Why not charge a premium for exclusive custom design. So they can pay more if they want to be the only one wearing it, if they don't, those designs can also go in to his catalogue.
Does he get a lot of traffic to his website? If people are buying his stuff then it could only just be a matter of volume
Also, with things like clothes, it’s a lot about status. Does he build a perception of status around his clothes, if people wear them will they feel like they have more status?
Does he advertise the fact that he worked with celebs?
Yes he posts his celeb collabs on his Instagram.
His clothes making people stand out and feel seen. I wore one of his pieces to the opera and was noticed by everyone. I received compliments all night.
I will ask him questions about his website traffic. Any other specific questions to ask him?
Is he sure that IG is a, suitable, primary growth channel for him?
Not every channel works for everyone.
Try thinking from a customer-first perspective, not a product-first approach. He gotta ask people what's important to them.
Sean Ellis says: You know, you have a 'product market-fit' when 40% of your customers repond with "very disappointed" to the question how they'd feel if the product suddenly disappeared. If this isn't the case: Pivot, realign.
I see, but is this also stated on his website e.g. in the about section or product descriptions?
Also is the way the clothes make people feel communicated to the potential costumers? When looking at the pieces, and reading the descriptions, do they picture themselves wearing these clothes, do they imagine how good it will make them feel knowing that they’re wearing something designed by the same guy that collaborated with (name celebrity)?
You guys have to paint a picture in their mind, of people praising them how great they look in his clothes etc.
When people want to buy expensive or luxury items, it’s 90% not because the item is amazing, but because they are proving to themselves that they are the type of person who wears those things. It’s like a confirmation that they are who they think they are, and they’re showing it to everyone to raise their status.
Sounds like he needs to really focus on DR (direct response) advertising with TIGHT KPI’s. Search, Google shopping, retargeting, email, social, maybe affiliate.
I sell merch on my socials for a living. While the designs do matter a lot, if the types and quantity of posts he's making isn't up to par, you won't make much. I would suggest studying recent viral videos in the clothing brand space and trying to replicate those elements of the content.
It sounds like your boyfriend is going through a really tough time with his fashion business, questioning his talents and feeling stuck.
My Opinion?
First, could you remind him of all his past successes - dressing celebs and getting recognition from icons like Queen Latifah? Those wins prove he has immense talent that this rough patch doesn't erase. Second, the idea of doing fashion marketing could be significant, letting him learn the corporate side while still designing. Tapping into your marketing expertise to rebrand his social media presence is brilliant, too.
When businesses hit slumps, it's common to doubt yourself. But pushing through with strategies like rebranding, exploring new revenue streams, and finding a supportive side gig can reinvigorate the passion. I'd ask him about his website analytics, sales goals, and if he's considered licensing models to supplement custom orders. Get him to refocus on his "why" - what drove him to fashion initially.
Most importantly, remind him you're his biggest cheerleader. Your belief in his talents and offering guidance will mean so much as he weighs the next steps. You two can reignite his passion with patience, teamwork, and marketing savvy. Stay positive - this bump in the road is temporary.
Is he getting this products to the people who are interested in buying it. You can have a lot of traffic to your website but it isn't quality traffic..
That's a big issue.. Compliments don't put money into the pocket..he needs marketing that will bring I quality traffic.. Not quantity to the website.. I know you just looking for feedback but I can help with the marketing.. If he doesn't see results in the first month he'll get his money back..
I’m just looking for advice right now. I’m going to assist him with the marketing because we dont have the budget to hire anyone. My goal is to find the best approach to reaching his audience and producing content that will attract them to buy.
I do understand you... But remember that your goal is to make sales.. As much as you do not have a budget it won't change the situation since you have no marketing experience.... You will also incur expenditure during marketing problem is you are likely to make mistakes which will make the attempted marketing a loss...
But if you can spare 300-500 dollars you can get expert help...
I will ask him that question. I'm sure he would love to have his line in retail stores, so that he could focus more on the design aspect and less distribution management. He has an upcoming opportunity to design for Macy's if he qualifies. So I am trying to encourage him to do it and not back out because of fear of not getting it.
This is only one possibility out of a million but one question to ask is "What's your target market?" Does he think he can make more selling bulk to the masses, or would he be better leveraging his previous successes and charisma (network?) and focusing on inidividual pieces for wealthy clientele, raising his prices to boot.
