Everyone wants to look their best, and when we put something on, we want to feel like we are the most beautiful person in the world. It is said that your outfit can make you or break you, so you have to make some smart choices when choosing the right pieces. Nowadays when we think about luxury fashion, we usually think about huge corporates and big brand names. However, in the last decade, people started focusing on independent brands that bring their touch into the fashion world.
These brands are not a part of big corporates, and that is probably the best thing about them. They usually offer a unique approach to the fashion world, and they focus on what their customers want. It is not easy being a small fish in the large couture world, and here we are going to talk to you about the things these brands struggle with.
If you want to start your own business and if you think that you have something to add to the world of fashion, then you should do it. You just need to be prepared about the challenges that come with it, and we are going to help you learn what the common issues are, so you can find your way to avoid them.
1. Marketing
Source: internetconsultancy
One thing that is well known is that huge brands look for famous influences to show off their products. No matter if it is a clothing line, or anything else, the more recognized the influencer, the more sales they are going to make. On the other hand, people are so used to the brand ambassadors saying only positive things about the product, and in reality, those things end up being poorly made with bad quality.
When it comes to independent companies, it is hard for them to grasp this process and to choose the right influencer. If you choose to hire an influencer to be a part of your marketing campaign, you need to first do a lot of research.
Don’t choose a person who only does that, as people will look at your brand as another paid campaign. Instead, look for a person who will give their honest opinion about your line, and a person who focuses more on reviews than marketing.
These people are usually more trustworthy than the rest, and don’t worry, mentioning a few flaws does not mean that people won’t like your product. On the contrary, they will appreciate an honest review and they will learn why your small business is better than large corporations.
2. Choosing the right store
Source: vietcetera
There are two main ways to sell your products – online or in land-based stores. Most independent brands struggle with the right choice when it comes to this, and if you make a mistake you can lose a lot of money and you will need to start over.
Let’s look at the positive and the negative sides of land-based stores. The great thing about them is that customers can walk in, look at the clothes you are offering and try them on. They can make bigger purchases if they like what you are selling, and they can recommend your store to their friends. However, unless you have a chain of stores, people from different places won’t be able to buy things from you. Nowadays, most people love to shop online, and they don’t have time to get up and go somewhere to try something on.
On the other hand, when it comes to online stores, there are also some pros and cons. Here, your customers won’t be able to try things on, so you have to be really careful with sizes and measurements. If your products are not true to their size, you will get a lot of returns, and possibly, negative reviews. You will also need to find the right platform for your online store.
There are a lot of online places that help new designers who are not a part of large corporations emerge. Yugen is a platform that combines e-commerce and content delivery so that independent bands can show their designs and possibly, make a sale. When choosing the right online store for you, you need to do a lot of research, and make sure the platform is safe and secure.
3. SEO
Source: SEO
When you promote your brand, you should not focus only on marketing via social media. Yes, people are going to notice your store if you pay for some ads, but they should also be able to stumble upon it on their own.
One of the biggest challenges the self-supporting designers face is the lack of skills when it comes to search engine optimization. These things are not difficult to learn and master, but you need to invest your time, and probably some money.
To make sure you are making the right choices and promote your streetwear in the right way, you should focus on the SEO. Inadequate search engine optimization is as bad as not having one at all, so you have to learn the right way to do things.
If you are not sure that you have time to do all of these things, it is better to hire a freelancer who will do these things for you, and who will help your business grow. No matter if your store is online or offline, you have to have a running website that will help people learn about you. And instead of spending thousands of dollars, you may not have, on ads you can do yourself a favor and optimize your content.
Sustainability is another thing that self-made designers may struggle with, as it is hard to compete with large brands and huge companies. However, people are choosing to support independent contractors more than name-brands because they usually offer a better approach and pay more attention to their merchandise.
Being new in this world of luxury fashion may be a hard thing to do, but you just need to make a few right choices at the beginning and everything will become easier. Rely on technology and use it to your advantage. Find your target audience and remember that it is better to focus on the right people only, instead of focusing on everyone and missing your goal.
