Little Designer Book Interview with Frances Harder
Thanks Andrea for a nice interview. I look forward to working with you on many more projects to help our creative designers' succeed.
Please link through to read Andrea's blog interview.
July 05, 2009
June 28, 2009
A designer with it all - Tallent plus business drive - A +
Ximena Valero Bows at FBI Center - From Apparel News
June 19, 2009
Photo by Volker Corell
Photo by Volker Corell
Photo by Volker Corell
Mexican-born designer Ximena Valero presented her Fall 2009 collection to buyers during a runway show hosted by Fashion Business Inc. at its new headquarters in the California Market Center on June 12. The collection, cut exclusively from slinky fabric and chiffon, ranged from party-girl mini-dresses to body-conscious floor-length gowns in jewel tones and neutrals. The Los Angeles–based designer paid special attention to edgy back details, creating complicated straps, how-low-can-you-go plunging backs and classically feminine touches, such as flowing ruffles, A-line skirts and prim details. —Erin Barajas
June 22, 2009
Finding a Fashion Job in a Tough Economy
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June 12th Fashion Business Inc., Fashion show
May 30, 2009
Fashion For Profit Workshop
If you’re in Southern California, I have good news! Fashion For Profit will be in your area sponsoring a workshop to help you learn the ins and outs of starting your own business in the world of fashion. You’ll meet me, Frances Harder,(Founder/Executive Director of Fashion Business Inc. www.fashionbizinc.org) and Dana Fried, the Managing Partner of Delphic Consulting Group.
We have other workshops planned for other areas around the US so register your email to get updates of when and where we will present next: July 11th & 12th - LA, - August 1st & 2nd Phoenix, - August 15th & 16th Dallas, - November 14th & 15th Atlanta
Some of the important topics you must understand before investing both your time and money:
- How to turn your creative ideas into an apparel business
- What licenses you need and how to get them
- Legal issues and how to set up your company
- How to determine your funding needs and where to find financing
- Setting the course for success with a sound business plan
- How to get your samples made
- Finding the right manufacturer and how to protect your IP
- Pricing and how to ensure profitability and margins for growth
- Trade shows and what you need to know
- Sales, marketing and branding your product
- How to protect your cash flow in tough economic times
- How to create budgets needed to ensure your business stays on a successful course
Location: The CAMP; 2937 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Register by phone: (213) 892-1669 or by email: info@fashionbizinc.org
Registration Fees:
Early Bird (before May 30)- FBI members and students with valid ID $200.00, Non-Members $250.00
After May 30- FBI Members and students with valid ID $225.00, Non-Members $295.00
Space is limited. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn from some of the best in fashion design and merchandising. If you feel that your business could use a jump-start, don’t miss this opportunity.
May 24, 2009
Should I Start My Own Business In a Recession?
Many argue that it is a good time to start your own business during a bad economy.
Often when the economy is booming, a manufacturer, or retailer can have a greater margin of error. This type of margin of error could be defined as poor planning, which could result in failure, or not paying attention to running a profitable business.
Now maybe the right time to plan for an investment into a new business, which could then reap the rewards for better times to come. A new business is, by definition, SMALL and as such has few responsibilities or overheads, except YOU the entrepreneur! So, if you are thinking about taking that leap of faith, you should take time to plan and to ensure you have the financial backing, experience, plus partners to ensure future success.
Take time to understand why some businesses survive and some don’t. One very important and vital part to a successful business in a slow economy is customer loyalty. It will be those with good relationships with buyers and with clientele who will get paid on time and enjoy returning customers. If people are not buying based on price and product, they are buying based on service…
This very important topic I would like to address in my next blog.
May 03, 2009
I have put it of long enough.....!!!
What a drag after so much fun shopping for it. I have been cleaning out my clothes closet this weekend!! So now, so much to give away! Must not shop for the next............... few days, weeks months or even next few years!
But, like a drug/alcohol addict, I know I will need that weekly fix (reward) again very soon, or I maybe subjected to withdrawal symptoms of depression on top of anxiety. We females seem to need that mindless reward of walking aimlessly around a mall after a busy week. The quick fix of buying something new to wear. A boost to our self esteem?
Interesting the way we western women buy clothes as a reward. Another pair of anything, or a new top of any kind we really don’t need, but why do we keep on buying???
The truth is we really need IT!! Men have their own very strange wants and addictions, we women have very simple needs! To shop and shop!
Why at last are the car manufacturers realizing it is the women who mostly make the choice as to which car to buy? That chauvinistic car sales man who onced asked me, “ where has your husband gone” when my husband left to play cards when we purchased the good looking, but very badly engineered VW bug!
Whether, cars or washing machines, or where to eat out, if it comes to buying power, women do a lot of spending.
All of the above is of course tong in cheek. In the western world, even though going through such tough financial time are so very much more fortunate than most of the rest of the world. For the most part we still do have the ability, culture and the choice to buy something on a regular bases, whether from Target or Niemen’s.
Which, is another new topic for my blog………… Why are clothes still so cheap?? They have not increased in price in the last 20 years.
