By Team Digital Fashion Pro Uncategorized September 3, 2024

Defining Your Clothing Line – An Important Step for Your Brand

.Defining your clothing line is a very important step for your brand. It is often a step missed by new designers! Have you ever wondered what makes a consumer feel a certain way when wearing a certain brand? What is it about one fashion clothing line that differentiates from another? Why do people look at Gucci, Prada and Marc Jacobs as something of great value without question? The answer is very simple. Those particular clothing companies among others have been successful at defining their fashion brands as something of great value in the mind of the consumers.

That happens to be a very important step which is unfortunately missed by most to all new fashion designing entrepreneurs. In a hasty race to get their clothing lines off the ground and their fashion designs in front of the public’s eye. They miss this very important step altogether, ultimately that mistake has a negative effect on the brand down the line; the consequence that I am referring to is the lack of consumer understanding to the meaning of your brand. Without proper understanding of any product there can be no real emotional attachment between the public and your merchandise.

Emotions are the driving force behind the sale of any product on the market. However, before emotions can set in, understanding must first be established. For example, let’s say you are getting ready to go to an important and exciting event. You go to a retail clothing store beforehand with a moderate budget to spend on a new outfit. The sales person shows you one garment that is very nice and within your budget. Now let’s say the sales person shows you a second item that is equally as nice, but it happens to be Armani, and it too is within your budget. What would you do?

I believe most of you are saying that you would buy the Armani outfit. However, some of you may still be holding out possibly thinking how shallow it is would be to feel that way. Okay, fine let me rephrase the question, which will further prove my point. Let’s say you are buying something for your significant other who is going to attend this exciting and important event among their constituents. What would you do then? I can now overwhelmingly hear the name Armani being shouted from the overall majority. Why? Well, because, it’s Armani and the Armani brand has been successfully defined in our minds to mean something of value and status in our society. That is the type of success you must be looking to develop for your clothing line. It is solely your responsibility to define your line and to dictate to the public how they should feel and think when wearing your fashion designs.

This goes back to what I stated above, and that is emotions. Sales are driven by people’s emotions. Rather they are happy, sad, angry or afraid it doesn’t matter. Billions of transactions take place daily all over the world based on those emotions among others. When defining your clothing line it will be paramount for you to pick an emotion that your brand definition will represent.

Branding and Defining Your Clothing Line Part II

What does your clothing line represent? How do you want consumers to feel when wearing your fashion garments? Who are you as a designer? Why should customers buy your brand? Those are very important questions you are going to have to know the answers to. In addition, you should train yourself to be able to answer each question in five seconds of less. That type of precision will give some insight to whom you are as a designer and business person. Both are equally important.

When you answer the questions above, there are no wrong or right answers; the only thing you should be focused on is honesty. For example: What does your clothing line represent? “It represents my personal edge to creativity and my desire to overwhelm the consumer with amazing garments.” That sentence can be said in less than five seconds, and it’s my truth. Your task is to figure out your truth and own it, and allow it to become a part of you, and you to become a part of it. Now what do I mean? Your clothing line is a part of who you are; it is your expression of creativity in the form of clothing. Therefore, when the customer is bedecked in your fashions, essentially they are wearing an extension of you. There is no way anyone can get around that; we all dress up in ideas produced by other people. It is their thoughts and part of them that we are wearing. You must embrace and remember that in the designing phase of your line because each piece you design is your signature, and it dictates what your clothing line represents.

Now this next question is something you should ask yourself when designing as well. How do you want consumers to feel when wearing your fashion garments? (It doesn’t have to be worded exactly like that, but I’m sure you get the point) When you ask yourself that question it will give you direction and aid you with ideas for your designs. This is part of the process of defining your clothing line. You are giving meaning and feelings to your garments that will be transferred to your end customers. For example: “I want my customers to feel confident and sharp, and I want them to feel like they are a step above the rest in terms of fashion.” That is my truth, and I own it. You the fashion designer, have to determine how you want your customers to feel when wearing your clothing. Do you want them to feel excited, sexy, grunge, rich, confident, fun, relaxed or sharp, etc.? That’s up to you to figure out and remember there is no wrong or right way, there is just honesty. Try this. Think of a brand or two that you have worn in the past. Ask yourself how did you feel when wearing that particular brand and why? That is the type of emotion you want to install into your branding definition.

