Making mistakes, especially when you start something new, is normal. But some can probably easily be avoided. So, here are the top 20 mistakes new fashion startups and fashion designers tend to do.
I certainly did some of them or withness other fashion startups or designer make them.
There is power in knowing. And with this list, maybe you’ll be able to avoid the most common mistakes fashion startups do and have a smoother launch.
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Mistake #1: Underestimating manufacturing times
Manufacturing often takes much longer than expected. It’s best to assume that there is always delay and give yourself extra time to find solutions in case something happened. It can also help you avoid embarrassing situations with clients.
When you’re a young designer or fashion startup, your production is definitely the top priority of a manufacturer. If a well-know brand places a high volume order with your supplier, you can be pretty sure that this order will take priority over yours.
On top of that, raw materials, fabrics, zippers, buttons, accessories can take between 3 days to 6 months to arrive. Often times, manufacturing does not begin until all of the needed pieces have arrived.
If something is missing, whether it’s raw materials or administrative documents, don’t rely on your supplier to call you. In 90% of cases, they won’t. Most of the time, they will tell you that something is missing only when you call.
Mistake #2 : Not incorporating or choosing a legal form that doesn’t suit your needs
To place orders and be taken seriously by suppliers, you often need a professional entity.
If your end goal is building a brand, consider incorporating. This will professionalize your business and give you credibility.
Do not hesitate to seek advice from a chartered accountant, a CPA, notary or a lawyer to choose the legal form that best suits your personal situation and your ambitions.
Mistake #3 : Not investing in branding
A good logo, a nice graphic charter, good communication tools are important in the fashion industry.
In fashion, shoes, leather goods or accessories, you sell dreams. If your logo, your brand name, your brochures or your photos leave something to be desired, you will have more difficulty in retaining and getting a client to join your project.
Image plays a major role in this sector. Also, it is worth investing a little to have a professional logo, a graphic charter and above all beautiful, clear, attractive and non-pixelated photos.
Mistake #4 : Not learning the textile and fashion jargon
Finding the right suppliers is not easy. It’s even one of the hardest things when starting out.
There are also many designers who have to constantly find new suppliers because some failed them in the middle of the project or are just not skilled enough to produce the desired designs.
To convince suppliers, it is important to speak the same language as them. And when you don’t know the industry jargon, they can tell right away that you haven’t been in the business for long. Not only don’t you ask the right questions, omit important points, but you also don’t give a professional vibe.
Mistake #5 : Not negotiating with the suppliers
Just because you’re new and only have a small brand doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate.
Sometimes, you might be so happy to have found a supplier who accepts you that you do not negotiate anything at all. So, you end up with high production costs, which raise your prices and lower your margin.
Note that the price is not the only thing you can negotiate. You can negotiate deadlines, the materials or the services included.
Mistake #6 : Choosing the wrong suppliers
Trusting the wrong partners and suppliers can lead fashion startups to failures.
A poorly skilled stylist, an inadequate workshop, a supplier who never answers you can quickly lead to delays and trouble. Fashion startups have no time nor money to waste.
Before committing, remember to ask the right questions and even get a second opinion on it.
Mistake #7 : Producing large quantities right from the beginning
The first collection is often the one we have the most trouble selling. This is normal. When you don’t have any order history, you don’t have any data on what your client likes best and least. In other words, you have no idea which sizes are best selling or which styles our customers appreciate (even if you did your market research before).
And sometimes we even pick the wrong target market.
Inventory costs money, and can become a source of stress. Unsold inventory depreciates and requires storage space. Depending on how many items you have, it can get very expensive.
Therefore, when you are starting out, have as little quantity as possible made.
Mistake #8 : Listenning to everyone’s pieces of advice
Everyone loves to give advice. Your friends, family and those close to you are no exception.
However, these people are not necessarily the best mentors. Are they entrepreneurs? Have they created something in the past? If the answer is no, take what they say to you cautiously.
