Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms

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SFD069 Launching a Sustainable Fashion Brand and Manufacturing in Bali Oct 01, 2018

Show notes

Do you want to create a sustainable fashion brand ...but feel like you’re on the outside edge of what is going on in the fashion world? It can feel as though no one will ever give you the answers to your questions or share their inside information or tips.

Well... good news, this isn't permanent. There are many ways to get the information and help you need to create your sustainable fashion brand. But it's probably not from the people or places you have been looking.

Hearing Eva’s story will give you a brand new outlook. It will change the way you look at your materials, products and production. She shares how her journey took a turn for the better and how she found an easier, much more inclusive environment to have her garments made and how she kept to her goal of including community into her sustainable fashion brand.

In the interview (which you’ll love) we cover:

Why knowing what you want to do from the age 16 doesn't always land you in the right college
How to make your college courses work for you
How working with startup and indie brands created a base knowledge for her future work
Why it’s important to have a photographer who already knows the model agency
How creating a profile on Model Mayhem led to her first shoot getting published
Why she decided to start making her own clothing
How she found her dream tailor in Bali
What deadstock fabrics are
How she uses studio sales to learn from her customers

Press the orange play button below to listen here, or listen on Apple Podcasts:

Eva Sheridan is the founder of her sustainable fashion brand EnoBlack. Her fashion brand encompases her passion for sustainability and community into one beautiful package. Offering people well designed, custom sizing and quality, unique fabrics she gives her customer an experience like no other brand can.

Like you, Eva started the line with no industry experience.

It all started in 2000 at Stanford University (with isn’t know for its fashion education) where she molded her degree to fit her career aspirations. A few years later, and she decided to start piecing together this dream she had of creating her own sustainable line. She quickly found this discouraging, no one in the States was willing to share their insights or tips with other designers.

Everything soon changed on her honeymoon trip to bali.

In Bali, she meet the perfect tailor who was willing to small batch one of her designs. She brought these dresses home and a couple extra intended to be gifts for friends. She soon had none left for herself, her friends bought up all of her dresses! So she returned to Bali to meet with her tailor again and see how she could build this relationship, and grow her brand.

Resources & People Mentioned

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SFD068: Fashion Design Career Advice on College, Why You're Not Getting the Job, Freelancing and Factories Sep 24, 2018

Show notes

Many of you have loads of Q’s about working in fashion…and I know it can be hard to find answers. Maybe you don’t know any industry experts to ask. Maybe your coworkers are tight lipped and not willing to share their secrets. Maybe you just don’t even know where to go. Which is why I’m excited to be back with another mailbag episode to give you fashion design career advice.Once a month, I answer your Q’s on the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast. This month, I’ll be giving my best advice on college, Why You're Not Getting the Job, Freelancing and Factories.(If you want to submit your Q, email it to me anytime at podcast [at] sewheidi [dot]com for consideration.)Here are the fashion design career advice questions I answer in this mailbag episode!

On getting the skills needed to get into college, and finding a good stylist tool, from Mila [1:28]

I want to study fashion design in college. But I’m afraid that I’m still not skilled enough to get in. I’m wondering if there’s any way to build up my skill so I’m confident and capable of getting in? And I’m in the process of getting a good stylist tool, and want to ask if there’s any good apps and programs for tablets for fashion design?

On the essential things to know apart from illustration and tech packs, from Mary [8:08]

I want to know what are the other essential things one needs to know apart from illustration and tech packs,and what do you recommend will be of help to us, lastly when you started what did you learn first that put you in that different light.

On how to get a job in the industry, from Noa 14:09

I am writing to you hoping you help. I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and majored in Accessories Design. I've since interned in a few places but now that I am looking for a permanent job in the industry I can't seem to land one. I'm getting interviews so I know my resume isn't the issue. I have a portfolio and I looked at your website to only use relevant-to-job designs yet I'm missing something obviously. I've used the websites for fashion, recruiters, and nothing seems to work. I was advised by my school not to have an online portfolio since people are more likely to steal ideas that way. I'm hoping you can help me in anyway by giving me direction or looking at portfolio which I can send you via email.

On common practices when working with a freelance client, from Austin 20:15

I have my first design client on the line, but I'm lacking confidence in formatting designs and how to present questions without letting on that I don't really know the drill!