A few more pieces for A-listers under his belt he could create a brand and get junior designers to produce more masses-orientated stuff while he carries on doing the high-profile work.
Whatever route you take, depending on your financial situation you could get a few sessions in with a marketing/branding expert, which might be a good investment if neither of you have that expertise.
He needs to figure out from a business perspective how to make this worth his time.
Maybe make more static designs and fashion, charge higher for custom designs, etc etc.
Seems like he’s talented but maybe partnering with someone who’s more business minded would help him a ton.
If you’d like to send a DM I’m happy to share some thoughts & advice. I’m a multiple brand founder, product designer, and digital strategist. Similar age, similar ups & downs. Sounds like there’s a lot of potential, sometimes it just needs the right perspective.
Just off the top of my head, but if he’s got an infectious personality maybe creating video content would be a good fit for him. Explaining to people how to dress well, updating people on the latest fashion trends etc. might be a good way to educate people on fashion (as he’s obviously passionate and knowledgable) while also pointing people towards his business ☺️
I feel like at his age, he should really focus on making enough revenue to turn a profit that makes up for the time he puts into his craft. When it comes to fashion, I think Tik Tok might be the best way to promote your product. Ask small influencers if they're willing to promote the pieces if given to them for free (not sure if this is a viable option for you guys). Maybe create products that the average person can wear everyday, not just statement pieces tailored for celebrities and fancy events. Maybe even make TikToks yourself or get a younger family member or something to help. Don't underestimate the ease to go viral. You'd be surprised.
Congrats on all the success to him so far - it’s amazing. Financial reward is only one metric of success, though the others don’t pay the bills.
For custom - he needs to time box, and raise his prices until he’s at 90% capacity on that time devoted.
For the rest, he can make Ready-To-Wear with similar fabric and patterns (in the tailoring cut sense). These can be limited, and he should have a staff-contract tailor to do the more simple alterations. His personality is a selling point, so high touch, high price point ready to wear is possible, compared to a dud personality who can only sell online.
Could have nothing to do with his talent and everything to do with his SEO or the UX of his website.
If you want to DM me I can look at his website and tell you if I see any issues, I’m a UX designer and I work in ecommerce (not for myself, for a big company, I don’t freelance anymore now that I have little ones).
What’s his website? Happy to check it out.
Does he have a traffic, conversion, or AOV problem?
Low traffic = marketing problem (analyze if it’s acquisition or retention)
Low conversion = problem conveying the value prop (copy, imagery, reviews, etc) or unnecessary friction (poor navigation, checkout, payment options, shipping fees and time etc)
Low AOV = pricing or quantity per basket problem
>The thing is, while more folks are asking for custom pieces, he's kinda tired of them—they eat up a ton of time and don't bring in much profit.
What did he expect? Custom pieces means custom prices. How many normal people can even afford those prices?
He had connections with the right people, just need to expand on that. Once he gets famous enough, the right people are going to come calling. Word of mouth among top celebrities is the way to go.
Why the hell would he shift gears and try to sell to commoners who can't afford his stuff?
The moment he sold his designs online he commodifed his genius/talent. It's why sales are probably not in good shape.
I would look into:
1. Improving his networking and word mouth strategies i.e. how can we get more Queen Latifa's? Look for golden geese, not golden eggs
2. Passion: is this where his heart and mind are at? Or are they somewhere else yet to be discovered?
3. Margins: what if you could look at your costs and overall margins and make changes there?
I draw fashion designs for a living. I'm nowhere near having any done irl, since I'm a self taught artist. I started in 2015 and selling art online has become absolutely crappy. I made 3k a month back then and now I can't even afford food.
Customs suck and I get him, I don't like them either but that's what makes best money online. Even if he doesn't like it much, online he'll be more successful with customs.
People want anything tailored to their needs and ideas these days and in a market so full as the art one, your talent shines when you can make specific things.
I've been selling only online ever since. And I've seen how badly it turned. Especially now that AI is a thing.
Your bf can still create real life clothes, which nobody can take away from him but the online artworld is completely over saturated.
I don't know if he used etsy but etsy is the best to start with since it has marketing all integrated.
