Comments on: Mistakes designers make pt.87

By: alice

alice — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:01:33 +0000

Wow! I’ve never had it that bad! That does sound quite horrible. I couldn’t even bear to finish the whole post. I’ve had some – what I thought were – bad experiences, but I guess that’s still yet to come. I had a similar boss like that as well but he wasn’t the designer and it was a small company where he still had to defer to other people, so it was never to that extent. Whew!

By: lorraine

lorraine — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:35:21 +0000

sounds like some people i work with/for….

By: Thalia Poulos

Thalia Poulos — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:42:03 +0000

Very interesting. I hope you got some of what you were looking for in the experience. Everyone who comes in and out of our life makes an impact. Maybe someday your Designer will understand that you were there to make a change for his continued success. Good article.

By: Timo Rissanen

Timo Rissanen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:21:51 +0000

Don’t loan him the book, hit him with it if he ever tries to speak to you again! I share the others’ thoughts: amazing that a second season ever eventuated!

By: Alexzandra

Alexzandra — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:54:55 +0000

Wow, that was even confusing to read. How was he able to make show room samples without patterns, or run trunk shows with size 2 samples? I’m amazed that the line made it into stores at all. DK, you must have been irreplaceable.

By: sahara

sahara — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:29:58 +0000

It’s the look dahling, the look. It’s amazing what retailers, especially high end retailers, will deal with. Arrogant DE’s have told me that the retailer taught them (about care labels and such). I’ve asked retail associates why (”you have time for this?”). I get––”X has SO MUCH potential; besides, the customer doesn’t really care!” Doesn’t care? At several thousand dollars? What does this say about the customer? That a button is more important than a care label? Don’t get me started.

As for the designer? Production to some is a bad word, as in “I may make more than one suit, but production, is for the masses––read poor people. But the designer, to me, is too poor to do what he’s doing. High end is, as high end does.

Yes, there are certain things you shouldn’t consolidate; you’re selling to a smaller audience who do notice similar effects on each other. This is the advantage of shopping the Garment District in NYC (which is rapidly shrinking; it’ll be interesting how DE’s handle this, and still maintain the individuality needed in a $3800 suit).

Production and costing for retailing is one thing, custom orders another––but we live in a confusing climate. High end stores want the illusion of bespoke exclusivity (hence the trunk show order), and high net worth individuals (not the truly wealthy) go those stores, not bespoke dressmakers. The press doesn’t write about DE’s who SEW out of their homes; retailers give validity (”he’s at so and so”); it’s scandalous.

What’s worse, although it may be justice for him to go out of business, I’ve seen fools actually obtain backers and assistance, due to the press and adulation they receive. There’s a famous one I won’t name, but from talking to the techs who work for him, I’m amazed anything gets made at all. Others only hire kids with factory connections.

I’m glad you learned a valuable lesson! You’ll do very well, and don’t take the 10 pound vendor book you’ll receive as a slight; it’s probably that you’re not arrogant enough.;-)

By: KellyT

KellyT — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:12:04 +0000

Thanks for the article. I found it very interesting.

By: Christian

Christian — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:31:24 +0000

This is the typical example of somebody that thinks the business side of fashion is only to design. Designers who don’t see this industry and their designs as products are destined to fail. This industry is very glamorous and can change your life overnight, but at the end of the day, you sell a product or line like in other industries, and conveys a planning, pricing and production process.

Unfortunately, this kind of people could damage the perception, openness and willingness from specialty boutiques and majors to work with new designers. If you are not ready to respond to the demand, is better not to accept the orders.

Not taking order will not affect your relationship with your customer but delivering a faulty product will not only damaged the relationship with your customer but will translate in no more orders from that customer.

With the majors if you do not deliver they will never place an order with you again.

By: Dana

Dana — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:21:43 +0000

I’m “DK”. No need for anonymity Kathleen, just caught me traveling. Although I’m stunned but not stunned at the same time, by designers who feel they can rewrite the industry’s conventions, to me the bigger shock was getting away with it when working with major retailers. Most of these guys have 10 pound manuals for the rest of their vendors yet they let someone ship them product without care or content labels? And no chargebacks for it? The rest of what I described is just naivity and arrogance by the designer. What’s the retailers excuse?

By: A Designer

A Designer — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:25:45 +0000

There is more than one person like this out there…

You say “He”, but I know a “she” who sounds the same (from Manhattan). People like this are going to do what they are going to do, even if they hire you to help them or ask you for friendly advice. Steer clear.