Written by Ray Masaki This is a really good question, but the answer obviously depends on what you consider your demographic to be. But one thing that is definitely important regardless of your demographic is [...]
Written by Ray Masaki Custom packaging is one of those things that are icing on the cake. I think it’s awesome when I get a package that comes in an awesome box, or custom mailer, [...]
This is probably a topic that most, if not all, indie brands think about. I know most of you reading this and interested in starting a clothing brand have considered ways to spend less money [...]
Written by Ray Masaki This topic was suggested by my buddy and fellow New Yorker, Bryan of Doctor Hazmat, who I incidentally met after first talking to him via twitter. It’s certainly an interesting question, [...]
Written by Ray Masaki This is somewhat related to my previous post of knowing when to not use a design for your line. I think an extremely important distinction is knowing when something is an [...]
Written by Ray Masaki I’ve hinted in previous posts that I have lost a lot of money from deciding not to use designs. In fact, I hired a couple designers to work on a collaboration [...]
Starting a clothing line costs a lot of money! Website, screen printed shirts, photography, everything requires a lot of money to look professional. We revisit the topic of costs of starting a clothing line to get some more insight into what it takes.
Ray from Lowdtown wrote another good article about setting up your artwork for screen printing. I put in two comments below. What I’m real confused about is the printing method. I’m just about to have [...]
The launch is pretty much your single most important release of products. If you make a good impression on people with your products, people will become loyal to your brand, and you’ll have repeat customers. Also, if your launch is weak, people will get a weak impression about your brand. Think of your launch as your chance to make your first impression on the new super hot girl (or guy) in high school. Unless you make that great first impression, you might ruin your chances of getting to know her in the future. So now let’s get into what you want in a perfect launch.
So assuming that you have a bunch of great products and you have the money to produce them, the next most important thing is to have a professional website. To us indie designers, a website is everything. It’s pretty much our only storefront, well, for those who can’t afford a brick and mortar store anyway. So like any store that you would visit in a mall or in SoHo or in Tokyo or wherever, it has to be presentable and professional and give the customer a good impression of your brand.
How much do I need to start my clothing line? This is a HUGE question that I get asked a lot. And the simple answer is that there is no answer. Of course, I could give you an estimate based on your products and what you’ll need and what not, but ultimately there’s no way that I can just say that you need X amount of dollars to start Y company. So let’s break it down a little bit to help you assess your business and how much money you will possibly need.
So probably the greatest misconception when it comes to marketing is that advertising makes a brand successful. That statement is completely FALSE! It’s not the advertising that makes a brand famous; it’s the products and branding. Of course, you may have heard a few cases where people got lucky because someone saw Justin Timberlake wearing their shirt, but more times than not, advertising is used for different means. Advertising and marketing a clothing line is what maintains a brand’s success, it never creates it. Advertising and marketing should be used to supplement your brand. So before reading this article, remove that from your head. Without a great product you’ll never be truly successful regardless of your marketing.