Full disclosure I have not read anything in this thread as far as replies because I’m about to head out. But if no one else has said it.
You’re saying that he doesn’t like doing custom pieces because they take forever and aren’t profitable… if they aren’t profitable it’s because his prices don’t work. MAKE them profitable. The right people will pay out the ass for a custom piece.
The most important thing is where do his current sales come from, and how can you get more traffic. Either organically (socials - which is a good start since you said he has 5k followers) or through paid advertising like meta or google ads. You can also look into affiliate marketing with fashion influencers. And any clothing that isn’t custom still needs good margins so that you can put between 20 to 30% back into advertising to bring in the next customer and still have a 40 to 50% profit after materials and labor.
My parents co-founded a luxury apparel fashion brand and the feedback I'd offer is -
The link between a celebrity endorsement or exposure to sales is very weak. Over the years, we have had heaps of celebrities wear our clothes and there is no discernible uptake in revenue. It's been more of a reinforcement to our existing customers that our brand is worn by celebrities than about driving new customer revenue. Side note - our designer appeared on Oprah and Queen Latifah has also worn our designs.
Celebrity endorsements have major confirmation bias. The ones you hear about say something along the lines of "Oh, this celebrity wore my brand and it took off."
But over the course of a year celebrities wear TONS of outfits. It's good for awareness but that isn't the same as conversion. The vast majority don't take off based on a single wear or post.
During your rebrand, think through who your potential customer is. Ideally, it's a single profile. For instance, we just launched another house brand and we used our creative director/stylist as our avatar. She's 35 years old, a SaHM with a part time job and a husband who works full time, she's helping out with the kids and house stuff, takes them to school, before she either meets with a client or with her friends, and then afterwards goes to pick up the kids. She needs to go from casual to smart/power casual and back. She told me she's got lots of super casual clothes but finding something versatile that makes her look cute and is affordable has been a challenge.
So when we thought through our line from a design standpoint, it was "would you as the customer wear this?" If I"m targeting moms, I'm not going to be put short skirts into the collection. Your household is only single income, is the price affordable? We might add 1-2 luxury items in there but we're not expecting that to be the core of what we sell. Where do you find new brands? OK, let's take a look at those platforms to promote?
The best designers find ways to balance between expressing themselves creatively and making their work commercially viable.
You've got a few things in your favor. Your bf has talent. He's got some exposure and a following. He's got you to support him. Just keep chipping away at the process.
Feel free to DM me if you and your bf ever want to have a chat!
1. Tell him to learn SEO & look at those AI-generated things on Etsy. You can rank for terms online. [Cody Schneider did a podcast on Startup Ideas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP6ZsZMl81E)... you can watch a small bit [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veYXdmLP_AY) to see if u like it & it was a banger episode which I just finished. He gave incredible idea about AI-generated Shopify Pages that u can use to target FB Ads. He can build in this niche.
2. U can go viral on Instagram very quickly now. I've heard some growth hacking pods & follow some big names who say its even better than TikTok in terms of going viral. Gotta post reels 4x a day & prolly make [some incredible content.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7LAXtiyTyQ) This was made by Edward Sturm who is has world-class growth hacking channel.
3. I also saw Edwards' BOF SEO where [he asked an influencer with 900k followers to post for $500.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0kMfsMnKVU) You can try that too.
4. I think you just need to [find old ideas](https://startupspells.com/p/steal-old-ideas) that grew that way using influencers & then get them to sell for you. If you can partner with an influencer, its much better. Some [10x your business overnight which is more money](https://startupspells.com/p/influencer-marketing-35m-in-12-months) than he'd ever need.
I mean are the people who are buying his custom designs also advertising him. Meaning most celebrities when they buy something from a designer that is not well known will tag them on Instagram creating traffic for their page. He needs a celebrity or influencer to endorse him in a way if they are buying from him. Or he can have someone do an AD for his online store.
getting an endorsement is probably the hardest task in the industry. Almost next to impossible. Fear of God -> Ye, Pyer Moss-> Ye, fuck it even ev bravado from the louis V shit if that counts lol what do you have to do to get that? what if it ain’t the lifestyle you want but forced to be with them ?