I want to see some of their other designs to get a feel for how they are accustomed to seeing things presented. Is it common practice to ask my contact at the brand to pass them along to me?

On finding the right factory and pricing from your line, from Riaa 22:31

I managed to find a few suppliers that I have visited their factories before. I have sent them my designs and has asked them to quote me.

All of them, perhaps, knew my inexperience in the field, quoted me a very high price for samples and bulk production. Except one supplier - who is rated quite well on alibaba but I have never seen their factory before. I just happened to reply to one of their emails and they quoted me reasonable prices for my designs. The problem is i want top notch quality stitching. Should i be cautious that they are quoting me much lower than the rest? What would you do in my position?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Wacom **Update** There is an app called Astropad that lets you to turn your iPad into a drawing tablet for your Mac. Thanks @hollytylerdesign for letting me know about this :)
Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Portfolio (in a weekend)
Heidi’s Fashion Design Journey (with embarrassing photos)

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SFD067 Working with a Fashion Showroom Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

You finally have your design process down and your merchandise production down to a science and you feel like you’re ready to take on one of those big time retailers, but you have no idea how to reach them. You have no idea how to get your foot in the door of a fashion showroom, you're a little scared to hand over your fashion designs and trust them to a stranger.

Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it seems. You can find the right showroom sales partner to help you take your fashion line to the next level.

This is exactly what Purvi Kanji does for several designers from all over the country. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast she talks about her job and how she helps designers like YOU, get into their dream retailer.

In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover:

How to get your foot in the door of a fashion showroom
How to know if you’re ready to start building that relationship
What it means to fine tune your price point
What a fashion showroom sales representative can do for your brand
How your brand should look before working with a fashion showroom
How to get discovered by a fashion showroom
What the negotiation process looks like before working with a fashion showroom
Creating consistency from season to season and region to region
The importance of creating an experience for your customer

Press the orange play button below to listen here, or listen on Apple Podcasts:

Purvi Kanji is a showroom director of Place showroom, which is a full service sales and consulting agency. She works with independent, established and startup brands to find the best place for you to sell your fashion line in the crazy retail world.

Understanding just what you want and need is her specialty.

Purvi shares just how much effort she puts into finding the perfect place for each designers fashion line. She shares with us that every contract is designed around each designers needs and wants for their brand. And the more voice your brand has the easier it is for them to find the perfect fit for your fashion line.

Getting your foot in the door - it really can be simple.

She also shared with us that they find designers all over the place. In local shows, through mutual connections and the most common is, believe it or not, Instagram. This little world of squares isn't just about taking pretty pictures. It's a universal platform to completely brand yourself and get your designs in front of the eyes of some of the countries biggest branding and consulting agencies without spending a dime. They look here on a regular basis to find new talent and well curated brands.

Resources & People Mentioned

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SFD066 10 Easy Networking Tips (you can use today) to Get Ahead in Fashion Sep 10, 2018

Show notes

One of the best ways to get ahead in fashion - whether it's to get your first (or next) job or to launch your own fashion brand - is networking. Now, I know, no one really wants to "network".

But here's the thing:

You don't have to do that "networking" thing. Instead, you can just focus on making friends and having conversations. Once you build some of these simple habits into your daily life, opportunities will literally start falling in your lap.

I guarantee it.

Because - in case you didn't realize it - friends share resources and opportunities with other friends. So the next time you need a job or a desperate to find a new factory for production, if you have a network, you'll easily be able to reach out and ask someone for help.

In this Podlet episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, Robyn and I go through 10 easy networking tips you can use today. We reference examples of how other guests on the show have used these strategies, and share ideas about how you can use them.

In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, she walks us through how she created a surface pattern design brand using her one-of-a-kind vision and inspiration.

In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover these networking tips:

How to network online and build remote relationships...no matter where you live
How to easily stay in touch with your network so they think about you for opportunities
How to expand your network beyond the obvious "fashion designers"
What two tiny things you can do to stand out from everyone else
Why your attitude has a huge impact on whether people want you to be part of their "network"
How working together versus working alone will get you 10x further in life and your career
The importance of building your network with the expectation of getting nothing in return
How to get what you want...by asking for it
Why you need to pay attention to other people...and not just think about yourself

Episodes referenced:

Connect with cohost Robyn:

Learn more about Robyn and her publication, Heddlecraft Magazine.

