Comments on: How to start a clothing line

By: emily

emily — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:53:18 +0000

I have a question. I am starting a t-shirt line and have been told that to sell to boutiques you first have to be recognized by the state which can cost upwards of $500….is this true. Also that boutiques will take around 20-30% of what they sell? So what is the freakin point then? Im better off selling them myself. Any advice?

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:32:29 +0000

Hi Kathleen

You mentioned in your first response to Tonya’s email that “She needs to merchandise and sell the line herself to small stores in her area (Andrea is working on a guest post on this topic). ”

I wasn’t able to find this thread. Can you provide a link? I’d like to do research and see which specialty stores best fit my target market.

By: fredrick (NIGERIA)

fredrick (NIGERIA) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:00:31 +0000

hi,
i am Fred from Nigeria. i am 21 yrs old and a student of civil engineering. i already run a clothing line and this has been for like close to a year plus but i have to deal with the problem of getting committed people to work with. i have a partner but he’s so much engaged in some other stuff that he hardly has the time for the co., pls, how do i go about this?

By: serina

serina — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:24:22 +0000

I want to start a clothing line and I can sew; but, I have no idea how to do pattern making. How do I make patterns and how do I make all pattern pieces coordinate and fit the size? How do I find fabrics?

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:35:05 +0000

I would love to start my own clothing brand but I just don’t where to start.
Your post was very helpfull. Unfortunatly, it’s out of my reality. I’m living in Portugal, and things are different here. But the Internet option seemed ok for a start.
We just got to have money to get the fabrics and to pay the sewers initially to make some pieces.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:48:12 +0000

Hi Elizabeth
A couple of things “bug” me. These also bug everyone else btw.

1. People intend to generate an income, if not profit off of my advice. Why am I not entitled to the same? Let’s be real. If I didn’t generate revenue, the site wouldn’t exist and everyone would lose.

2. It’s the sense of entitlement that bugs me most. People feel entitled to generate their profit but I’m not. Why are they more special than me when I’m the one doing them the favor, lol!

3. Often, not saying you are, the people who want answers to the most basic questions are drive-bys, hit and run. Take what they can get and go. No commitment. They don’t want to do their homework, minimally searching the site for the answers. They want me to serve it up personally. I do not hesitate to help people, pointing them to salient entries if it is obvious they’ve looked already. Often, they just need the right search terms because industry terminology is different from what newcomers use. I help all of those people.

4. Clutter. Many people here are ready to move beyond the basics. The entry level questions are asked over and over and over (see #3). If the basics are covered in the book, we can use this blog to grow beyond that.

5. Successes are generated by a few individuals in key groups. This is one of them. This is where the best thinking takes place, people who are committed to each other (see the forum). It doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Asking other people to commit to a hit and run or a drive-by dive bomber, cheapens the commitments of people who’ve availed themselves to others. They tire of it. I can’t tell you how many thank you letters I got from forum members, thanking me for closing it off to the general public.

6. It is difficult to answer many questions in snap shots. There are too many related factors. One entry won’t cut it. The book provides a comprehensive step by step logical sequence, with check lists, detailed instructions and forms. I just don’t see how that could be done except in a whole series of posts (and then I’d still get emails from drive-bys who didn’t bother to search the site). Even something as simple as issuing style numbers is complex. I don’t know how many entries I’ve written on that. It looks easy if you’re on the outside looking in. Inside, it’s much more complex. Doable, but complex.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 07:03:11 +0000

Kathleen,
Your site is so informative…I’m going to buy the book and soak it in THEN I’ll ask you questions. Seems to bug you when folks ask the questions with the most OBVIOUS answers…

By: Karen C

Karen C — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:52:23 +0000

TricA,

Have you bought Kathleen’s book yet? I’d start there first.

By: TriciA

TriciA — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:10:46 +0000

I have been very anxious about starting a jean line for tall women. I have no clue how to sew or draw but I do have some sketches that I did try on my own and I do know what styles I would like. I need advice as to where to start and what direction do I go in to find assistance. I would like to eventually expand to other items for the clothing line but I would like to start off small. Please help me!!!!!!!

By: Lex

Lex — Wed, 09 May 2007 16:29:15 +0000

I have an idea of something that would be hot right now depending on where fashion goes after this it may not be hot after. The style is more punk rock kinda style which is howitisnow for everyone of all races.Maybe not so much full punk rock but has a touch of it somewhere in the outfit. My question is how do i get these ideas out or even try doing my own as maybe next year who knows it may not be something anyone would wear but maybe it will but i know it will be good for right now. How much money would i need to start up something like that also?