If they are among your target customers, listen to their opinions on your product and act accordingly. Otherwise, don’t do anything.
Mistake #9 : Projecting your limiting beliefs on your clients
You are not necessarily your customer.
Be careful not to project your own beliefs on your target customers.
The value of money, for example, can be very different from person to person. For some people, $100 is a lot while to some other, it’s like pocket money.
Likewise, what is beautiful for you may not be for your audience.
Mistake #10 : Wrongly calculating your sale price
Quite often, creators, fashion designers or fashion startups price their products depending on the market price, even before knowing what their costs are. While you could do so, it might not be a good idea all the time.
Indeed, if you do not have enough margin to cover your fixed costs and invest, you will quickly run into cash flow problems.
Likewise, if you haven’t considered and factored in some distribution costs or fixed costs, you may find yourself working like crazy for nothing.
Mistake #11 : Not thinking about the packaging experience
People like what is beautiful. In an era where we talk about eco-responsible, it may seem paradoxical to budget a lot on packaging. But, a good packaging is essential to sell.
It gives character and makes the product even more irresistible.
In addition, it is necessary to be able to give the customer a way to transport his or her newly purchased product easily,
And the more expensive the product, the more the customer will expect the packaging to look luxurious.
Mistake 12 : Believing that being a sustainable clothing brand is enough
Being ethical, sustainable, eco-responsible is a must these days.
This is an additional selling point, which sometimes helps close the sale. But that’s rarely what will attract and convince the customer.
If your product is eco-responsible but ugly and impractical, you will have a hard time selling it.
Mistake #13 : Not communicating enough
Just because you have a great product doesn’t mean it’s going to sell on its own. Communicating is important and most fashion designers or fashion startups don’t do it enough, if at all.
Communicate from day 1. On day 1, you are stress free. When you have your products, the anxiety of not selling is much more pressing and will potentially make you take bad decision.
Moreover, developing a good reputation takes time. It usually takes 7 interactions between your brand and your potential customers before they decide to buy. Also, the sooner you communicate, the better.
Mistake #14 : Spending all your time on Instagram
Having lots of Instagram followers doesn’t necessarily mean you’re selling. There are many brands that have thousands of followers and yet are not selling a lot and are not profitable.
First of all, Instagram is not the best source of traffic. Like any social network, Instagram allows you to connect with your audience. However, it is not a discovery network (unless you spend a lot of money in instagram ads). There are other channels that are much more effective than Instagram for client acquisition. It should not be neglected but do not spend all of your time on it.
Indeed, we can quickly find ourselves spending our days on Instagram. But is this really what works the most for you? Don’t get stuck on Vanity metrics.
Mistake #15 : Overpaying to be featured in a magazine
When you are a fashion creator and you do great things, the press quickly approaches you to offer you “advantageous placements” in their media.
Some will tell you how they can give you a nice quarter page in their magazine for a few thousand bucks and how this can build your notoriety. But of course, they can’t give you any stats or proofs that it works. It’s confidential and to make it work, you will need to invest some more.
Do not get fooled. If the media thinks your product is fantastic, they’ll talk about you without you having to pay.
(Warning: that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in media relations. It’s something different and it’s worth it if you do it right)
Mistake #16 : Showing up poorly prepared at a tradeshow
There are several trade shows that allow you to showcase your brand to potential buyers.
Who’s next, wsn impact, First class, Lingerie fair, Home and object …
But it’s pointless to go if you don’t arrive prepared. Market stands are generally quite expensive. On top of that, you will need documentation, an impactful staging, well-promoted products and a good location. Otherwise, it’s a waste of money.
Mistake #17: Mismanaging your cash flow
Having cashflow is key especially in this industry.
You must design and prototype a collection, thus invest before you can even sell the one you have right now. R&D costs a lot and takes time.
If you don’t have enough cash, you won’t be able to scale your brand. Besides, the lack of cash flow is the number 1 reason most businesses close and go bankrupt.
Mistake #18 : Not investing enough
Conversely, if you do not invest in your brand, it will not be able to develop.
