By Sarah Smith

Have a dream of working with clothes? If you consistently find yourself drawn to the fashion section of magazines, it’s safe to say that you may aspire to be a figure in the fashion industry. While some pursue a career in fashion advertising, public relations or celebrity styling, others hope to one day have their own line of clothing, accessories or shoes.

Many young girls dress their Barbie dolls in outfits, but what about the young adults who want to dress consumers in their creations? If you are brilliant at piecing together outfits and have an eye for color, you very well may have a bright future in apparel design. Pink & Black is here to provide some handy tips to help you achieve your fashion aspirations.

Some of the most successful designers started at the bottom and worked their way up. To achieve your own label, you must have perseverance and confidence. You must also have self-confidence and know that your designs are valuable and worth the effort.

Vision and Name
First, you must come up with a vision and name for your line. Whether you are making hairpieces, heels, jewelry or tops, you want to have a label in order to credit them as yours. After you have a name for your line and an idea of what type of clothing, accessory or shoe you will create, it is time for the artistic part.

Create Your Trademark Product
This is when you must use your inspiration to set your product apart from all the others that are on the market today. Be unique and innovative. Use materials no one would ever think to use in jewelry or come up with a new “cut” for a shirt.

Reach Out to Boutiques
Once you have found your trademark piece, it is time to get it out there. Start small. Approach the buyers/owners of small boutiques and sell your merchandise wholesale or consignment style. Create a contract and make your agreement official.

Advertise and Market Your Good
Make business cards. Utilizing media to make your line look more professional will encourage buyers. Create a website for your product. Let social media spread your line by blogging about your pieces and sharing pictures of them over Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. Begin to sell through your personal website or use other sites like eBay and Etsy.

Make a “Look Book”
If you are interested in distributing merchandise to stores larger than a small boutique, send the buyers a “Look Book.” A “Look Book” will act as a catalogue. Buyers will like this form of presentation because it gives them a clear picture of what your product is. Be sure to include prices, dimensions and descriptions.

Make Appearances at Trade Shows
If you are serious about housing your line in a large department store or selective boutique, trade shows and conferences are great ways to build connections with the sales reps of large companies.

Use these steps to get started building a fashion line of your very own. Who knows…one day you could be the next Coco Chanel or Lilly Pulitzer. You will never know if your fantasy is destiny unless you work towards making it a reality. Good luck!

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