Category: Fashion Brand
SFD054 Mini Episode: The Priceless Advice of “Know Thy Customer”
You’ve probably heard about the value of getting to know your customer. It helps you understand what they need and learn how you can solve their problems. And whether you’re an up-and-coming brand, a freelance fashion designer, or looking for a job in the fashion industry, you have a customer. It’s whoever is paying you for a […]
SFD051: Discover How One Fashion Design Entrepreneur Created a Flexible Direct-to-Consumer Business
Creating a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business in the fashion industry isn’t easy. Learn from serial entrepreneur and new fashion designer Allison Floam on this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer – I promise it’s an episode you don’t want to miss. Allison shares the story behind her latest business venture, Bello Belts. The company specializes in […]
SFD048: How An Amazing Eco Friendly Clothing Brand Was Built On The Passion Of One Woman
Contact Heidi: podcast (at) SuccessfulFashionDesigner.com If you need a shot of inspiration, you’ve got to hear this conversation with my guest Elle – the creator and designer behind Ellerali, an eco friendly clothing brand built solely on the passion of its founder. Elle wasn’t educated as a designer, she was trained as a marine biologist. […]
SFD046: How to Authentically Engage with Your Audience for Fashion Entrepreneurs
As fashion creatives, we think if we come up with the world’s most brilliant design, it will just sell itself. If we just put up an ecommerce site, people will flock to it and buy our beautiful designs. Unfortunately… it doesn’t work that way. You can create the best product in the world, but if you don’t strategically attract […]
SFD045: How to Plan a Fashion Photoshoot (step by step)
There are a lot of variables to consider to plan a fashion photoshoot. And in this interview, fashion photographer Kristen Walther and I cover all of them. From casting models to getting the right hair and makeup, and finding a perfect location to planning for a smooth day, we go through the entire photoshoot process, step by step. You’ll love […]
SFD044: This Company Runs their Fashion Brand like a Tech Startup (and they’re crushing it)
Do you ever feel like the fashion design and development process moves at a snail’s pace? We often work years and multiple seasons ahead, and by the time product is delivered, it’s easy to feel like it’s already outdated. Voormi thinks about things differently, and they’re pushing the boundaries and timelines that fashion takes. What takes many […]
SFD042: Surviving Failure and Competing Against Huge Fashion Brands
“But I’m just one person. It’s hard competing against huge fashion brands out there?” It can feel really hard to launch your fashion line when you’re just one person. Which is why you have to persevere and you have to find support somewhere. And I know I sound all fluffy inspirational here…which is pretty out of […]
SFD041: How to Set Up Your Fashion Brand Successfully, from Samples to Production
Tricia runs her fashion studio, Hello World Fashion, in DTLA. With more than a decade of experience in the industry designing, sourcing and doing production, she can help you set up your fashion brand successfully, from the entire design through development process, including sampling and production. One of the things I love most about how Tricia runs her studio is her […]
SFD040: Behind the Scenes with 7 Fashion Industry Professionals
It’s not often we literally go this far behind the scenes of the fashion industry on the podcast. But when the Outdoor Retailer trade show landed in my backyard (Denver), I knew I had to show up with my recorder to capture impromptu podcast interviews. Now, if I’m honest, doing this made me pretty anxious… You see, schmoozing in real life makes me […]
SFD039: How to Start Your Clothing Line with No Experience
If you have no fashion industry experience, it can feel really daunting to try and start your own clothing line. Where do you source materials? How do you find factories and manufacturers? How do you sell your line to retail shops? But if you go slow, do your research, and have some patience, you’ll discover you can get […]
SFD038: Hard Lessons Learned From a Career in Fashion
Stamatina is a designer who finally gave up on her fashion career dream, and wanted to share her fashion career lessons. Now, I don’t want to start this episode with a negative tone. Or make you feel like you too will have to give up on your fashion dream. But I wanted to bring Stamatina […]
SFD031: Behind the Scenes of an $87k Kickstarter Launch
Sarah Coronado takes us behind the scenes of her $87,000 Kickstarter campaign. Learn first hand how to launch a fashion brand on Kickstarter including how to prepare for your campaign, what to do to make sure it’s successful, and how to keep up momentum after it ends. With no fashion background, experience or contacts, Sarah […]
SFD030: How to Get Press Coverage & Publicity for Your Clothing Line
From figuring out what magazines to pitch to, what your email should say, and what to do if you don’t hear back, learn exactly how to get press coverage for your brand (even if you have no contacts, no budget, and no training).
SFD027: Curled up in a Ball Crying: How Community Can Save You
Making it as an indie fashion designer is emotionally, mentally and financially brutal. And trying to do it alone is even harder. Which is why I love this episode with Nathalie Kraynina, an indie ready-to-wear fashion designer turned custom bridal designer who has built her brand by working with other designers. Sharing resources like factories […]
SFD026: How Millennials Are Giving the Fashion Industry a Better Name
Liz Segran covers fashion at Fast Company, a world leading progressive business magazine. She’s interviewed hundreds of industry professionals, and in this week’s episode, I turned the tables and interviewed her. In our chat, Liz shares her interesting perspective of how the fashion industry is changing at the hand of millennials and what that means […]
SFD025: Make the Most of A Fashion Sourcing Trade Show for Your Clothing Line
Attending a trade show is expensive, so before you go, make sure you’re fully prepared. Get industry expert advice from Trish of DG Expo to make the most of your trade show visits. Learn what mistakes you should avoid, and how to walk away with the right fabrics, trims and contacts for your clothing line. […]
SFD022: Why We All Must Ask: Who Made My Clothes?
Carry Somers is founder of Fashion Revolution – a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. If you’ve seen the “Who Made My Clothes” sign that millions of consumers, brands and producers have shared on social media, then you know what Fashion Revolution is doing. Simply put, they’re asking […]
SFD021: How to Get Funding for Your Fashion Startup
Billie Whitehouse has been called the Elon Musk of Fashion. In just 4 1/2 years, she’s launched multiple successful wearable tech products. Her most recent, Nadi X, is a line of activated yoga apparel that listens & responds to your body. In the interview, Billie shares her valuable lessons learned about getting funding, advice for […]
SFD020: The Step by Step Guide to Fabric Sourcing for Your Fashion Brand (with low minimums)
Do you know what the biggest mistake startup fashion designers make when fabric sourcing? They buy from retail shops (like Mood and other NYC garment district stores) which means you’re overpaying and wasting money. Learn exactly where you to source low minimum fabrics (and trims) for your fashion brand. Jay shares his 30+ years of […]
SFD019: Clothing Manufacturers in the USA: A Good Choice vs Overseas?
One of the hardest decisions a startup designer has to make is choosing clothing manufacturers in the USA vs going overseas. But what if I told you US production is starting to compete with overseas prices? And lead times are WAY faster? And minimums are MUCH lower? Learn how (and why) you should choose Made […]