Money calls for money. To earn $1000, you have to be able to spend $10. To reach $100,000 , you have to be able to spend at least $10,000.
If you don’t invest in communication, innovation or new collections, your brand will stall and quickly fade into oblivion.
Mistake #19 : Staying alone
Entrepreneurship is not a straight line. It’s a multitude of ups and downs. It’s living on a constant roller coaster and it’s emotionnaly difficult.
In the same day, you can have one great news and two very demoralizing ones. If you are not well surrounded and have a strong mindset & drive, you can easily fall into depression and make fatal mistakes for your business.
So, try to connect with other entrepreneurs and fashion startups who understand what you are going through. You can learn from them, support each other and maybe, you will even find opportunities to work together.
Mistake #20 : Not taking care of yourself
Your primary work tool isn’t your computer or your sewing machine, it’s you.
No business, no brand is worth sacrificing your health! It’s bad for you and bad for your brand too.
Every once in a while, it’s important to take a break, have some fun and get off the hook. The world won’t stop turning because you have a night out or a weekend.
You are your most important capital. So, take care of yourself.
Here are 30 different client acquisition sources you can use to promote your clothing brand and thus, increase your turnover.
Creating beautiful clothes, with style and originality, is good. Successfully selling them is better.
There are many stylists and artisans who create very beautiful things but still fail to market them and develop their brand awareness. If you are a stylist yourself and / or have your own brand, you might know something about it.
So check out these 30 client acquisition sources and try them out!
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1 – Social networks
We start with the most obvious. Social networks are undoubtedly a very good way to communicate around your brand, your history and to unite a community. They can be used as much for discovery as for customer loyalt
Among the most important social networks for fashion, we note among others Instagram, Facebook but also Pinterest or Tik Tok. Other networks exist. Those to be favored then depend on the target audience.
A good content and community management strategy is important to ensure growth and visibility
2 – Social media ads
On social networks, it is also possible to advertise. They appear as “sponsored” posts. You have probably seen it happening if you surf the networks from time to time.
Instagram ads, facebook ads, pinterest ads, twitter ads… each platform has its own advertising system and its own specificities.
In general, with the right settings (or the right web marketing agency), you can really reach your target audience. It takes a bit of knowledge and practice, so if you don’t know your stuff at all, don’t hesitate to call in the specialists.
3 – SEM
SEM or even Search Engine Marketing are text ads found on search engines like Google.
These are ads that appear based on the keyword typed in the search engine bar. The main benefit to using this client acquisition source is that it responds to queries from people who are doing an intentional search. People are actively looking for a solution and if your brand responds to it, it’s a winning customer.
If you are in children’s fashion for example, it may be interesting to create ads to appear when people type in keywords such as “children’s clothing”, “baby clothing”, “birth gift”…
4 – Display or programmatic Ads
SEA stands for Search Engine Advertising. SEA are all the advertising techniques used on websites and search engines to develop visibility. This includes the SEM seen earlier, but also the use of banner displays for example on sites.
Google Shopping too, which allows a pictorial / catalog ad to be displayed in response to shopping queries is one of them.
This type of traffic source is particularly effective in increasing brand awareness.
5 – Blogs and guest blogging
Another interesting client acquisition source to exploit is guest blogging with blogs that belong to your sector. If some bloggers promote styles that are similar to yours, you can try pitching your brand to them with the goal of getting them talking to their community.
If you are in the ethical fashion industry for example, you can try contacting blogs that talk about responsible fashion to talk about your project.
6 – Influencer marketing
Just like SEA, influencer marketing can be an effective lead source for your clothing brand.
Several fashion brands have exploded thanks to this. Sézane very quickly had many influencers who spoke about the brand. Their notoriety grew very quickly thanks to this. Similarly, Off-White, the brand of Virgil Abloh, the former stylist of Kanye West, has become a flagship to overtake Gucci. Thank you Kardashians-Jenner!
