: Unfortunately, this is an error that is best prevented before it is made. If you do end up pushing production too close to the window, the best thing you can do is go aggressive on sales. In the context of SS’19, trend reports are already available with consultants. Get in touch with an expert to understand the nuances of designing for an audience well over a year down the line. Most importantly, begin immediately.

3) Moving Too Fast: “Weren’t you just asking us to hustle a little while ago?” you may ask. Sometimes, going too fast can also cause considerable grief later, as witnessed by a client. The intent was right- they didn’t want to hold up the fabric dyeing process, and therefore chose to match the lab dips with a scanned copy of the fabric as opposed to the fabric itself. Lesson learnt- fashion is all about attention to detail. After a lot of money was spent and bulk fabric wasted, they realized that a small error led to huge consequences.

• The Fix: Once errors have been made in bulk, there is very little you can do to correct them without spending anything extra. If you do end up in a similar situation, you can either make the most of what you have or spend again and get the details right. A decision in this regard is dependent on your unique business considerations. On a broader level, rushing through any process always yields less than optimal results. Hence, it is better to begin early and work on every aspect industriously than to begin too late and do a rush job.

We reiterate- Spring Summer 2019 may seem like a year away, but time flies when you begin considering every aspect of fashion design and marketing. Get your team together and start right away. If you find that there are gaps in your business or design model that need to be fixed, don’t hesitate to speak with an industry expert and get their opinion before you begin.

 

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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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Mixing It Up

Tags

#fashionlabel, #fashionstartup, #fitness, #gym, #SkinnyChimp, Fuel4Fashion

How DJ Lady Bex went from DJ to winning UK’s online fashion store awards

Rebecca Goodchild aka DJ lady Bex

Rebecca Goodchild (or DJ Lady Bex as she is known professionally) is an international DJ who successfully launched her own fitness fashion label Skinny Chimp in 2013. Today, Skinny Chimp has made the transition from a niche start-up fashion label into a successful venture. Rebecca, who has been associated with Fuel4Fashion from the early stages of Skinny Chimp’s launch, tells us about her experiences as a rank outsider and entrepreneur in fashion.

Rebecca Goodchild

1) What made you get into a fashion brand?

Pure accident! It once happened that I found a top I loved but it didn’t fit me very well, so with the help of Fuel4fashion I had it redesigned for the perfect fit. Everyone who saw it loved it, kept asking for one, and my fashion business was born!

I have always assumed I wasn’t very fashionable as I never followed the latest trends – I prefer to wear whatever makes me feel comfortable. Now I realize I was helping set the trend, and suddenly I’ve become a designer with my own brand.

British troops sporting Skinny Chimp vests off-duty

2) What was the inspiration behind Skinny Chimp?

I have always been into fitness and I wanted to create a brand that wasn’t so serious. There are many fitness and fashion brands around the world but they all seem so serious, focused on performance, not fun.

On a serious note, Skinny Chimp was a bit of a gamble – I wanted to grow the brand as a credible fashion brand with a twist of humor. My main objective was to make people realize fitness can be enjoyable and approachable.

3) Without a fashion background you have managed to make Skinny Chimp a success. What were the crucial challenges that you faced in the process?

EVERYTHING !! Trial and error, every step of the way. I didn’t even know there were so many different shades of black! Now I know so much more and I’m still learning. I spent over a year searching for the perfect manufacturer, getting samples, finding the right people to help me do this. I was naive when I started out, thinking I could do this alone. I’ve learned a lot along the way – every good and bad experience has its share of learning, so long as you’re willing.

4) How did you overcome these challenges?

Getting help and learning as much as possible! I was lucky to find a few great people along the way, who were patient with me and helped me get over the early setbacks, and sticking with me even when times were tough. At the end of it all, you have to go through the grind, and there’s never a substitute for hard work.

Boy Band Blue seen sporting a Skinny Chimp vest

5) What has been the high point of the Skinny Chimp journey so far?

Seeing celebrities such as Peter Andre, Blue and Mr Universe wearing Skinny Chimp, winning best online fashion retailer 2014 in the Liverpool awards, seeing a celeb wear it on TV, magazine features and being asked to work with Dragons Den in their search to recruit a new Dragon using Skinny Chimp as the product pitch. I treasure all of them, and I know there are many more to come!

