Comments on: The accidental freelance fashion designer

By: elijah cane

elijah cane — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:03:11 +0000

interesting info…what i would like to know is how to contact these manufacturers that purchase fashion design sketches. any and all info will be greatly appreciated.
elijah cane

By: Tandelayo

Tandelayo — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:33:11 +0000

Fashion is an art, and if you have the passion to create beautiful clothing and come of with hot, sophisticated or any new stlye to add to the history of fashion line, then go for it. Yeah it is time consuming to create and deliver cloths. But a true designer really’s knows the reward in working on a creation from ground up and presenting it to the world. That is a personal achievement that can not be taken away from YOU. I highly doubt that any one loves to wipe butt for a living, so I would rather turn my pennies into nickles, dimes to hundreds and hundreds to thousand rather than be doing something I don’t love just for the money. And for the record cna’s make the same as some one at Mcdonald’s, so if you think 8.00 an hour is more than an fashion designer then it’s time to go back to school and redo your math!!

By: Natasha

Natasha — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:36:11 +0000

CNA’s are paid more than fashion designers. Sure you have to wipe butts and give bed baths but considering it’s a 6 week training course its not bad money.

For the amount of money people spend on clothing and accessories fashion for most people doesn’t pay compared to effort put in.

By: Trish

Trish — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:42:37 +0000

I have a number of friends who sell patterns online (however, they are very “small” patterns - they are all for fashion dolls.) Many of these website owners buy patterns from other designers.

One friend works it this way. You make the pattern and the first prototype. You write the sewing directions. If the pattern needs a little clean up he will do that… then either you or he photograph the prototype for the picture that will accompany the pattern. Then he reproduces and packages the picture, the pattern and the directions. He (Denis Bastien) also maintains the website where the patterns are for sale. And he also drives business to his website in a number of ways, including attending conventions and getting a sales table to show his products.

The “pay structure” is that you and Denis split the sales. He gets half and you get half. He was looking for patterns from some of my students who had created gorgeous garments for a competition we used to do for seven years. None of my students wanted to write the sewing directions so they never followed this opportunity. Later, Denis told me that in four months, one designer had received $1000 for her share of pattern sales. Wow, how about that… I mean after the pattern was created, the directions written, the prototype created… you are done and money can keep coming in for years.

Kathleen, how does it make that paltry $150 a pattern sound now???

Here is a link to Denis’ business… if anyone wants to take a peek. Remember these patterns are for various dolls.

http://www.affordabledesigns.ca/ad07/ad07.html

I posted all this because I thought that Denis’ marketing plan would work perfectly if someone wanted to start up such a business with people sized patterns.

Kathleen, school is back in the “thick” and I hope to see you soon!!!!