Last week, I discussed what pattern grading is and what choices you have or how you read between the lines of others’ opinions on the best path to take. I extend this conversation today in this blog to discuss whether you should digitise your patterns before or after grading. It seems like an obvious answer, but you…
Read More
Whenever you are looking to create a range of clothing, pattern grading is a critical step in the process. So, what is pattern grading, and what are your choices, or more importantly, how do you read behind the lines of others’ opinions on what is the best path to take? In simple words, pattern grading…
Read More
Are you paying too much for your pattern making process? When you are not really thinking about the process or you are unsure about the best pathway for your patterns, you might waste time and leave money on the table. In today’s video, I am sharing my expert tips and insider information to help you…
Read More
One of the biggest questions we hear all the time is about the cost of starting a fashion label. There are some rough numbers that are easy to give you and there are costs that need a detailed investigation to give you an accurate price. Offshore manufacturing is different again, with a production price given…
Read More
When it comes to offshore pricing and local pricing for freight, you are not comparing apples with apples but more so, apples with oranges… If you have just received a quote from a freight company for the products you have made and now you are wondering if it is a rip-off or if it is…
Read More
In my last blog, I spoke about one of the major issues that we need to address for the survival of the fashion industry in Australia: the exclusion of the pattern makers, makers and manufacturers and the lack of opportunities available to them within the public sphere. I believe it is really important to highlight…
Read More
We all love an inclusive industry; I was lucky enough to be invited to a wonderful inclusive fashion parade this week. But unfortunately, not everyone in the fashion industry feels included. I often see pattern makers, makers and manufacturers being excluded and not given as many opportunities as offered to designers within the public sphere.…
Read More
This week has been super busy but very exciting and fun as we have been in the process of our Start Your Fashion Business Workshop! As you must already know, this is a 4-part live video series for people who are thinking of starting their own fashion label or looking to move their label onshore.…
Read More
I recently had a ‘Ask me Anything’ call with my mentees, and we discussed the current climate and present challenges of concern for established labels or near-to-launch labels. When I look inside the Facebook groups, I see many conversations around starting or launching a label centred on offshore vs. local manufacturing. One of the main…
Read More
I see majority of my clients getting stuck with fabrics and I see this as the number one stumbling block for pretty much all of our clients. Yesterday, I had a conversation with one of my mentees who is working on her special range of clothing, and she mentioned how stuck she is in the…
Read More
Much has changed in the world over the last 18 months. We seem to lurch from one version of the ‘new normal’ to the next with limited warning. Nobody really knows where we will end up or when. One thing is clear though, there is a groundswell at the consumer level towards locally produced. We…
Read More
Much has changed in the last few years. We are pretty happy to see a strong push to bring development and manufacturing back on-shore. There is little doubt that many in the industry have, for the first time in a long time, danced a little jig. But it isn’t all smooth sailing. Not everyone in…
Read More
Sustainable and ethical are probably two of the main questions asked of Sample Room and it is clear the consumer is wanting to know more about where their clothes were made, by whom and what the label is doing to minimise the impact on the environment. Here are four questions to ask clothing brands to…
Read More
Labels for your clothes are just as important as your website and business card. The colour, quality, size and finish communicate a perception of your brand and price point. Here in our Fashion Label Launch Pad Program, we make it a priority to discuss how to choose labels suitable for their collections early on in…
Read More
We believe January is one of the best months of the year. This is the month you are focussed, determined and motivated to achieve your professional and personal aspirations.
Read More
In the first of our Instagram for Fashion Labels series we discussed defining your brand, your visuals/interests, pinpointing what value can you give your followers, how to curate your feed and what to look for in your competitors.
Read More
Social media is a large part of many new fashion labels marketing strategy. A lot of people will refer to social media as a free tool, as yes, you can open an instagram account for free. But I think this is the wrong way to look at it, as it isn’t really free, it takes TIME which is either yours (which has value!) or you are paying someone to spend the time on it for you. Either way to have any success it takes commitment and investment.
Read More
During our Fashion Label Launch Pad Program our mentees gather for monthly group calls to discuss any niggling questions that have been presented to them on their new fashion journeys. This month’s hot topic in discussion was how to manage and prepare for fabric shrinkage.
Read More
You’ve spent months upon months pouring blood, sweat and tears into creating the perfect garment for your collection, and soon it will be time to release your product to market! Even though your garment might look a million bucks to hold in your hands, it is imperative that the rest of the world fully understands the look and feel of your brand. Investing in a professional, sleek and captivating photoshoot is just one of the ways to get you there. Read below for our list of helpful pointers when sourcing talent, photographers and locations to ensure that every shoot is a success.
Read More
When creating your new label from the ground up, there are many aspects to take into consideration in order to shape your label into a business that represents who and what you stand for. From sustainability, to the locality of the materials sourced, you, the designer, have the artistic freedom to structure a label how they choose according to their values.
Read More