Starting a Small Business in Fashion

1. Step 1

   Research sewing factories that will be able to produce the type of garments you want to sell, unless you plan to sew every garment by hand. For example, if your line focuses on knits, make sure that the factory can do knits. Most factories specialize in a certain type of garment such as lingerie, woven garments or hats (see Resources below).

2. Step 2

   Scout for a fabric supplier. Remember that quality is what will make your garments sell, so don't choose a fabric supplier based solely on price (see Resources below).

3. Step 3

   Secure a business loan. To start your business and buy supplies, you will need at least $500,000 to start. The easiest way to get this money, assuming you have good credit, will probably be a business loan. You will need to write up a business plan detailing your ideas and goals for the company, a good portfolio and samples of your work. You may also need a co-signer or collateral to secure the loan (see Resources below).

4. Step 4

   Start production of your line using the sewing factories and fabric suppliers you found in Steps 3 and 4.

5. Step 5

   Choose a location for your shop. Make sure that it is on a street with a lot of traffic. Ideally, choose a shop that has a large window were you can display your wares.

6. Step 6

   Get the word out. Start using your advertising budget and call up all your contacts and invite them to the store's grand opening.

7. Step 7

   Get your garments into boutiques. Call owners or managers of stores of the section your items will be featured in. Explain who you are, why you are calling and ask if you can show them some samples. You may want to offer selling your fashions in the store as consignment.

Fashions: Women and Men

The Elizabethan age brought about a great development of culture in sixteenth century England. One way this great development of culture came about is through fashion and costume. Fashion in the Elizabethan age was a way of expressing one's self: the fashiotruly helped to reveal the general culture of the period.

In the early stages of the Elizabethan era women generally wore clothes that covered them completely. The bodice or the top part of the gown was generally tight fitting with square shoulders. The yoke was usually of a dark color, and there was often some type of high collar. The collar would extend all the way to the chin and usually would ruffle at the top.

The sleeves were usually full from the shoulder to the elbow and then more tight and form-fitting from the elbow to the wrist. At the wrist the sleeves would open wide into a large ruffle.

The gown usually contained a v-shaped point at the waistline and then expanded into a sort of funnel shape reaching the ground. The shoes the women wore in this beginning period were not important because the gown reached to the floor; the shoes most often were not seen. As for jewelry, many woman in this period wore large pendants of gold around their necks. Earrings were not very common except among the very sophisticated, who would wear pearls.

The headgear of the beginning of the Elizabethan period was an English version of the French hood. This "hood" was placed near the back of the head and was worn with a stiff base that was very close-fitting. Many women in this period also opted for small jeweled caps decorated with jewels, pearls, or lace.

As the period went on, the women's style of dress saw a few changes. The bodice of a dress was still tight-fitting, but instead of a v-shaped waistline, the bodice was cut in a straight line around the hips. The sleeves also changed. Instead of ruffling between the shoulder and the elbow, they were tight-fitting all the way down to the wrist. The skirt became heavily embroidered, yet still remained long enough to drag the ground.

The men's style of clothing was also very distinct during the beginning of this great period. The men wore embroidered vest-like shirts called jerkins, which had square shoulders and buttons down the front. The sleeves were often decorated and loose- fitting all the way to the wrists. The pants were loose-fitting and extended to about three to four inches above the knee. They were padded with horse-hair and slashed in order to show the knitted silk stockings underneath.

The shoes of the men were generally made with the finest of leather. They contained a small leather heel and were often decorated with slashes. The headgear was either a small flat hat made of velvet or silk or a tall crown hat that was covered by fine fabric or feathers. Some of the more distinguished men wore small capes with big-edged collars.

As the period continued, so did the development of men's fashion in this culture. Stockings began to be replaced by garters, and silk stockings were replace by horse hair trunk hose. The most distinguished men began to wear crowned beaver hats and wide cloaks held by a chain and a crucifix. The tailored stockings were plain. The pumps had rounded toes and closed at the ankles. The bonnet was trimmed around the edged and decorated with a plume on one side.The men also began to carry short perfumed gloves.

There really isn't much to be said about the fashion of children in this age. They usually wore smaller versions of the adult fashions, and even the infant girls were required to wear long gowns. The boys generally wore miniature versions of clothing worn by the men. Their doublets and shirts had slashes in them, and they wore silk stockings of color underneath. The girls generally wore long braids in their hair; the braids would either be tied with ribbon or made into a crown.

Throughout the Elizabethan period there was a great development of culture in England. The influences of this culture can be seen through the fashion and costume of the sixteenth century English people.

The Importance of Fashion

First let's take a look at the function of fashion. Function refers to the intended use or purpose of an object. Fashion functions in various ways including, to identify, to express, to beautify, to adorn, and to provide therapy.

Fashion is important in many different areas. Economic and political trends, current events, and social issues are reflected in fashion. Changes in fashion reflect shifts in the economy and make up of the populations. Fashion serves as a historical record of culture and life style events, and can be an indicator of what is occurring in a society in a certain time.

Throughout the history of fashion, clothing has played an important role in personal appearance. It can identify different social positions. It affects self esteem and interactions with others.