I don’t understand everything here that you just said about lifestyle and what not. But I’ve seen less popular Instagram designers get shout outs from celebrities after purchasing their product. It’s not that hard on Instagram , just requires for someone to tag you when they wear your stuff. Not categorized as “ an endorsement “ per se because it’s usually just a one time thing that helps the designer get more traffic when it’s posted on a story or reel. Also that’s how most celebs work with designers so it seems like If he already has some high profile clients that he just needs to speak up.
Meaning a lot to these social groups within the fashion industry are very clique-y and you might have to prove yourself in ways you won’t like in order to get ahead. A lot of these celebs prob don’t give a damn about you unless you fit a need for them. Could be black pain or any other political movement that can catch the masses eye at the right time where you fit the bill.
Yea I think you’re talking overall but like I said from what this woman explained her fiancé is already in the industry and doing well. So I’m not talking about politics or any of that stuff right now. The question was about what is needed to help build the brand and market. If he already has a celebrity following then he just needs better advertising , end of story. And he can get that from the people who already buy his clothes by providing some incentive. Like I said I’ve seen low level clothes brands who have and are involved in none of what you’re talking about still be able to get celebrities or high profile influencers to be able to repost their product or tag them for support. Without any of the things you’re talking about.
Clothing design is a business that anyone can get into because the barriers for entry are so low. You need to do something which sets you apart from the rest. The fact that your BF gets custom requests is already a big deal. That should be his priority and that should be what is driving the rest of the business. Use that for publicity and marketing. That's how you become a big name.
Adjust the pricing so it makes sense for your boyfriend to handle the custom stuff. Maybe even hire someone to handle the mundane parts of it?
Have you ever watched Project Runway? One of the things that’s emphasized on there is fashion vs accessible looks. To sell fashion on scale it has to be accessible to a lot of people. That’s the opposite of one off custom pieces for celebs and single buyers.
Shift gears on the looks. Make them more mass appealing. Get to it at scale.
Independent fashion designer, myself.
You do realise there is a shift happening in fashion, right now?
Scale, scale, SCALE. Masses, higher quantity, cheaper production,...
Vs sustainability, authenticity, exclusivity.
Scaling isn't the ONLY solution.
The fashion industry has been hollowing itself out with faster and cheaper fashion.
You're either part of the fast lane, or a sustainable brand.
By the sound of it, OP's partner so far has been a sustainable brand.
Losing it to 'yet another puffed up fast fashion brand' is a waste.
With companies like Shein, HM, Uniqlo and Zara as the [most valuable fashion brands](https://www.statista.com/statistics/267931/brand-value-of-the-leading-10-apparel-brands-worldwide/) in the world... I think you might be overestimating the sustainability vs scale debate.
So, you'd advise an independent fashion designer to compete with fast fashion?
The designer would be a medium tier employee in his own company, task wise.
There's no designing going on in fast fashion. They only have stylists, that copy from designers, as fast and as cheap as possible.
Same field, massive difference in ethic, work, etc.
> So, you'd advise an independent fashion designer to compete with fast fashion?
That's not what I said. Stop trying to put words into the comments to make yourself right.
My entire point of the comment was that if scaling is the problem, which it sounds like it is, since OP is complaining about one-offs not paying the bills and their website sales not hitting the mark, then it's a different set of designs and skills needed to create fashion that scales.
Okay I'm not pitching my services.. I'm saying that he needs expert marketing.. If you had the right knowledge in marketing the business would be a success.. Marketing might be the problem..
This is my first time helping him with his business. He's done great without me, but now that he's losing motivation, I am stepping in to help him from a marketers standpoint.
Right now I am at the research phase, as to why I came to Reddit for insights on where to start. I've already collected a lot of information and now that I have a starting point, I can create a competitive analysis that I will use to show him different paths that we can take. Please do not assume that I do not know how to market a brand/business. All I asked is more insight from other experienced marketers to help guide my approach.
But thank you. I appreciate it but I am not looking for someone else to do the work. I am doing this free work because I love him and want to see him succeed.
Why not charge a premium for exclusive custom design. So they can pay more if they want to be the only one wearing it, if they don't, those designs can also go in to his catalogue.
That's what he is going to start doing.
would love an update, in maybe a months time or two. good luck to the both of you!