6) Why the name Skinny Chimp?

Everyone has an inner chimp – we all have that naughty side 🙂

Skinny – because the first vest was thin with skinny straps and chimps because they are my favorite animal – so full of fun and energy. So, Skinny Chimp! You might say the Skinny Chimp tribe is a family of strong smart animals who have fun and stay fit at the same time!

7) What are your future plans with Skinny Chimp?

A lot has been going on, and without revealing too much, let’s just say that I want to take it into the fashion industry as well as keeping it within the fitness industry. It’s a brand that can go down so many avenues. Spreading geographically is another option.

8) What advice would you like to give to the first time fashion entrepreneur?

Hold on tight. It’s a roller coaster – the downs are as often as the highs (but the highs are soooo good!). Its hard work and its 24/7 – you NEVER stop thinking.  Listen to ALL the advice you can get but don’t always take it. Follow your gut feeling and take risks. Be different and create your own success – don’t copy others. And find people who share your dream – you’ll never go wrong with them around!

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience. Twitter , Instagram , Pinterest

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Its all about the Plaids – Trend Alert 2015

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Buffalo plaid, Checkered pattern, fabric, fashion blog, freelance fashion designer, Fuel4Fashion, Gingum Checks, pattern, Plaids, Scotland tartan, tiretain, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

Plaids have a perennial charm in keeping men and women interested for years to have it as an essential part of their wardrobe. Plaid is a tartan pattern consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical bands in two or more colours in a woven cloth. The plaid design originated in woven wool clothes but now is made into all forms of materials.

Plaids have always been associated with Scotland because of the Scottish kilts worn by men in the 19th century and even now, during Scotland’s national festivals. The word ‘Tartan’ is derived from the French word tiretain which refers to a woven cloth. Tartan is often called as Plaid in North America; however, in Scotland plaid is a tartan cloth slung over the shoulder as a kilt accessory, or a plain ordinary blanket.   (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/LBTJ4l ,http://goo.gl/o0sse1 ,http://goo.gl/3LgEgM )

Until the middle of the 19^th century, highland tartans were only associated with regional places as the tartan designs were produced by the local weavers using natural dyes mainly for the local people.

As the tartan pattern entered the American market, it became to be known as ‘plaid’, which originated as the Buffalo plaid. The Buffalo plaid was the red and black checkered pattern that was notably seen as an outfit for lumber jacks.

Princes Diana was one of the style icons in the 1980s and her sense of style and elegance also included some of the plaid patterns that became a part of every women’s dream. Michelle Dockery and Gwen Stefani also flaunted their versions of plaid that made less seem more.  (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/qUb9nV, http://goo.gl/H3TqUf, http://goo.gl/HhVQnq )

Modern iterations on plaid.

Various interpretations of the regular plaid patterns were recently being used by fashion designers for the spring/summer ready to wear 2015 collection. While Creatures of the Wind and Emanuel Ungaro decided to go simple combining the plaid pattern with trousers and flowy skirts and crop tops, Bottega Veneta, on the other hand, gave plaid an unfinished and worn-in look.  (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/KY1lxT, http://goo.gl/Af6Pkh, http://goo.gl/Y7c027 )

Diane von Furstenberg’s interpretation of the plaids had a charm that comprised of a woman’s appeal combined with her beauty whereas Tsumori Chisato presented an extraordinaire mishmash of colour and checks in varied forms that make us stop, stare and wonder. A more sophisticated and formal way was procured by Altuzarra in his checkered patterns, making it a new office wear trend.  (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/pfrE83, http://goo.gl/Ek1jR3, http://goo.gl/Jk19ZF )

The origin of the plaid pattern is unknown even now, but its influence is visible all over even in today’s fashion world. Fashion designers keep finding different ways to combine a simple pattern with their flair and inspiration in every show and keep us intrigued and eager about what will be seen next.

Don’t forget to get inspired from our other blogs on Trend alert 2015 – Pocket dresses , High Slit Skirts and Classic polo look .

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the virtual design studio for apparels and surface patterns that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

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