Fashion affects global and local economies. Many businesses benefit from the fashion industry other than designers, stores, and manufacturers, including hotels, taxi's, and restaurants. Fashion also reflects the economic environment. If there is less money, then styles become less important. Economical and political conditions always affect fashion!

In the World of Fashion Design..

Within the "World of Fashion Design" everything begins with a thought..., an idea. The idea can be based on almost anything that caught the designer's eye; a place, like an exotic location, a movie, gardens, an old building, etc. Jessica, this teen Fashion Designer, shown above, is inspired and gets most of her ideas by watching old movies, surfing the web, and looking through fashion magazines. She challenges herself constantly with making costumes and dresses from old classic movies. She has made garments from such movies as; Pride & Prejudice, Titanic, Gone with the Wind, a Marilyn Monroe classic dress, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Memoirs of a Gashia, and more. She gets the basic idea of her design from the movie, however, her design, color, fabric, print, and finished garment, comes from her mind and her creativity.

You will find that most Fashion Designers eventually will specialize in a certain type of clothing or accessory, like; a hat designer, purse designer, children's wear designer, swimwear designer, ladies wear designer, or men's wear designer, just to name a few.

Truly successful careers in fashion design usually begin at the top design schools in the world. Parsons School of Design, as seen on Project RUNWAY, is one of the leading schools in fashion design. It is located in New York.

Whether you attend the top fashion schools in the world or acquire the skills on your own, you will need an impressive portfolio. Your portfolio should demonstrate your artistic talents, skills, creativity, and style.

What is Fashion Marketing?

How do the clothes reach the public and the target consumers after they are designed and fabricated? That is where the Fashion Marketing team comes in. Fashion Marketing combines the elements of advertising, design and business administration, as well as a solid understanding of the fashion world, in order to take a new clothing line and get it the attention it needs to be successful.

Who would be more interested in a red A-line skirt with blue embroidery: a new mother or a 15 year-old girl? These are the questions a good Fashion Marketer must be prepared to ask and answer when working with a new clothing line. Fashion Marketers have a good sense of popular culture and on what will be stylish in the future. In a sense, they are the visionaries of the field who not only recognize what will be successful and which consumer group will be the most interested, but know how to market the clothes to these target groups.

Most of Fashion Marketing is behind-the-scenes: keeping abreast of fashion trends and consumer buying habits; putting together advertising campaigns that target specific consumer groups and appeal to their tastes; being mindful of the broader picture of the fashion world and what new style innovations are being introduced into the field. Fashion Marketers are the savvy idea people, the connectors between the designers and their public.

Career Options in Fashion

There are many ways to get involved in the fashion industry. For the more design minded, with an eye towards one day creating their own lines, working as an apprentice or an assistant for a professional designer would offer invaluable insight into the industry. In fact, most designers put in their time over the years by working their way through the ranks.

For those individuals who are more interested in a focus on fashion marketing, it might be helpful to get involved at the business level by working as a marketing assistant or advertising intern. Fashion marketers must also have a good sense of the fashion industry, so working for a design house in any entry level position would certainly provide a helpful perspective.

Many department stores and boutiques offer entry-level 'buyer' positions that would be a good way to get involved with fashion merchandising. Fashion merchandising offers many avenues to follow, including the following:

• Assistant Merchandiser, Assistant Merchandise Stylist, or Customer Service Representative for a fashion manufacturer;
• Assistant Sales Manager or Showroom Sales Representative in the fashion wholesaling business;
• Department Manager, Assistant Buyer, Assistant Fashion Promotion/Special Events Coordinator, or Visual Merchandising Assistant for a fashion retailer;
• Buying Office Assistant for a resident buying office;
• Advertising Representative or Stylist for an advertising agency.

To start your fashion career, check out our featured fashion schools and colleges below. All of our recommended schools can provide you the information you need to begin, including campus locations, available courses, and degree programs. Online fashion degree programs are also available.

Fashion Journalism

Do you watch the Oscars and other award shows just to comment on what the stars are wearing? Maybe you have a certain talent, or an eye for picking up new trends before anyone else does. If so, you're going to find a fabulous career as a fashion journalist.

To break into the fashion journalism world, it's important to find the right educational institution that can teach you the tools you need to start working as a successful fashion writer. There are specific schools all over the country that offer classes to help you become a fashion journalist. Brooks College in Long Beach, California is a practical, career-focused school that offers a number of related degrees to get you moving towards a job as a fashion writer in no time. IADT, the International Academy of Design & Technology, is located in Chicago and offers Associate and Bachelor degrees in the industry.

Wherever you decide to go to study fashion journalism, it's a good idea to do some research. Is it important to you to live near fashion capitals like New York, Los Angeles, or even Milan or Paris? The fashion industry is so large today that there are many different kinds of fashion writers out there. Besides the more obvious "couture" culture to report about, fashion journalists may stake out their own identity by writing on new trends like "wearable technology," focusing on celebrity fashions, or researching consumer trends. While it is not necessary to choose your niche before entering a fashion degree program, it's always good to keep your eye on where you're headed!

It's easy to get more information about fashion journalism. You can find all you need to know for your career by first familiarizing yourself with information about schools for fashion writers. Check out Top Fashion Schools to get all the best and latest information conveniently from the Web.