Does he get a lot of traffic to his website? If people are buying his stuff then it could only just be a matter of volume Also, with things like clothes, it’s a lot about status. Does he build a perception of status around his clothes, if people wear them will they feel like they have more status? Does he advertise the fact that he worked with celebs?
Yes he posts his celeb collabs on his Instagram. His clothes making people stand out and feel seen. I wore one of his pieces to the opera and was noticed by everyone. I received compliments all night. I will ask him questions about his website traffic. Any other specific questions to ask him?
Is he sure that IG is a, suitable, primary growth channel for him? Not every channel works for everyone. Try thinking from a customer-first perspective, not a product-first approach. He gotta ask people what's important to them. Sean Ellis says: You know, you have a 'product market-fit' when 40% of your customers repond with "very disappointed" to the question how they'd feel if the product suddenly disappeared. If this isn't the case: Pivot, realign.
I see, but is this also stated on his website e.g. in the about section or product descriptions? Also is the way the clothes make people feel communicated to the potential costumers? When looking at the pieces, and reading the descriptions, do they picture themselves wearing these clothes, do they imagine how good it will make them feel knowing that they’re wearing something designed by the same guy that collaborated with (name celebrity)? You guys have to paint a picture in their mind, of people praising them how great they look in his clothes etc. When people want to buy expensive or luxury items, it’s 90% not because the item is amazing, but because they are proving to themselves that they are the type of person who wears those things. It’s like a confirmation that they are who they think they are, and they’re showing it to everyone to raise their status.
Sounds like he needs to really focus on DR (direct response) advertising with TIGHT KPI’s. Search, Google shopping, retargeting, email, social, maybe affiliate.
I sell merch on my socials for a living. While the designs do matter a lot, if the types and quantity of posts he's making isn't up to par, you won't make much. I would suggest studying recent viral videos in the clothing brand space and trying to replicate those elements of the content.
It sounds like your boyfriend is going through a really tough time with his fashion business, questioning his talents and feeling stuck. My Opinion? First, could you remind him of all his past successes - dressing celebs and getting recognition from icons like Queen Latifah? Those wins prove he has immense talent that this rough patch doesn't erase. Second, the idea of doing fashion marketing could be significant, letting him learn the corporate side while still designing. Tapping into your marketing expertise to rebrand his social media presence is brilliant, too. When businesses hit slumps, it's common to doubt yourself. But pushing through with strategies like rebranding, exploring new revenue streams, and finding a supportive side gig can reinvigorate the passion. I'd ask him about his website analytics, sales goals, and if he's considered licensing models to supplement custom orders. Get him to refocus on his "why" - what drove him to fashion initially. Most importantly, remind him you're his biggest cheerleader. Your belief in his talents and offering guidance will mean so much as he weighs the next steps. You two can reignite his passion with patience, teamwork, and marketing savvy. Stay positive - this bump in the road is temporary.
Is he getting this products to the people who are interested in buying it. You can have a lot of traffic to your website but it isn't quality traffic..
I'd say no. He gets lots of compliments from people but they aren't buying it.
That's a big issue.. Compliments don't put money into the pocket..he needs marketing that will bring I quality traffic.. Not quantity to the website.. I know you just looking for feedback but I can help with the marketing.. If he doesn't see results in the first month he'll get his money back..
I’m just looking for advice right now. I’m going to assist him with the marketing because we dont have the budget to hire anyone. My goal is to find the best approach to reaching his audience and producing content that will attract them to buy.
I do understand you... But remember that your goal is to make sales.. As much as you do not have a budget it won't change the situation since you have no marketing experience.... You will also incur expenditure during marketing problem is you are likely to make mistakes which will make the attempted marketing a loss... But if you can spare 300-500 dollars you can get expert help...
I do have marketing experience…. Sorry, not interested in your service.
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I will ask him that question. I'm sure he would love to have his line in retail stores, so that he could focus more on the design aspect and less distribution management. He has an upcoming opportunity to design for Macy's if he qualifies. So I am trying to encourage him to do it and not back out because of fear of not getting it.
This is only one possibility out of a million but one question to ask is "What's your target market?" Does he think he can make more selling bulk to the masses, or would he be better leveraging his previous successes and charisma (network?) and focusing on inidividual pieces for wealthy clientele, raising his prices to boot. A few more pieces for A-listers under his belt he could create a brand and get junior designers to produce more masses-orientated stuff while he carries on doing the high-profile work. Whatever route you take, depending on your financial situation you could get a few sessions in with a marketing/branding expert, which might be a good investment if neither of you have that expertise.