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SFD065 How This Surface Pattern Designer Creates From Music Sep 03, 2018

Show notes

Are you an artist or designer who finds inspiration is everywhere, often in the most unexpected places? And do you ever feel stuck not knowing how to turn it into anything?

This is exactly what happened to Nadia Ricketts of Beatwoven, a textile and surface pattern designer who turned music into fabric.

In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, she walks us through how she created a surface pattern design brand using her one-of-a-kind vision and inspiration.

In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover:

Seeing sound within your surface pattern designs
Designing your own surface pattern technology when the industry doesn't provide it
Working with the last remaining silk weaving plant in the UK
How you can create collaborations with big brands
Wading through how to fund your dream project
Understanding the boundaries between copyright vs trademark
Working with lawyers to really understand your niche
Finding your focus between interior design and fashion design
The value of self development and keeping your surface pattern design dream alive

Press the orange play button below to listen here, or listen on Apple Podcasts:

Nadia Ricketts is an innovator in the world of surface pattern design. She took her college project and turned it into a brand. She has done partnerships with huge brands like Harrods to create unique textiles that combine surface pattern design with music.

Like you, Nadia started with an inspiration. An idea to change the way we look at music.

Yes, look at music! Nadia was a dancer for most of her young life. Music held a place in her heart and she enjoyed letting her body tell the story the music notes were playing. While finishing up her degree to become a textile designer she came up with an idea to integrate sound waves into her surface pattern designs.

Becoming an innovator in your field, it's not all fun and games.

She shares with us all about the background research that goes into creating something out of nothing. Licensing and the difficulties of wading through all the legal jargon and technicalities of copyright and trademark. The struggle of “getting things to work” and the importance of self development.

Resources & People Mentioned

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SFD064 Fashion Startup Advice on Creating, Manufacturing and Selling Your Designs Aug 20, 2018

Show notes

You’re someone who spends hours getting lost in a fashion idea, drawing and redesigning a garment over and over again until it’s just right. But once those ideas are perfected you’re not sure how to go from hand drawing on a napkin to holding that garment in your hands.

But you can wade through the uncertainty of becoming a startup fashion designer, your dream can come true!

Which is exactly what Anouchka Santella of Wear Gold clothing line did. And in this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, Heidi introduces you to her, where they talk about how she became a startup fashion designer.

In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:

How to take napkin drawings from concept to an actual product line
Finding a reliable team of seamstresses and pattern makers
Deciding to keep your garment production local and cost effective
Why you shouldn't be afraid to take risks with your first fashion Line
How to drive sales to your design website in a cost effective way
Why it's important to take the right margin on your final garments
Her decision to design something that would create less waste in our landfills
Why you shouldn't be ashamed of your retail price point
How she funded her startup fashion design brand
The importance of having the self discipline to get to the finish line slowly

Press the orange play button below to listen here, or listen on Apple Podcasts:

Anouchka Santella was a journalism major who has taken her pipe dream and made herself into a full fledged fashion designer with her startup fashion line called Wear Gold, in only 6 months.

Like you Anouchka Santella was just a girl with a passion for fashion design.

She had no experience or education in fashion design, pattern making or sewing, so she never thought she could become a designer. That was as big of a dream as becoming a “big music star or movie actress”. Like many designers she noticed a hole in the fashion marketplace that she wanted to fill. Where fast fashion is on the rise and so are the piles of garbage in the landfills, she wanted to create a line that would stand the test of time.

What's it like starting your own Fashion Design line - you might wonder?

She shares the trials and tribulations of creating a fashion line that is manufactured in her country of origin and keeping the price point reasonable. She shares some of her “ahh ha” moments about what it really costs to have clothing made and how flighty people in the industry can be.

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Bonus Episode: Aliexpress knocked off this fashion brand. Here's what they did. Aug 15, 2018

Show notes

Fashion designers worry all the time about how to protect their ideas. Unfortunately? Our industry doesn’t get much protection or have much control when it comes to knockoffs.

Grassroots brand Solstice Intimates has had their lingerie and loungewear ripped off before, both by independent designers and large trendy stores.

But the most recent incident with AliExpress took things to a whole new level.

