Hi,
This is a question that every Fashion Designer has when starting their own brand or fashion line. After the clothing has been designed and manufactured, it must be sold. However, how will clothing reach the manufacturer to the consumer?
Fashion marketing is the process of controlling the flow of merchandise with the aim of maximizing a company's sales and profitability, from the initial selection of designs to be made to the display of products to retail buyers.
The understanding consumer desire and responding with the relevant products are essential for successful fashion marketing. Marketers inform designers and producers about the kind and quantity of things to be created through sales tracking data, media attention, focus consumer groups, and other methods of gathering consumer preferences.
So now, let us discuss the generic ways by which you can showcase and sell your creations:
1. Fashion Shows:
In addition to merchants (like fashion buyers), fashion designers and manufacturers also market their products directly to consumers as well as to the media (fashion journalists). Apart from just showcasing the clothes by themselves, was not just enough. Fashion shows evolved into extravagant, theatrical productions that took place in settings with elevated runways that the models used to show off their designs to the audience, giving the performance a more authentic atmosphere. The introduction of new clothes was increasingly dominated by fashion shows.
2. Online & Social Media Marketing:
There are numerous online fashion magazines, journals, and nowadays fashion blogs where you can post your fashion creations. You can even create social media pages or groups and encourage the target audience to participate, you can even create live sessions and interact directly with your customers. This is also a great way to get feedback on what type of products you create are trending as well as what alterations or developments you have to make to satisfy more consumers.
3. Parties:
You may host parties and display your fashion line to your guests. Offer giveaways maybe for the best-dressed guest or anything of that sort so as to promote your products.
4. Set up a Boutique:
This could be the best way possible to set up your very own boutique. Though this comes with a heavy cost and additional investment, there is another way out, by entering into a partnership with a boutique owner where your products will get a shelf as well.
5. Online Stores:
Now, this is the latest and trending marketplace. Even though there are big players in the online marketplace, there are numerous online platforms where you can create your very own space as a gallery to showcase your products.
6. Departmental Stores:
Though a good option, again being a new bee, competing with brands might be a tough nut to crack unless maybe you are targeting a particular segment, though.
7. Fairs:
YES! one of the best affordable ways to promote your brand. Here the handloom or textile fairs are the places where you will get an opportunity to create and showcase your brand or fashion line. Though it is going to be tough again competing with the big names, yes, if your fashion range or fashion line is appealing enough, it will surely attract buyers and sometimes patrons as well. Stalls at the fair do come with a considerable amount of rent, and the size of the stall will surely depend on how many products you can display, but even if your stall is small, do prioritize displaying the ones which will catch your target consumer's eyes, which will boost your products reach and make your brand known among the consumers.
8. Other Online or Crowd-Sourcing Platforms:
Now, this is also becoming a well-appreciated form of marketing, though this could not be your sole way of promotion, consider this to be your parallel way of product promotion. There are numerous crowdsourcing platforms, where you can showcase your products, like Etsy, Shopify, Zazzle, etc, where you can not only bring in customers to your online store but can as well showcase your talent and skills.
So, we have discussed almost all the possible ways by which you bring your creations from the manufacturing line to the customers. And, let me add, that with the increasing amount of competition, you must not just pick any of the single ways, but rather try to employ all the above-mentioned ways to promote your products.
Best of Luck as an Entrepreneur!
