How to develop your first fashion collection: step-by-step guide
You have a great idea for a design. You know exactly what you want to create. But how do you go from concept to consumer? That’s the big question. Let me show you how with this step-by-step guide for designing your first fashion collection that stands out from the crowd.
If you’ve ever thought about designing your own clothing line or felt curious about what typically goes behind producing one, then this is the post for you.
1. Determine your inspiration
This step has a lot to do with what inspires you, and determining your inspiration is absolutely key. Because fashion collections are so broad and multi-faceted, it’s important to have direction on a theme that will guide you.
When you’re starting off in your career, keep in mind that this season’s trend or big name in fashion may not always give you the best results. What I mean by this is that while it could be inspiring, those things aren’t necessarily going to last forever. You don’t want to have seasons where you have no idea what your inspiration was! Instead, really think about what makes sense for your brand.
2. Build a mood board to represent your theme
Now that you have your theme, your mood board is the next step in the process. A mood board is a visual representation of your collection and will help you to develop the look and feel of your collection.
It will also help you stay focused in the right direction. It helps you to visualize what it is you are trying to create. A mood board should include related images and designs as well as samples of fabrics, colors, textures, etc., that you may want to incorporate into your garment collection or line.
Let’s take a look at some sample mood boards…
3. Start with the basic elements
Once you’ve determined a direction, research is key. Study your ideal customer as well as your competitors. Skim through that stack of fashion magazines next to your bed. Look at what other designers in and out of your category are doing. From there, start sketching! Try not to get caught up in details like hardware or trim just yet! Let yourself explore, even if it means designing some off-the-wall pieces that may not end up in the final collection. Later on, you’ll want to narrow down your ideas and start fleshing them out into actual garments — but first, let yourself be creative!
One common mistake young designers make is trying hard to be exactly like their favorite brands — or worse, copying their designs entirely! That might work for a single new piece or two, but building an entire collection from scratch takes more time and energy than that — and it’s also illegal (copyright infringement is no joke).
4. Define your market and price point
To build a successful collection, you will need to answer the following questions: Who are you designing for? What is your market and customer? How much will it cost to produce your collection?
In addition to thinking about price points, consider what type of retailers or boutiques would carry your line. Know what sets you apart and where you fit in. You have to look at other designers who are competing in the same realm. Your collection should be unique but also in demand by the consumer. You don’t have to be ‘trendy’ but don’t ignore the overall styles popular with your target consumer. Incorporate current elements into your designs if they relate to your style and brand identity.
Once you understand where you stand among competitors, determine how much it will cost you to produce your collection and where you can sell it.
5. Time for technical sketches (and tech packs!)
Now that you know how to create a mood board and master the art of a flat sketch, it’s time for the next step in your design process: technical sketches and tech packs.
Technical sketches are also known as technical flats or production flats, and they’re important because they depict all of the details that go into creating your garment from start to finish. To create them, you can use Adobe Illustrator or another image editing program that allows you to draw straight lines.
A tech pack contains everything needed for a factory — or even a patternmaker — to understand what needs to be done when making the garment. This can include reference images (which may include product shots from other brands), specs (including measurements), notes about fabrics and materials, construction information (including stitching patterns) and finishes, care instructions, cost sheets, and more!
Check out this blog post on the best tips & practices for building a tech pack from the WFX team.
6. Create prototypes and finalize the fits
Toile prototypes are mock-ups of your collection in a similar fabric to the final product, but not of the same quality. They allow you to check the fit and finish of each garment, as well as how they work together within a look.
Once your garments are constructed in toile, you will be able to refine the fit and finishes until they are perfect. The fitting process is also an opportunity to evaluate whether or not any changes need to be made to individual pieces so that they complement one another when worn together. You should consider the fit and finish of each garment in your collection as a whole. If possible, it’s helpful at this stage for you and/or your pattern maker (if applicable) to work with a professional tailor who can make adjustments and detailed suggestions for improving each garment before moving on to finalizing the patterns for production.
7. Source fabrics, materials and trims
There are actually a lot of advantages to sourcing your fabrics yourself. First, you can find out exactly where your materials come from, and choose something that is ethical and sustainable. Secondly, if you have built up a good relationship with your supplier, they may be able to give you discounts for buying in bulk.
It is also important to source the best quality materials for each element of your collection. You will spend a lot of time working on your range so it’s important that the end result looks professional too!