Not only did AliExpress knockoff their ruffle short design. The seller stole images from the Solstice website to use for the AliExpress listing. The only change they made was the color:

Fashion designers worry all the time about how to protect their ideas. Unfortunately? Our industry doesn’t get much protection or have much control when it comes to knockoffs.

Grassroots brand Solstice Intimates has had their lingerie and loungewear ripped off before, both by independent designers and large trendy stores.

But the most recent incident with AliExpress took things to a whole new level.

Not only did AliExpress knockoff their ruffle short design. The seller stole images from the Solstice website to use for the AliExpress listing. The only change they made was the color:

In this mini episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, I chatted with Kat from Solstice to hear more about what exactly happened and how they handled the AliExpress knockoff situation.

She talks about how it all went down, how they protect themselves from other copycats, and how they’ve built a loyal following through exceptional customer service.

Resources & People mentioned

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SFD063 Mailbag: Fashion Design Career Advice on Samples vs Prototypes, Made to Order fashion and Textile Design Aug 13, 2018

Show notes

Many of you have loads of Q's about working in fashion...and I know it can be hard to find answers. Maybe you don't know any industry experts to ask. Maybe your coworkers are tight lipped and not willing to share their secrets. Maybe you just don't even know where to go. Which is why I'm excited to be back with another mailbag episode to give you fashion design career advice.

Once a month, I answer your Q's on the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast. This month, I'll be giving my best advice on industry terminology (samples vs prototypes), made to order fashion, trend research jobs, and textile design.

(If you want to submit your Q, email it to me anytime at podcast [at] sewheidi [dot]com for consideration.)

Here are the fashion design career advice questions I answer in this mailbag episode!

On the difference between prototypes and samples, from Samari [01:36]:

I was interested in knowing what is the difference between a prototype and a sample?

On how to break into fashion if you don't have a design background, from Antonio [07:08]:

I currently have a bachelor's degree in business and a year of work under my belt as a buyers assistant. I wouldn't say I have a background in design but I do draw very often especially on my iPad and just started learning Adobe Illustrator with the help of your videos. Do you think it would be worth it to go back to school for fashion design. I find I am not qualified for the design jobs I want and I am not sure how to get in the industry without a design background.

On getting a job as a trend forecaster, from Stamatina [10:18]:

I have an idea and wanted to know your opinion/feedback.

How amazing would be if I can find a job that is trend forecasting? Of course, I do love designing and I am getting ideas for my portfolio but I think ultimately - trend forecasting would be the next big thing I would love to do. I am trying to google information, and the requirements and even if companies are hiring. It's not so easy to find as, there are companies who do this specifically out there and are worldwide.

Could you offer any feedback?

On creating a "made to order" fashion brand, from Breanna [13:31]:

My name is Breanna and I am the owner and designer of Bre Nikole. I design pants for tall women, or at least I want to.

I'm struggling to find a manufacturer/cut sew factory as well as funding for production. I've building my brand for some years and I'm ready to put product out. Until I have the right funding, I was considering doing "Made to Order". What do I need to consider for myself and customers when doing "Made to Order"?

On learning textile design, from Karly [18:25]:

I subscribe to and love your podcast! And I signed up for your Illustrator class, but can't seem to find the time to learn it.

A little about me:

I am a working mom with you 2 baby boys.... I run a brick & mortar family business in which my favorite part is that I have fairly high end coastal boutique. I recently launched a website which I am growing slowly due to the fact that I am a one woman show who does everything myself. I am also "an artist" with lots of creative energy that I don't always get to use. My dream has always been to launch my own label that I can sell in my boutique and on the website. I want to design my own prints to digitally print. I find myself always wanting to take a first step towards this, but not sure what to do. Must I first learn Illustrator so that I can design my prints myself, or is there a way around this? I am considering hiring a consultant like I heard on one of your podcasts to help me get started, do you think this is a good idea? I have zero time, but feeling like I need to follow my dream asap!

Thank you for reading and THANK YOU for all that you do to support all of the people with fashion dreams!!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoyed this episode and have questions you want answered, email them to podcast [at] sewheidi [dot] com for consideration. I'll pick the best ones and include them in the monthly mailbag show.