In a slightly ancillary field, the watch brand, Daniel Wellington, gained fame only through influencer marketing.
You have to choose your influencers well, but in fashion, they undeniably have a key role to play.
7 – Star endorsement
Very much in line with influencer marketing, you can use stars to promote your brand or even associate yourself with it.
The reason that LVMH group luxury brand Fenty has taken off so quickly is largely because it is worn by the popular and famous Rihanna.
Not within reach of all budgets, we grant you. But if you have knowledge that is well-placed in the business and that matches your brand, don’t hesitate to call on them.
8 – SEO
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is about optimizing your entire website to make it friendlier for search engines.
SEO can be quite technical and time consuming. This is a long-term client acquisition source because it might take months to be well referenced for a particular keyword. However, if you do a good job with your SEO, it can bring you more and more traffic and organic notoriety, and ultimately at a lower cost.
9 – Content marketing/ inbound marketing
Content marketing not only improves SEO but also brings your brand to an audience looking for information.
Indeed, a good content strategy allows by creating relevant content to answer the questions of your target. Not only is it good for your SEO but your community will like it if you provide good content. By the way, feel free to check out our content batching guide if you need to create a lot of content.
10 – Email
An email is direct contact with a customer. It is a known, tested and a well approved methods among all the client acquisition sources. With the new privacy laws, you obviously cannot send emails without the person having first given their consent.
This is less true when it comes to a generic email from a company, for example. Also, if your brand targets businesses, emails can be a great way to market your product.
In addition, some companies, especially the media, have offers that allow partners to be highlighted in their newsletters sent to subscribers. Do not hesitate to take a look at the media kits of the media that interest you.
11 – Viral marketing
Creating buzz around your brand is a great way to promote it. Le Slip Français, for example, created an incredible buzz during the 2012 election campaign by hijacking posters of presidential candidates. “Slip’s change is now!”
In less than 6 days, their parody video had been viewed more than 40,000 times, thus doubling the number of visitors to their site.
Creating buzz and virality isn’t easy, but if you are successful you will definitely make history. Where it is to your advantage is that when you are a stylist or a fashion designer, breaking codes or being original is your core business. Also, it is absolutely within your reach.
12 – Business development
Business development is not for the fashion industry a simple lever. It is more obvious if, for example, you are selling a service.
To put it simply, business development is the art of forging strategic or even exclusive relationships with partners in order to attract customers of interest to both parties.
Example: If you offer styling services, teaming up with a pattern maker or a seamstress can be a winning relationship that earns you both revenue. Indeed, your customer may be the customer of the business with whom you are partnering.
For a B to C fashion brand, this could be a partnership with a concept store for example.
13 – Affiliation
Affiliation is a very powerful potential source of clients. This is about giving commissions to prescribers of your service based on the number of people they bring you.
Take an example with a case of affiliation with a YouTuber or a fashion advice site. They talk about your brand to their audience and refer them to you thanks to an affiliate link that you will have created to follow the results. Each 1000 people brought to your site for example, or for each customer brought, you pay them a sum or a percentage of sales defined in advance.
Much like in business development, you create a win-win relationship that can promote your clothing brand.
14 – Sales
Customers attract customers. Have you noticed that when you have a lot of customers in a store, you immediately feel a little more inclined to walk into them? It piques your curiosity and makes you want to know what attracts so many people.
This is why in some countries, such as the United States or Japan, we pay people to queue to attract others.
So making good sales, having many customers can also be a good way to get people talking about your brand and attract other customers.
15 – Word of mouth
Likewise, offering the right service and a good product to the right customer helps build brand awareness. A happy customer will be happy to talk about their experience and recommend you. There is nothing better than word of mouth to build your brand awareness.
Note, however, that this is a double-edged sword. Indeed, a happy customer will tell about your brand to 2 or 3 of their friend. On the other hand, a dissatisfied customer will be eager to tell to more than ten people about their bad experience. And with social networks, it can go very quickly!