Lastly, consider how much fabric costs will impact on the overall price of your clothing line. You don’t want people to buy one item from you, then find an identical piece for half the price somewhere else!
8. Conduct pre-sales with wholesalers and retailers
Conduct some pre-sales so you can test the market and get feedback on your designs. Pre-sales are when you sell the product before it’s in mass production, so you still have time to make minor changes. It could mean that you receive an advance payment or a promise to pay once the order is done, which will help with funding. If your pricing is off and people don’t buy your collection as much as you want them to, then maybe it’s time to reevaluate your product.
Try to find one or two wholesalers who are willing to purchase from you. They can help with marketing and sales efforts since they already have relationships with retailers and will know how to get your products in front of consumers more efficiently than if you were doing it all yourself.
9. Go big on marketing activities
Exhibiting your work at a fashion show is one of the best ways to get your work noticed. There are plenty of small-scale events around the world that you can exhibit at and it is easy to get involved in these events. You could also look into things like catwalk shows in your local area, or even bigger events that support new talent.
It may seem scary, but why not reach out to bloggers and influencers? You might find doing collaborations with other brands has been a great way to build up my brand awareness and following, so if there’s anyone you’d love to collaborate with then don’t be afraid to just ask!
Getting press coverage is another great way to spread the word about your collection. It’s best if you have a PR team behind you — they will know who to contact and how best to present your collection etc. If you don’t have this yet, then think about reaching out on your own as well as making sure all of your social media platforms are looking professional and up-to-date.
Interested in fashion NFTs and the Metaverse? Learn more about how fashion is doing digital product creation in 2022!
10. Source manufacturers to execute production
Finding the right manufacturer to execute your designs is key, especially if you want to make sure that your production numbers are met on time. Some manufacturers can produce low-amounts at a higher price point than others who work in mass quantities. If production deadlines are of utmost importance and you have the budget, keep this in mind when sourcing manufacturers.
Manufacturers have a lot of information about what is possible or not when it comes to fabrications and trims, so it’s important to create a relationship with one as early as possible. They’re also an invaluable resource for start-up brands because they can help guide you through some of the technicalities involved in designing and producing garments.
There are many ways to source manufacturers such as trade shows like Capsule Show, or by attending industry events in your area where local designers are selling their lines.
Want to be a better partner for your manufacturers? See our 8 tips on how brands can help speed up the fashion manufacturing process!
11. Sample approvals and quality control
As the brand owner, you will be responsible for ensuring that you receive the correct quality and quantity of your goods. You should provide as much information as possible to your manufacturers in order to ensure there are no misunderstandings.
You should aim to visit factories prior to production and discuss key elements such as product specifications, color options, sizes and finishes with the factory directly. It is important that all samples are approved by you in writing before production begins. The approval process may include sending a sample back to the factory with alternative instructions if changes are required.
During production it is critical for you (or someone on your behalf) to regularly check and inspect the quality of products throughout this process via a pre-shipment inspection or by visiting the factories in person when possible. This can help minimize any problems occurring during production which could delay shipments or cause issues later down the line with selling your products through retailers and/or direct channels like e-commerce sites, etc. Once all garments have been produced they will need one final quality check before being packed into export cartons ready for shipment.
12. It’s time to finally ship your products!
Shipping is a big part of the fashion industry. The process is complex, but with some planning and research, you can develop a solid system that will help you get your products to their customers. For example, make sure you take into account the number of items you plan on shipping. A small quantity may be delivered by mail, while a large one may require a more expensive option such as FedEx.
Another factor to consider is when the item will arrive at its destination. If it’s going to be shipped during peak holiday times, allow yourself extra time for making and shipping products. When it comes to insurance, weigh your risk levels against the price of coverage and make sure you understand what’s covered before sending your items out.
Learning how to start a fashion line takes time, patience, and hard work, but it can be enormously rewarding and fun
You will encounter many obstacles and setbacks. There may be times when the challenges seem overwhelming and the goal of developing your fashion collection seems far out of reach. In fact, the above process can look very different and is often jumbled up for most designers. So don’t fret and keep pressing on!
Luckily, Product Lifecycle Management software is the perfect piece of technology to make this process smoother. No matter what the size of your fashion brand may be, WFX PLM can help you get more organized and streamline the entire product development process. Take a free demo to find out for yourself.
Text by Vishakha Somani. Image courtesies as mentioned or from Freepik.