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SFD062 Building a Profitable Baby Bag Fashion Brand with No Experience Aug 06, 2018

Show notes

Do you have ideas, big ideas that can change the way consumers use a specific fashion product? Do you spend all your time drawing up designs, getting feedback from friends and family and thinking of new ways to create ease of use for your consumer? Do you spend time wondering how you can build a profitable brand with no experience? Fashion retail is a tough industry to get noticed in, but you know you have the perfect product that is missing from the fashion market and your just not sure how to get it there.

You can make it happen for yourself! Taking a design and building a profitable fashion brand around it, is within reach as long as you're ready to take on the day to day business tasks of building a profitable fashion brand.

This is exactly what Claire Fuller did when she realized that UK retailers were not selling the perfect baby changing bag she was looking for. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast we will talk about her 10 year whirlwind story of building a profitable baby bag fashion brand with no experience.

In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover:

Conceptualizing your design ideas with no experience
Compiling customer feedback to ensure that her baby bag was exactly what moms needed
Working with a fashion seamstress/designer to bring designs to life
Why she decided to self fund her first retail orders
The importance of consumer markets/shows
Working through distribution of her fashion baby bag
Following regulations for making a children's product
Her strategies for researching the marketplace
The importance of taking classes and seeking guidance from people who have experience in the fashion industry
How she realized it was time to sell her brand and figuring out the perfect person to be a partner
Why she registered the brand name and trade name in China as well as the USA

Claire Fuller is an inventor and designer of the Babymule. She sells her brand in the UK and on amazon.

Like you, Claire started with only an idea but had no experience on how to turn it into a profitable baby bag fashion brand.

Claire started her career by working as a production manager for a local sculpture artist. This job prepared her for the design process of her baby bag because it required a lot of research and problem solving to get to that end goal. But nothing could completely prepare her for this major adventure she was about to embark on. She had just had her first baby and was in search of the perfect baby bag but she couldn't seem to find exactly what she was looking for. So she embarked on the journey of designing and producing her own profitable baby bag fashion brand with no experience.

What are the ins and outs of starting your own fashion brand?

She talks about everything from the design startup phase all the way to the production and distribution phase. She also shares some of the burdens that rain down once you have hit a peak in your business and you can no longer run this thing on your own.

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SFD061 Are You Ready to Quit Your Job for Your Fashion Startup Business? Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

You have had this full time corporate fashion job for several years. You’re comfortable where you're at, with benefits, income and stability. But you also have this “passion project” that you started as a creative outlet and it has turned into a fashion startup business. You spend all your free time designing, making, creating and problem solving in your craft.

But now you’re stuck. This fashion startup business has begun to flourish, your process has streamlined and your passion has grown and yet you’re still working your 9-5 fashion job. Figuring out where to go from here can be rather unnerving.

This is exactly what Jackie Ayres from Dyetology did. I am so excited to share with you how she QUIT HER DAY JOB FOR HER FASHION STARTUP BUSINESS and made it work.

In the interview (Which I know you’ll love) we cover:

The journey to finding your passion in the fashion industry
Turning your passion project into a profitable fashion business
Finding the energy to “do it all” when running your fashion startup
Why you should allow yourself to dream
How she used her corporate job to fund her fashion startup business
Feeling at peace with quitting your corporate fashion job
How to leave corporate life and move into entrepreneurship
Her thoughts on “doing the research” for yourself
Finding a mentor or support group established in the fashion industry
Why you have to ask yourself “do you love it” because no one else will

Jackie Ayres from Dyetology hand dyes textiles that she turns into scarves, shawls, skirts and tops. She spent 3 years organically growing her startup fashion business all while raising her son and working her full time corporate fashion job. Using this overlapping time to really learn what she liked about the hand dying industry and teaching herself what was needed to make it into a profitable business.

Like you, Jackie dreamed about her startup while working her corporate full time job.

She spent 14 years designing in the corporate world honing her talents and learning form the best in the industry. While climbing the corporate ladder she felt like her job was void of the kind of creative outlet that would leave her feeling passionate. So she started hand dyeing textiles out of her home and soon learned this was a passion project she wanted to turn into a full time career.

More than just a designer - how she would love to help you!

She loves to be transparent with her customers, followers and any one who asks for her advice about how she got to this point in her career that she is at. As long has you have the drive and have done the background research she is more than willing to help answer any questions you have about this scary transition from corporate life to small business owner. She hopes to break down some of the barriers that most of us face in the fashion industry when it comes to sharing helpful information.

Resources & people mentioned

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