Picking cotton, or sheering sheep, or producing micro fiber, the process of producing clothing is very labor intense. Yet, we can still buy a pair of pants with all that hands on work for $30.00! Amazing! Most people don’t realize the amount of work involved to produce the fabric, the cutting and sewing involved to produce a garment, and then for the retailer to mark up and make a profit!
March 26, 2009
California Garment Manufacturing License
Yes, if you are in California and you are purchasing the fabric and having the contractor sew your sample or production you are defined as the manufacturer.
Go to www.Calgold.gov or google - garment manufacturing license for California.
Best regards,
Frances
www.fashionforprofit.com
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March 14, 2009
Finding a Sales Rep for Your Line
Dear Frances
I am a new business and just showed my first samples at the ENK Show in NYC. Thanks so
much, FBI, for existing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I were in LA to go to so many great offerings, but I'm in the Philly area.
I am curious to know if you know any sales representatives interested in having more lines
to show.
My clothing is high quality infant (0-24 month) apparel.
I would suggest that you inquire at stores you wish to sell to and find out which trade shows they attend and what reps they deal with. Like all parts of this industry it is important to know who you are dealing with and if they are the right fit for you and will represent your company's needs.
There are many horror stories out there of manufacturers choosing the wrong reps and visa versa. It is up to you to find your own representative. You can buy books with lists of reps and the types of lines they rep but it is all about personality types and getting references, plus you will need a good agreement in place with them.
You should fly to LA and walk the Marts to find the right showroom for your line. I am sorry but there is no easy way around this.
You can check out my two websites for more help: www.fashionbizinc.org & www.fashionforprofit.com
March 08, 2009
What Doing Business in a "New Economy" Will Mean
What Doing Business In a “NEW” Economy will mean.
There are a few other considerations besides the chaos in our global economy that has resulted in the downturn and lack of sales in the world fashion. Today’s trend in fashion is all about buying interesting contemporary items to add to existing clothing items that are already hanging in closets. Most of us have enough jeans and other basic clothing to dress up or down, so this new trend I feel was already evolving before the economic turmoil. It is a product of today’s casual life style that has resulted in confusion for the retail buyers as to know what in fact a “trend” is.
Retailers such as Zara and Forever 21 changed their methods of production and buying habits a couple of years back. They produce small lots and replenished weekly. This was in motion before the truth about corporate greed and insecure investments came to light.
Contemporary fashion demands speed to market that often means domestic production, which due to most sewing contractors losing their production to off-shore competition, good compliant domestic production it is hard to find. We now need to support speed to market by building and supporting more infrastructure for sewing contractors and apparel manufacturers. In order to achieve this, we need to help them with, financial investment and education to support changes from old production methods to newer “fast fashions”. They will need to retool and regear to accommodate smaller production runs. This method is called “modular” production, a word I think we will be seeing more and more in the future.
It is important that we restore faith for investors both in the US and around the world. Our free market is the foundation of the US financial system. Restoring that faith is one of the first steps on the road to economic recovery. The new evolving economy will need investment in new technology, infrastructure and also to embrace modern methods of manufacturing. I feel there is light at the end of the tunnel, but the recovery will not be soon or rapid. Step one is recognizing our problems and finding a solution and acting ASAP, “Speed to Market” has to be our new global chant for a new economy.
January 17, 2009
New Law for Apparel Manufacturers – VERY IMPORTANT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. (CPSIA) covers ALL consumer products, not just children's
There are 2 pieces of law that need to be addressed:
- GCC - General Certificate of Conformity. This is a self declaration by the importer of record (or if it's a domestic brand - by the manufacturer and/or brand) essentially saying that your product meets all federal requirements and has been tested in a "reasonable" manner. It covers ALL consumer products regardless of age grade.
- CPSIA 3rd Party Testing Requirement. This applies to children's products only (ages 12 and under). The importer/brand must have a valid test report from an authorized/approved 3rd Party Testing Lab (BV is one of the approved by the CPSC). This covers various things including Lead and Phthalates.
Feb. 10th is a key (critical) date for all manufacturers/brands and retailers. CPSIA essentially says that effective 2/10 any and all product currently on the floor (in inventory) must have been tested to a reasonable program for Lead in Substrates and Lead in Surface Coatings. Ex: If a product was manufactured on 3/1/08 and is still in the retailers’ inventory on 2/10 then the manufacturer/brand must be able to certify that the product was tested and is compliant w/ the legal lead limits.
CPSIA is still evolving. Since this is a legal issue I strongly recommend all companies consult w/ legal counsel.
Go to: www.apparelandfootwear.org for further information.
Also, in today’s LA Times is a good article:
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Children's clothing makers in a frenzy over lead testing
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As buyers converge on the L.A. garment district to decide what to stock in stores, already struggling manufacturers are scrambling to have kids' items tested to comply with federal law.
By Alana Semuels
January 16 2009
Jennifer Taggart's testing gun seems an anomaly in this California Market Center room filled with pink tutus and flowery white baby gowns. She holds a laser gun, called the XRF Analyzer, to a tiny dress and waits.
The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lead16-2009jan16,0,2603976.story