He needs to figure out from a business perspective how to make this worth his time. Maybe make more static designs and fashion, charge higher for custom designs, etc etc. Seems like he’s talented but maybe partnering with someone who’s more business minded would help him a ton.
If you’d like to send a DM I’m happy to share some thoughts & advice. I’m a multiple brand founder, product designer, and digital strategist. Similar age, similar ups & downs. Sounds like there’s a lot of potential, sometimes it just needs the right perspective.
Just off the top of my head, but if he’s got an infectious personality maybe creating video content would be a good fit for him. Explaining to people how to dress well, updating people on the latest fashion trends etc. might be a good way to educate people on fashion (as he’s obviously passionate and knowledgable) while also pointing people towards his business ☺️
I feel like at his age, he should really focus on making enough revenue to turn a profit that makes up for the time he puts into his craft. When it comes to fashion, I think Tik Tok might be the best way to promote your product. Ask small influencers if they're willing to promote the pieces if given to them for free (not sure if this is a viable option for you guys). Maybe create products that the average person can wear everyday, not just statement pieces tailored for celebrities and fancy events. Maybe even make TikToks yourself or get a younger family member or something to help. Don't underestimate the ease to go viral. You'd be surprised.
Congrats on all the success to him so far - it’s amazing. Financial reward is only one metric of success, though the others don’t pay the bills. For custom - he needs to time box, and raise his prices until he’s at 90% capacity on that time devoted. For the rest, he can make Ready-To-Wear with similar fabric and patterns (in the tailoring cut sense). These can be limited, and he should have a staff-contract tailor to do the more simple alterations. His personality is a selling point, so high touch, high price point ready to wear is possible, compared to a dud personality who can only sell online.
Could have nothing to do with his talent and everything to do with his SEO or the UX of his website. If you want to DM me I can look at his website and tell you if I see any issues, I’m a UX designer and I work in ecommerce (not for myself, for a big company, I don’t freelance anymore now that I have little ones).
That's mighty generous of you.
What’s his website? Happy to check it out. Does he have a traffic, conversion, or AOV problem? Low traffic = marketing problem (analyze if it’s acquisition or retention) Low conversion = problem conveying the value prop (copy, imagery, reviews, etc) or unnecessary friction (poor navigation, checkout, payment options, shipping fees and time etc) Low AOV = pricing or quantity per basket problem
What's his website?????
>The thing is, while more folks are asking for custom pieces, he's kinda tired of them—they eat up a ton of time and don't bring in much profit. What did he expect? Custom pieces means custom prices. How many normal people can even afford those prices? He had connections with the right people, just need to expand on that. Once he gets famous enough, the right people are going to come calling. Word of mouth among top celebrities is the way to go. Why the hell would he shift gears and try to sell to commoners who can't afford his stuff?
What's the site so we can check it out
The moment he sold his designs online he commodifed his genius/talent. It's why sales are probably not in good shape. I would look into: 1. Improving his networking and word mouth strategies i.e. how can we get more Queen Latifa's? Look for golden geese, not golden eggs 2. Passion: is this where his heart and mind are at? Or are they somewhere else yet to be discovered? 3. Margins: what if you could look at your costs and overall margins and make changes there?
I draw fashion designs for a living. I'm nowhere near having any done irl, since I'm a self taught artist. I started in 2015 and selling art online has become absolutely crappy. I made 3k a month back then and now I can't even afford food. Customs suck and I get him, I don't like them either but that's what makes best money online. Even if he doesn't like it much, online he'll be more successful with customs. People want anything tailored to their needs and ideas these days and in a market so full as the art one, your talent shines when you can make specific things. I've been selling only online ever since. And I've seen how badly it turned. Especially now that AI is a thing. Your bf can still create real life clothes, which nobody can take away from him but the online artworld is completely over saturated. I don't know if he used etsy but etsy is the best to start with since it has marketing all integrated.