16 – Brand collaborations
You could also do collaborations with brands that share similar values but different target audiences or have the same audiences.
That way, your fashion brand will be exposed to the other brand’s audience. And you might just gain new clients afterwards.
However, do note that it needs to work both way for a collaboration to be successful.
17 – The distribution network
Being distributed in several stores in several corners of France can allow you to promote your brand (and increase your sales!).
In some cases, boutique distribution when it comes to Galaries Lafayettes or Printemps can even turn out to be more of a communication operation than a means of making money as the constraints are so high.
But by multiplying the points of sale, you increase the chance that your brand is seen.
18 – Pop up stores
Participating in a pop-up is a way to reach out to customers and present your products. Not all pop ups are created equal and it’s important to put in place a real communication strategy around them if you don’t want to waste your time.
The choice of location and timing is also key.
19 – Creators’ markets or christmas markets
If your brand is suitable and is more artisanal, you can consider designer markets or Christmas markets to market yourself. Those who attend are often looking for new products, gift ideas and emerging designer
20 – Trade shows
If you want to make your brand known to a professional audience of buyers with the idea of selling B2B and wholesale, trade shows are a good way to introduce yourself.
In France, the Who’s next, the lingerie show and the Première Classe show are still relevant. The Impact fair and the Made in France fair are gaining notoriety. Check with your federation which ones may be of most interest to you.
Organizing a trade show is a significant investment and it requires preparation.
21 – Fashion showrooms
Joining a fashion showroom allows you to present your brand to a range of buyers. Showrooms can be interesting to study if you want to expand internationally.
22 – Commercial agents
As with showrooms, hiring a sales agent is especially relevant if you want to promote your brand abroad.
23 – Press relationships
Media relations is the whole process of getting journalists to talk about your brand organically. In fashion, many big brands have developed their notoriety through this.
This consists of creating press kits and interacting regularly with journalists in order to provide them with news about your brand. Maintaining press relations requires interpersonal skills and is very time consuming because you have to regularly renew your contacts. There also needs to be material and stories to tell, such as a launch or a fashion show.
It’s a real job, so don’t hesitate to entrust the task to a pro!
24 – Ads in magazines, online magazines or newspapers
Magazines and newspapers are largely funded by advertising. You may, in fact, decide to buy an entire page of advertising to promote your brand.
Be careful, this can quickly become expensive! ¼ of a page can quickly cost around $ 5,000 as a guide and the price depends on the audience and the style of the magazine. So, keep it for a development or a scaling period when you know you can invest.
However, if you pick the right magazine, it can help you develop or affirm your brand image. Smaller magazines also offer more attractive prices.
25 – TV ads
We mention it anyway, even though it is far from within the reach of most designers and small brands.
TV advertising still has an impact today, especially as there are audiences like seniors who have not yet fully gone digital.
26 – Product placement
Product placement is about having your piece used in a movie or series.
27 – Billboards
Billboards are a good way to build awareness if you are looking to market yourself to a local clientele. Keep in mind only passers-by and local clients will see the poster or panel.
One immediately imagines the large billboard in the metro or near the highway. However, it could very well be a small poster plastered in small signs in the neighborhood you are targeting. And if you’re in a small town, maybe it can cost less than you think.
28 – Flyers
Distributing flyers can also be a way to build awareness of your brand. This is not suitable for all levels of the range. In addition, the flyer must be really impactful and provide real added value to attract the attention of the person or risk being thrown in the first trash.
But if you have events or if you are organizing a pop-up, this can be a lever to test.
29 – Conferences
Attending conferences as a speaker can help you build awareness of your brand. There is probably no better person to talk about your product and your fashion vision than you.
Plus, it also positions you as an expert. Developing your own personal brand can also positively impact your clothing brand. If you like to talk and are comfortable in public, consider the maneuver.
30 – Podcasts
Finally, you can also approach podcasts with the aim of getting people talking about your clothing brand and / or your expertise. Podcasts are on the rise and increasingly popular these days.
