In this article we'll give a simple step-by step guide on how to make your clothing brand massive.
The ultimate question for any start up or growing clothing brand is always 'How am I going to make this brand grow?'. Here's how to do it...
STEP 1: Build a Strong Foundation of Garment Shapes
Our best advice is to start by building a strong foundation of garment shapes, usually starting with what will be your best (and easiest) selling items. Think tee-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts & joggers. Unisex items that you can market to everyone and shapes you can re-use for future drops are the ones to focus on.
But how do you get those shapes and foundation garments done properly?
You can perfect your garment shapes by getting your tech packs done to a high standard (here's our guide to tech packs in fashion, which you might find handy). Next, make sure you use high quality fabrics and construction methods with clean, muted graphics (think Palm Angels, Fear of God Essentials kind of aesthetic).
The aesthetic appeal of your clothing will play a crucial role in attracting customers and setting your brand apart. So by building a strong foundation, you’re teeing yourself up for success.
STEP 2: Price Your Garments Strategically
This is probably the most important step, as your pricing really is make or break for your brand. To give yourself the best chance of success, we recommend pricing your garments at 'bridge brand' level pricing. By doing so, you should make enough return on your garments to pay for strong marketing campaigns and allow enough money to regenerate the business and facilitate the company’s future growth.
A hoodie should be AT LEAST £125, same for a jogger. To read more about bridge brands pricing strategy click here.
STEP 3: Share Your Brand's Story
Tell your brand story right from its inception. Showing the un-edited, completely transparent journey of any business is interesting. Sharing the highs and lows of your journey will help you build an audience before you even sell a single piece of clothing. Having a pre-built audience to sell to when you launch your brand is crucial.
Don't be scared of telling your story, warts and all. Making the journey completely truthful only makes it more interesting and will also make most people root for the brand! Share your story over social media (TikTok, Instagram etc) as much as you can. After that, once you come to launch the brand you can start to share more of your story through blog posts too (just like we are doing here).
^^Here's a great example for you...The above brand owner is amazing at engaging her audience through transparency. You may not be building a brand like hers in design, but you can learn a lot from what how she posts. She has built her audience all by herself from nothing! Click here to be taken to the Hissy Fit insta.
STEP 4: Prepare for Launch with a Coming Soon Page
A few weeks before the brand launches get a 'launching soon' or coming soon' page up and running.
This is just a very basic page that has an email collection section on it. This is so you can start building an emailing list as early as possible.
Sending newsletters, good info articles and release dates to your email list is a great way to keep in touch with your audience and builds consumer confidence. Make sure you put the link to your website in the bio of every social media platform you decide to use and point people to sign up to the emailing list.
Above you can see an example of a simple website 'launch' or 'coming soon' page. Bonus points for you if you include a really nice branded product shot.
Step 5: Cultivate a Strong Network
As early as possible, start to build a network around you of people who are wearing your brand. Start with friends and family, and then reach out to influential figures or potential brand ambassadors. This will help to build exposure and credibility.
Consider setting up a 'kickback' system where you provide custom discount codes for your new brand ambassadors (whether they are friends, family or influencers). Every time a purchase is made using these discount codes, the person associated with that code gets a small payment or 'kickback'.
STEP 6: Create Demand through Strategic Marketing
Generating demand for your brand involves creating anticipation and momentum before releasing your collections. The best brands will market their upcoming collections extensively (via various marketing channels), and then when there is enough exposure they make the release, to a market that is ready and waiting.
That means the collection sells out almost instantly.
They then analyse the best-selling items and sell them in future drops with slight changes to garment colours and graphics.
^^In this image you can see how to formulate future releases.
Working in this way and leveraging all the hard work that you've already put into your previous collections will save you hours of time, and lots of money when producing your new collections. It also ensures that you're developing collections based on the items that sold best in the past and are most likely to sell well in your next drop.
CONCLUSION: Achieving Massive Success for Your Clothing Brand
1. Build a strong garment foundation with easy to sell items.
2. Make sure you price your items at the right level.
3. Tell your brand story.
4. Build a 'coming soon' page to build your emailing list.
5. Build your network.
6. Market your collection well in advance.
I HOPE THIS HELPS!
If you'd like some guidance from us on your next clothing collection and you're new to Hook and Eye UK simply fill in our enquiry form [CLICK HERE]. The form will guide you through steps to see if we can help you make your clothing brand a success, and then tell you exactly how to contact us.
Love, Joss H&E xx
P.s. Don't forget - if you'd like to know about how to price your next collection properly follow the enquiry form and then ask us to send you our 'Estimated Pricing Guide'. In this guide we tell you an estimated production price based on brands like Stussy, Palm Angels, Fear of God and Represent along with a RRP and estimated profit level - it's mega useful!