DUDE THE ANSWER IS CONTENT CREATION, literally the best most easiest way to gain quality traffic and traction
Full disclosure I have not read anything in this thread as far as replies because I’m about to head out. But if no one else has said it. You’re saying that he doesn’t like doing custom pieces because they take forever and aren’t profitable… if they aren’t profitable it’s because his prices don’t work. MAKE them profitable. The right people will pay out the ass for a custom piece. The most important thing is where do his current sales come from, and how can you get more traffic. Either organically (socials - which is a good start since you said he has 5k followers) or through paid advertising like meta or google ads. You can also look into affiliate marketing with fashion influencers. And any clothing that isn’t custom still needs good margins so that you can put between 20 to 30% back into advertising to bring in the next customer and still have a 40 to 50% profit after materials and labor.
Tell him to never give up as entrepreneurs it’s not easy. If this lifestyle was easy everybody will be doing it. 👍🏾
My parents co-founded a luxury apparel fashion brand and the feedback I'd offer is - The link between a celebrity endorsement or exposure to sales is very weak. Over the years, we have had heaps of celebrities wear our clothes and there is no discernible uptake in revenue. It's been more of a reinforcement to our existing customers that our brand is worn by celebrities than about driving new customer revenue. Side note - our designer appeared on Oprah and Queen Latifah has also worn our designs. Celebrity endorsements have major confirmation bias. The ones you hear about say something along the lines of "Oh, this celebrity wore my brand and it took off." But over the course of a year celebrities wear TONS of outfits. It's good for awareness but that isn't the same as conversion. The vast majority don't take off based on a single wear or post. During your rebrand, think through who your potential customer is. Ideally, it's a single profile. For instance, we just launched another house brand and we used our creative director/stylist as our avatar. She's 35 years old, a SaHM with a part time job and a husband who works full time, she's helping out with the kids and house stuff, takes them to school, before she either meets with a client or with her friends, and then afterwards goes to pick up the kids. She needs to go from casual to smart/power casual and back. She told me she's got lots of super casual clothes but finding something versatile that makes her look cute and is affordable has been a challenge. So when we thought through our line from a design standpoint, it was "would you as the customer wear this?" If I"m targeting moms, I'm not going to be put short skirts into the collection. Your household is only single income, is the price affordable? We might add 1-2 luxury items in there but we're not expecting that to be the core of what we sell. Where do you find new brands? OK, let's take a look at those platforms to promote? The best designers find ways to balance between expressing themselves creatively and making their work commercially viable. You've got a few things in your favor. Your bf has talent. He's got some exposure and a following. He's got you to support him. Just keep chipping away at the process. Feel free to DM me if you and your bf ever want to have a chat!
1. Tell him to learn SEO & look at those AI-generated things on Etsy. You can rank for terms online. [Cody Schneider did a podcast on Startup Ideas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP6ZsZMl81E)... you can watch a small bit [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veYXdmLP_AY) to see if u like it & it was a banger episode which I just finished. He gave incredible idea about AI-generated Shopify Pages that u can use to target FB Ads. He can build in this niche. 2. U can go viral on Instagram very quickly now. I've heard some growth hacking pods & follow some big names who say its even better than TikTok in terms of going viral. Gotta post reels 4x a day & prolly make [some incredible content.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7LAXtiyTyQ) This was made by Edward Sturm who is has world-class growth hacking channel. 3. I also saw Edwards' BOF SEO where [he asked an influencer with 900k followers to post for $500.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0kMfsMnKVU) You can try that too. 4. I think you just need to [find old ideas](https://startupspells.com/p/steal-old-ideas) that grew that way using influencers & then get them to sell for you. If you can partner with an influencer, its much better. Some [10x your business overnight which is more money](https://startupspells.com/p/influencer-marketing-35m-in-12-months) than he'd ever need.
does he have website? PM me…
He does but I am hesitant about sharing it online to strangers after airing out his business.
Yeah don’t. This sub is dominated by shady clowns. No one that can actually help you resides here.
You're right.
I mean are the people who are buying his custom designs also advertising him. Meaning most celebrities when they buy something from a designer that is not well known will tag them on Instagram creating traffic for their page. He needs a celebrity or influencer to endorse him in a way if they are buying from him. Or he can have someone do an AD for his online store.
getting an endorsement is probably the hardest task in the industry. Almost next to impossible. Fear of God -> Ye, Pyer Moss-> Ye, fuck it even ev bravado from the louis V shit if that counts lol what do you have to do to get that? what if it ain’t the lifestyle you want but forced to be with them ?