Is starting a clothing brand a dream of yours ? Are you maybe looking into develop a fashion marketplace, a tailor-made service, a clothing rental or any other service related to fashion?
If so, don’t wait until everything is perfect to talk about it. Yes, it might be scary. However, here are 7 reasons why it makes sense to start communication on your project as soon as possible.
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1 – Is there a market for my idea?
If you have an idea in mind and are looking to meet the needs of a certain class of people, communicating early on allows you to see if there is a real need and a potential market fit.
Is the demand already there or will it have to be created?
Are there already people looking for the type of clothing or the service you are about to offer?
Are the searches local or international? In what language do the interactions or transactions take place?
These are the questions you might want some answers early in your journey.
2 – To co-create your product or service with your target audience and collect data
By communicating as soon as you can around your product or service, it gives you the chance to co-create or make adjustments with people in your potential target audience.
This can allow you, for example, to quickly find ready-to-try-out models so that you can easily adjust measurements or volumes.
These people can also tell you if the fabrics are comfortable to wear or if, on the contrary, there is discomfort somewhere. They can even help you in choosing the style or the fit that would work best.
Likewise, if you offer a service, your first audience can help you spot potential issues before you launch it.
3 – It enables you to grow an engaged community
When entering fashion today, developing a loyal and strong community is key to success. This is what can potentially make the difference with the big guys in the industry who have huge financial means to be seen.
With a loyal community, getting known becomes a little less difficult because if they like you, they will speak well about you to other people. This will allow you to grow organically and at a lower cost.
And to create that community, sharing behind the scenes can be a good way to start building it. It makes people feel like they are part of the adventure and makes them more involved.
4 – To develop some buzz before your launch
By communicating early on, you can start to generate buzz around your product or service.
The big luxury houses, for example, do not wait for the fashionweeks to communicate about the hiring of a new designer or a new art director, for example.
Creating a buzz creates envy. By creating some expectation, you make your product and service desirable. This can help you build demand and get people talk about your brand or new service.
Additionally, when starting a clothing brand, you might want to organize some physical events either to sell or to promote the brand. In that case, communicating early can help you fill seats and secure an audience for your events and thus, ease your stress.
5 – To attract the first potential customers
Communicating well upstream of the project also helps attract and identify potential customers.
And having customers quickly is very beneficial for a business that is just starting out.
You can even do pre-orders or pre-sales. Success attracts success. Likewise, customers attract customers. Because in people’s minds, having customers already probably means that your product or service is good.
6 – To convince business partners to jump on the bandwagon
Having a communication and / or digital presence already in place is a reassuring indicator for a business partner. It shows your seriousness and the desire to turn the project into reality. It fits him into the concrete.
Also, communication can help you convince and even attract new business partners. Whether it’s boutiques, distribution, fabric suppliers or freelancers, it sends a signal of trust with the person you want to work with.
7 – Last but not least, to reassure and motivate you
Indeed, starting a clothing brand or a fashion service is hard and stressful. Therefore, communicating quickly and interacting with people in the industry can make you feel like things are moving forward. You can have small victories, and even very concrete and useful information for the future.
It’s all about mindset. The life of a fashion designer is composed of high and low moments. So, seeing a progression in what you are doing and interacting with people on the project can help you stay the course.
Are you afraid to talk about your fashion brand? Well, you shouldn’t be. In this article, we demystify the 6 most common reasons why you might be scared to talk about your fashion brand project.
First, you’ll see, there is no reason why you should be scared. Secondly, it might be counterproductive not to talk about it.
If you have this idea, chances are others have had it too. And in this case, it is rather a good sign because it reveals that there is a need for your product.
In addition to that, if you have competitors, it means that the market is already or being educated.
Moreover, if you design boho dresses, having competitors who already make bohemian dresses can create a fashion snowball effect. Women will see more and more people wearing boho styled dresses. This will create desire and these women will want to wear them too.
They will then search the internet and they may come across your fashion brand project.
