Who knew reality TV could teach us something about starting a fashion label? It is not as glamorous as you think. It’s vital to recognize that behind the glamour and red carpet images lie a complex and demanding industry. Much like the surprise twists in reality TV ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’, the journey to launching…
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Are you a designer struggling to balance your creativity with the rigorous demands of running a business? In a world where the pressure to stay innovative collides with the daily grind, finding that equilibrium is more crucial than ever. Fortunately, there are strategies that can help you maintain your creative spark while efficiently managing your…
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Are you an established fashion business looking to boost your efficiency? In today’s world, where everyone is looking to get ahead, I have seen a lack of assistance for brands that have established themselves but might be looking for someone to help them see where the gaps are in their business to optimize their processes…
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Fashion is an industry that thrives on creativity and innovation. However, behind every stunning ensemble and ground-breaking design, lies a complex network of collaborations and vast amounts of mutual respect. In this dynamic and competitive industry, the importance of respect and collaboration cannot be understated. This blog post delves into the critical aspects of respect…
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Outsourcing pattern-making and sewing in your fashion business can be a game-changer. Whether you have a background in design or not, working with professionals who have expertise in these areas can save you time, money, and potential mistakes. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of outsourcing pattern making and sewing in your fashion…
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Mastering your fashion business’s fabric inventory and production quantities is a crucial aspect that can directly impact your label’s operations, finances, and overall success. One common challenge businesses face is excess fabric inventory, which can lead to storage issues and financial strain. To effectively manage your fabric inventory, it’s important to set the best practices…
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In the dynamic and fast-paced world of fashion design, timely planning is not just a good practice, it is absolutely essential. From the first spark of inspiration to the final delivery of a finished product, every step in the design process relies on effective time management and adherence to deadlines. In this blog post, we…
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If you’re looking to start your fashion business, you already know how important it is to have a vision and bring it to life. However, one of the most crucial aspects of starting a fashion business is having a correct pattern and sample to take to a manufacturer. In this blog post, we’ll discuss…
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Today I want to share some valuable insights on how to make informed decisions to move forward in the future with your patterns and make the most of what you have spent in the past. While this is more aimed at established businesses that have gone through the development process before, it is also critical…
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Who owns my patterns? Is it the pattern maker? Is it the designer? Or is it shared? This is quite a common question often asked by start-up fashion designers. I think this is a really critical topic for you to get clarity on as your patterns are your investment. You need to know where you…
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Starting a fashion business in Australia can come with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to finding the right fabric suppliers. During my recent trip to the US for a trade show called Impressions, I was struck by the simplicity of finding fabric agents and suppliers in the fashion industry, thanks to…
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Just this last week I have been over at the Impressions Trade Show in the US where I talked to over 350 people in 3 days and I am so excited to share with you what I learned from it, and what I can bring back to help you. Wondering what the Impressions Trade Show…
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There is a huge list of questions that I have been asked over the last 12 years from start-up designers. These are the most common questions that everybody has and probably you are looking for answers to similar questions. So, in this blog, I’m answering one of the most asked questions and that is around…
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Did you know we do grading for patterns that have been made by other pattern makers? This was not always the case. In 2020, we purchased a Nhega scanner. We found the old digitizing board to be too inaccurate to respect the time and effort you had put into your patterns, so we did not…
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Happy New Year! If you’re anything like me, you had a lovely break, but you thought about all the things that you wanted to do in the next year. I seem to have the same goals each year. Mine is getting healthier and learning to do more art – but I promise this every year,…
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Thinking of starting your own fashion label? I had a really great question come through this week from one of our listeners that I would like to discuss today, and the question was: “If my plan is to create my fashion label one day, what fashion specific tech skills should I learn, that would have…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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