When you can engage your customers with that type of emotion and supply them with a good feeling when they are adorned in your clothing you will better your chances for repeat customers and the potential to develop a following. Both will have a positive fiscal effect for your company’s bottom-line. One thing that is imperative for you understand is that you are in the help people feel good about themselves business. This is true. Fashion has a psychological aspect which can affect people’s emotions. When people are dressed in clothing that they consider being fashion forward and stylish, they tend to feel emotionally the way they are dressed.

Defining Your Clothing Line Part 3

Who are you as a designer? This has to be one of the most important questions a fashion designer can be asked. That question presents you the designer with an opportunity to sell the inquirer on you as a fashion designer and not just on your clothing line alone. You should have premeditated honest answers prepared. The reason I state your answers should be premeditated, is because it will enhance the probability of you answering questions clearly and professionally. Rather you’re responding in front of an audience or in front of video cameras. Both situations can stimulate a bit of unexpected pressure. As a method of defining your clothing line, this is a question you must answer early on.

Interviewing on camera can be a very tricky thing, and sometimes an interview can happen randomly. For example, let’s say you are attending a fashion event and the media large or small is present, even if the music is loud it won’t matter to them, because if they want the scoop on your clothing line, they will jump at any opportunity that presents itself. Moreover, you should be more than willing and ready to speak with them about your clothing line. It’s free publicity and to pass that up would be a cardinal sin at the very least. Now let me tell you when the camera lights come on, and begin to shine brightly in your in your face, along with a microphone up to your mouth and a person in your hear asking questions that you should know the answer to; all on camera mind you. If you are not prepared that interview may not go as well as you would like for it to go. Therefore, you should have a script just like the other 90% of people who stand in front of recording cameras do. Image is everything and at that moment yours is partially on the line. For that reason, be prepared, and you will get better results.

Moreover, the great part about being asked, who you are as a designer. It presents you with an opportune moment to shine, and convey who you are and what your fashion brand represents. Rather it’s a potential customer, a store owner or the media; sell them all just the same. That way when they walk away from you, you would have made a big enough impression where your brand has taken up some mental-real estate in their minds, making them look forward to seeing what you have in store. Now that may sound tough or hard to do, but really it isn’t. It’s only hard when you are unprepared and lack organized answers. Think of it this way even Presidents and world leaders are responding back to interviewers with scripted answers. And like them, your only task is to be well rehearsed and just like them, you’ll be fine.

Now when you come up with your script of who you are as a designer, remember this. Whatever it is you’re going to have to mean it; for example, when asked. Who are you as a designer? “I’m a risk-taker, and I don’t walk on the beaten path of fashion. I’m interested in trying to introduce never-seen-before pieces only. I’m going to defy the old saying that there is nothing new under the sun with incredible jaw-dropping garments. You’ll see!” (That’s my truth, and I have to mean it; because that’s what will come out during the designing phase. Additionally, always speak naturally when reciting from your script). Now that may take me six to seven seconds to say, but I think you should be able to deviate a bit on that particular answer, because the objective is to be honest and to sell them on you as a fashion designer in addition to your clothing brand. Your job is to dictate to the public who you are and what your brand is. And you should never let them figure that out for themselves, you have to tell them and make them believe what you are telling them is the truth!

When your fashion line is properly defined, customers who are standing in front of a clothing rack or shelf that contains your fashion designs know exactly why they’re standing there. You have successfully explained to them the image they will project when wearing your brand. In addition, you’ll give the consumer something they too can externalize, which ultimately will make that person feel even better about their self when wearing your brand. Take a non-logo driven Gucci button-up shirt, for example; they charge their customers prices that range from $250.00 – $800.00. Now there are people who would ask why pay such a high price for a shirt when no one can tell what it is. The answer is Gucci has defined their brand really well that as consumers, we feel so great in their garments that it doesn’t matter if anyone can tell what we are wearing. However, the effects of what you are wearing will come out in your attitude, meaning your confidence will be through the roof; and everyone can see confidence. It’s very clear that, their customers really believe in the Gucci brand which they have defined to us all.

It is solely up to you to duplicate what Gucci, Prada, Michael Kors and Chanel, etc., have done. You have to dictate to the customers what your fashion line means, and you have to own it. Never let anyone tell you different, and under no circumstances do you let anyone break you; and not for a moment do you let another person’s negativity pull you down. You are the person who determines what your line is, period! Develop a brand that you can stand behind with conviction and others will stand behind it as well! Now tell me what is the definition of your clothing line?

To learn how to design your own clothing, shoes and handbags – Check out Digital Fashion Pro.