Conversely, if no one has realized this idea, perhaps it is because technically there is a problem which prevents its realization. And even then, it’s good to know that before you start because you can better prepare yourself.
Finally, an idea is worth nothing without execution. It’s execution that changes everything and brings your idea to life. Even if someone takes your idea from you, if you do it better than it does, you will always come out a winner.
2 – What if I’m being copied
Fashion is a world of copies. In a way, this is how fashion and trends are created. Fashion dupes, does that mean anything to you?
After the Fashionweeks’ catwalks, all the ready-to-wear brands sell haute-couture inspired looks that they saw on the runway. Oddly, most creators also draw inspiration from what has been done in the past to create or break the codes.
In addition to this, you can protect your fashion creations very well. There are laws that can protect you from counterfeits and copy.
Finally, nothing beats the original. There are many copies of Louis Vuitton bags. Yet good customers will always want the authentic model that comes from the original brand.
3 – I am not ready or I don’t feel ready enough
You never will be. It’s like trying to learn to swim while still being on the sand. It is only by immersing yourself in the water that you will be able to truly swim. Getting into fashion is the same thing.
It is by doing the things that you learn. You can watch all the designer shows you want, but you won’t become one just by watching them. (Or else, I’d already be a wonderful dancer!) It is by touching the materials, creating prototypes, making mistakes and developing your experience that you become one.
“Practice makes perfect.” And it’s even truer in fashion.
4 – I am afraid people will find me stupid or ridiculous
There is no reason to feel stupid to try to innovate and come up with something new.
You might indeed have some reactions of this type around you. However, before you take them to heart: ask yourself if these people have accomplished anything in their life that made what they say worth considering. Are they even working in the same field? Have they ever experienced this?
Only then and under these conditions can you give them some considerations. If that’s the case, take their advice, think about how to improve what you offer and keep going.
Then, remember that the innovators and creators of this world are always misunderstood, enlightened and marginalized to begin with. Steve Jobs, Chanel or Jean-Paul Gauthier are there to demonstrate it.
5 – I am scared no one will like what I offer
No product or service has ever been unanimous. There will always be people who don’t like your style or your vision. It takes all sorts to make a world. And that’s a good thing because otherwise we would all look and think similarly. Quite sad, wouldn’t you think?
Because what makes this world and the fashion world so charming is the diversity and uniqueness of each individual.
And if your target customer doesn’t like what you are offering, it may instead be an opportunity to improve things and make your garment or service even better.
6 – I don’t feel legitimate : I have imposter syndrome
Legitimacy cannot be given, it is taken. If you don’t feel legitimate, no one will be able to change that for you. Even if you are complimented by those around you or your customers, you will find reasons not to feel legitimate. You just have to work on it.
If you have an idea, you are most likely the best person to bring it to life. No one else has the vision you have in mind. We can complement it, give it details, but only you will be able to draw its full potential because no one else is in your head.
And if you don’t feel legitimate or feel like you don’t have the required skills, you can either educate yourself or hire somebody who has the skills you need.
It’s totally alright to be scared. Starting a fashion brand project is a hard task. But try to imagine what would happen if you can overcome your fears. It would feel awesome, right?
I started running not long ago. And somehow, I feel like there are a lot of similarities between the act of running and the journey of an entrepreneur.
It’s never too late to start running or your business
I started my business at the age of 31. I started running at 32.
When I go running, I see many different kinds of people. Some are young but some are also a lot of older than me and they are not necessarily good or bad at running.
Definitely, there is no ideal age to start. Indeed, it’s easier if you used to practice sports regularly when you were younger. But if not, it doesn’t mean that you can’t begin.
As I was researching the subject, I stumbled upon an article about the elite athletes who started late. Among those, there was Steve Way. He started training at the age of 32 (probably the reason why it resonated so much with me). He ran his first marathon after only 3 weeks of training.
Afterwards, he went through intensive training and ran the London Marathon which he finished, half an hour less than his target time. And each time he ran, he got better and in 2014, he got into the top 20.