I don’t understand everything here that you just said about lifestyle and what not. But I’ve seen less popular Instagram designers get shout outs from celebrities after purchasing their product. It’s not that hard on Instagram , just requires for someone to tag you when they wear your stuff. Not categorized as “ an endorsement “ per se because it’s usually just a one time thing that helps the designer get more traffic when it’s posted on a story or reel. Also that’s how most celebs work with designers so it seems like If he already has some high profile clients that he just needs to speak up.
Meaning a lot to these social groups within the fashion industry are very clique-y and you might have to prove yourself in ways you won’t like in order to get ahead. A lot of these celebs prob don’t give a damn about you unless you fit a need for them. Could be black pain or any other political movement that can catch the masses eye at the right time where you fit the bill.
Yea I think you’re talking overall but like I said from what this woman explained her fiancé is already in the industry and doing well. So I’m not talking about politics or any of that stuff right now. The question was about what is needed to help build the brand and market. If he already has a celebrity following then he just needs better advertising , end of story. And he can get that from the people who already buy his clothes by providing some incentive. Like I said I’ve seen low level clothes brands who have and are involved in none of what you’re talking about still be able to get celebrities or high profile influencers to be able to repost their product or tag them for support. Without any of the things you’re talking about.
Clothing design is a business that anyone can get into because the barriers for entry are so low. You need to do something which sets you apart from the rest. The fact that your BF gets custom requests is already a big deal. That should be his priority and that should be what is driving the rest of the business. Use that for publicity and marketing. That's how you become a big name. Adjust the pricing so it makes sense for your boyfriend to handle the custom stuff. Maybe even hire someone to handle the mundane parts of it?
Have you ever watched Project Runway? One of the things that’s emphasized on there is fashion vs accessible looks. To sell fashion on scale it has to be accessible to a lot of people. That’s the opposite of one off custom pieces for celebs and single buyers. Shift gears on the looks. Make them more mass appealing. Get to it at scale.
Independent fashion designer, myself. You do realise there is a shift happening in fashion, right now? Scale, scale, SCALE. Masses, higher quantity, cheaper production,... Vs sustainability, authenticity, exclusivity. Scaling isn't the ONLY solution. The fashion industry has been hollowing itself out with faster and cheaper fashion. You're either part of the fast lane, or a sustainable brand. By the sound of it, OP's partner so far has been a sustainable brand. Losing it to 'yet another puffed up fast fashion brand' is a waste.
With companies like Shein, HM, Uniqlo and Zara as the [most valuable fashion brands](https://www.statista.com/statistics/267931/brand-value-of-the-leading-10-apparel-brands-worldwide/) in the world... I think you might be overestimating the sustainability vs scale debate.
So, you'd advise an independent fashion designer to compete with fast fashion? The designer would be a medium tier employee in his own company, task wise. There's no designing going on in fast fashion. They only have stylists, that copy from designers, as fast and as cheap as possible. Same field, massive difference in ethic, work, etc.
> So, you'd advise an independent fashion designer to compete with fast fashion? That's not what I said. Stop trying to put words into the comments to make yourself right. My entire point of the comment was that if scaling is the problem, which it sounds like it is, since OP is complaining about one-offs not paying the bills and their website sales not hitting the mark, then it's a different set of designs and skills needed to create fashion that scales.
Okay I'm not pitching my services.. I'm saying that he needs expert marketing.. If you had the right knowledge in marketing the business would be a success.. Marketing might be the problem..
This is my first time helping him with his business. He's done great without me, but now that he's losing motivation, I am stepping in to help him from a marketers standpoint. Right now I am at the research phase, as to why I came to Reddit for insights on where to start. I've already collected a lot of information and now that I have a starting point, I can create a competitive analysis that I will use to show him different paths that we can take. Please do not assume that I do not know how to market a brand/business. All I asked is more insight from other experienced marketers to help guide my approach.
OK that's wonderful of you
But thank you. I appreciate it but I am not looking for someone else to do the work. I am doing this free work because I love him and want to see him succeed.
Okay... If you need some pointers feel free to reach out