Private label clothing line – how to start it wisely?

If the clothing design is your passion and calling, but you have some hesitation about how to start a private label clothing line, then read the entire article! This section here will see me providing answers to some of the more common problems and giving design tips based on my daily work with Baltic Intertex during the more than 20 years I have worked there, I will be writing about what I and my team have learned during the development of more than 19,000 samples.

Over the years, Baltic Intertex has visited several different clothing fashion-oriented higher education institutions and hosted groups of students to whom we have spoken about our experiences as well as the mistakes we have done and the lessons we have learned. Thus, it did not seem strange to me when one day, the phone rang, and they wanted to get a tour of Baltic Intertex. The call ended with them saying that they are 4 novice designers from Finland, who would like to discuss possible collaboration on designing samples and start a private label collection. Since I could hear the words “novice designers”, I was able to quickly categorize those people as young graduates who are coming to get a sniff of the fashion industry and at best we will develop another pair of sweaters or T-shirts in co-operation with them. Making assumptions is a great enemy of ours, this time, however, I did fall into that trap.

On the morning of the agreed day, I set out all the sample materials, the more interesting designs, and also total failures on my clothes rail. I had many thoughts in my head about how to easily and simply explain the process of creating my personal brand and private label clothing line. There I was – ready for the meeting. The doorbell rang and I walked up the stairs to meet our guests. I imagine watching the entrants with a very surprised face because almost immediately there was a laughter of scream coming from the people standing on the stairs. It was immediately followed by the humorous comment of the “young designers” that I “probably was not expecting people deep in their middle age to start building their own brand”.

The guests were a group of friends who had known each other for years and who had worked together on different projects. Despite the fact that worked in very different areas of life (architect, hotelier, sewing technologist), it is always possible to find interesting ways to work together, If people have a desire to do so.

These were people who had a good sense of fashion and who had their own customer segment, they had also thought of the marketing side of the brand. In other words, I can safely say that the only missing piece to their business model was their clothing collection. Because the products they had planned to sell were so diverse, it was not a problem for them that all the samples were developed and manufactured by the same company. In my view, this was more akin to mutually supportive synergy, everyone continued to provide advice to each other during meetings and comment on how to make the friend’s designs more attractive.

The willingness to cooperate is also characterized by the fact that they initially opened a joint store together, where each of them had their own display; this helped them to optimize the costs of launching a brand.

I will add, as a side note, that I have never before or since seen sketches of designs presented in such an interesting and detailed way as they were presented by the architect/designer Mr. Piyapong Kerdmoh!

This meeting certainly dispelled the myth of all designers being competitors. It is not so!

Based on the example above and my own experience, I am able to say that there are many ways to start your own brand. The designers coming to us are most commonly:

• Designers who have special education and who have the theoretical body of knowledge feel confident enough to start their own design careers. They have a clear enough vision and ideas that they want to realize.
• Creative people who have a very good sense of fashion and know which products they want to offer to customers. For the most part, this type of design has grown out of a long-time love for fashion and their own outstanding style of clothing. About House of Wilow
• The road to becoming a designer has started with the person’s favorite clothes. They want to create a similar garment, but with certain changes that would improve the functionality of the clothes and help fulfill more of the person’s wishes.
• The brand has grown out from a product that the designer had not found on the market previously, but which a certain group of people is interested in. For example Aino.

It is never too late! For example, the world-famous designer Vera Wang started her own clothing brand only at the age of 40!

Giorgio Armani began his career at the age of 41, having previously worked in the medical sphere.

I sincerely hope these few examples are the right inspiration for anyone who hesitates whether it is too late for their hobby or passion to follow!

No matter how bumpy the idea of creating your brand or a private label may seem to you at first, just get started! Baltic Intertex helps to ​bring the best version of your vision to market.

Besides product development, we are also able to help you with business model validation, coaching, and mentoring, I have the necessary consulting certificates to help you with that. Maybe you just need a little push to dare to take the decisive step and make your dream become a reality – to this end, you will need someone to start the whole process by asking their own questions or just listening to you!

Feel free to contact us! We will find a suitable solution for you to start your clothing brand

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