At 41 year-old, when most sportsmen or sports women are about to retire, he became an elite athlete.
Some people say that you need to start a business before 25 or before 30. However, there are many examples of successful entrepreneurs or fashion stylists who started late. Take Christian Dior for instance. He was 37 when he entered the fashion world and he founded the house of Dior in Paris at 41.
Starting is always tough (Be it running or becoming a fashion designer)
The first time I went running, I felt like I was never going to arrive. I was out of breath and all I was thinking was : “can I stop please? Can I go back?”.
But I couldn’t stop because I was already on my way and since I was on the track, I might as well do the full tour. On top of that, I knew that if I stopped, I would feel bad about myself.
And it’s the same thing about entrepreneurship. Starting is hard, especially in fashion because it’s a very competitive industry and there is a big learning curve. It’s painful. But the good thing is you don’t know how hard it is before you get into it. Otherwise, you would never do it. Ignorance can sometimes be a friend.
I knew becoming a fashion designer and building a fashion brand was not going to be easy. But would I jump onto it if I really knew how hard it would be ? Maybe not. Maybe, I would have been too scared to do anything. (But deep down, I know I would probably be sitting in front of my desk regretting not taking the leap).
Taking detours
When I first went jogging, I got lost. No, really. I thought I was going the right way. I knew more or less where I should be headed to but in the end, I took a big detour to arrive where I wanted. And I had to pull out my GPS at some point.
The second time, I also got lost. I made the same mistake as before. As a matter of fact, I ended up running a lot more than expected. Not only was I exhausted but I hated myself for getting lost. But it was still painful to run.
The third time, I decided to not repeat the mistake and looked at the map before going. I still got lost. But I was happy because I went till the end and I felt like I was a little less out of breath than before. I also realized that I discovered new cool and nice places that were not super far from my place.
Then, on the 4th time, I told myself that I mustn’t replicate the mistake. This time, I checked the path beforehand and I did some early stops to check if I was running in the right direction. At first, it was hard to go back running once I stopped. However, I’m getting better and I don’t need to stop as much and as long.
To me, entrepreneurship and creating your fashion brand is a little similar. You have some vague ideas of where you want to go but you don’t really have a defined way to get there. You get lost, you take detours and search for help. Eventually, you improve and arrive at your final destination. You just have to grind your teeth and keep going.
What helps others might not help you
Remember when I said that on my first jog I pulled out my GPS and still got lost ? Some helpers can actually point you in the wrong direction. And sometimes, you just gotta get lost. It’s a lesson you need to have.
The truth is that there are no real shortcuts.
You can’t start running on Monday and become a marathon runner by wednesday. It takes days, weeks and years of practice. And entrepreneurship is the same. Don’t believe all the storytellings. These stories are meant to make you dream. Overnight success doesn’t exist. Being right on the first prototype is very rare.
And you know what else?
What works for others doesn’t necessarily work for you.
My partner and I went running together twice. And I felt miserable these two times. Because he was leading and kept telling me : “we’ll stop after the next crossroads or the next park” …
Except that, he bikes there every day and somehow knows the area a little bit. I didn’t and for me to be able to keep going and not hate the process, I realize that I needed to know the destination.
On the contrary, he liked the fact that he didn’t really know when it was going to stop. For him, what was important was pushing his limits and going further than before. For me, what I needed was focusing on a target place, and going there a lot faster. And afterwards, I can go to the next milestone.
Because we didn’t have the same metrics and goals, the “encouragement” he was giving me didn’t help at all and I ended up hating him in the end. Now, we don’t go running together anymore and I feel like I better enjoy the process.
One last thing : You gotta enjoy the process
The road to success is long. Becoming a seasoned runner takes time. Finding your style, your universe as a fashion designer will also take time.
So, you need to enjoy the process. The up but also the down moments because when you are down, you can but go up and these moments feel even more incredible. And I’m convinced that when you keep going, you end up where you want to go. All roads lead to Rome.
