I’m doing a lot of thinking and researching lately, and I’m looking for some information. I’m currently 28, and in my 3rd year of treatment for breast cancer. I used to import my own private label of cosmetic accessories from Asia and sold in Mexico, but because of health problems I had to exit the business. I recently had an idea (I’m thinking a bit of a niche) that involves swimwear for breast cancer patients.

Here’s my problem: I have experience in import, wholesale, retail, but none whatsoever in design. I really know nothing about design or sewing, but only a tiny bit on the business aspect.

Can anyone give me some pointers? Perhaps I’m not fit to start my own line? If I have a slight chance, who can I talk to or which direction should I head to get myself more information? I’m not looking for any overnight success secrets (though that would be great!), I am a hard worker and I really just want to learn more to see if I can do this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

~Mae

La boutique Oppen’s sur Saint-Laurent. Viens faire un tour!

This is an interesting blog entry by the way. I’m working in a plus size boutique as a sales person, and since I’m a designer/seamstress, the owner gave me a tall order for a small collection of her own design. She’s frustrated with just about the same things as the swim wear company you present here…

That is why she’s manufacturing now. She gets EXACTLY what she wants; her money, her design, her quality, her prices, her timing. Lucky lady hey?

I doubt I’d set up a dedicated line from scratch in this scenario.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have time to go into it – I’ve got a new line launching this week and I’m already playing hooky reading F-I.

But, manufacturing – especially with this type of fabric – has a very steep learning curve for new entrants. The financial cost will be higher than you expect and the management distraction will be much greater than you would expect.

I’m repeating myself but just because it’s always been done a certain way does NOT MAKE IT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT WAY.

YOU have the ability to affect change. Sure you might stand out as we will I’m sure. BUT!!! If I start marketing swim wear for full production in january will I have buyers???? You bet your darn butt I will.

Do you want more sales? Then start marketing to the demographics of your market and not to the demographics of your groin. (most market execs are men although this is THANK GOD slowly being taken over by women. When you create a catalog or flyer would you simply STOP using the blonde big boobed model and have the same girl in every single outfit!!! Instead use 4. a blond with big boobs, a brunette, a redhead and an afro american. Your gross sales are in the millions or approaching, why in heck wouldn’t you spend an extra couple hundred dollars in modeling fees when you get your product shot??????? No clue. I routinely have to have product re shot. For marketing purposes. For Cinco de mayo, a huge mexican celebration. Why in heck would i market using a blonde? You need to put your product in a latin american. Period. How many of you do that? not many that’s for sure. So what do I do? I have it re shot so that I can maximize sales. It’s cheap.

I was just at a major photo shoot in lansing involving a mfr that is quite large. I sell a LOT of their product. They make coverups and clubwear. They wanted one model only for all 400+ products in their line. Yes she was a blonde DDD-Cup. I talked them into 2 models (I wanted 6 but had to settle on 2, a blonde and brunette). This is a company that grosses over 25 a year, they market world wide and also to penthouse, playboy and the NFL. The models cost $60 an hour. We shot for 3 hours and got through maybe 20% of their inventory. I buy A LOT from them so they took my advice on photographer when their main saleman indicated to me they needed new product shots to upgrade from their catalog that was 6 years old.

My point is open your horizons.

I am not a revolutionary. I am a simple retailer with common sense that is hamstrung by the current market standards. Market=manufacturing. In this economy. IT is high time mfr’s met the demands of their customers not vs. Those who do not meet those incredibly simple demands will suffer.

All of you out there have done or are doing this. It would be exceedingly foolish of me to discount any advice unless proven erroneous. Change is good too. Just because it’s always been done a certain way does not necessarily make it the correct way or the way that meets the markets demands. This is the problem I’ve run into. This is why I’m rectifying my situation.

I would like nothing better than NOT to have to get into manufacturing. If my suppliers could provide product when I need it I would be more than happy and much richer. Marketing is an indepth study. And seriously a whole book in itself.

>>Why your suppliers won’t build inventory, stage it and ship to your replenishment schedule is anyone’s guess. My guess is they don’t make enough money to provide this level of service.<<

Darn good question/statement! You have hit the nail on the head. My personal guess is they are jobbing most of it out. Their heavily mortgaged and their supplies of available raw materials is limited because they don’t want to make a bigger initial investment and the product might be somewhat limited or their limited by available space constraints and cannot stock large quantities of raw goods. Either is understandable. Their are hundreds of so called swim wear mfr’s in the U.S. alone. Most of them job their product to brazil or china. This is the simple truth. With this come restraints on their own business model. They make their best guess at the beginning of the year and they have no choice but to go with it. Does this make them an inferior “mfr”? NO! A lot!… of the biggest names in the industry job their product out overseas. We all know why. That is a consideration we also have explored but decided against.

As far as mfr’s that job their product out. Are they really mfr’s? Personally I don’t consider them as such although that is what they are technically called. That describes most of them. I would consider them middlemen or wholesalers. But that’s me.

I know very little about cutting and sewing mfr’ing but I’m learning. Both my wife and I. Will we succeed? Probably. We have an abundance of common sense.