Afingo "Behind The Seams" - Ready to Launch Your Line? Panel

A couple of weeks ago I attended Afingo's "Behind the Seams" forum. I only attended one panel in the morning, partly because it was fairly expensive, but also because I wasn't as interested in the other panels.

The panel I attended was called "Ready to Launch Your Line?" and consisted of a few designers and a couple of buyers, who gave advice about launching a line. I recognized the designers when I heard about the panel in Racked so I decided to shell out the $50 to go hear them speak at FIT. The panel consisted of:

Joanne Arbuckle, Dean of the School of Art and Design at FIT (moderator)
Gaby Basora, Founder/Designer of Tucker by Gaby Basora
Amy Smilovic, Founder/Designer of Tibi
Michelle Smith, Founder/Designer of Milly by Michelle Smith
Karen Lam, Buyer at Big Drop
An Vu, Owner of Bio

Although nothing that I heard was earth shattering, the takeaway for me was to do small and focused collections in the beginning, and take care in presenting them to buyers.

I started recording on my iPhone about 5 minutes in (see below). The audio isn't that great since I got a lot of background noise but you can feel free to listen to it. I also took notes, though, and below are some of them. Where possible, I'll put the questions posed by the moderator. Since I was scribbling notes, some of the responses may be attributed to the wrong people. Please listen to the audio if you want clarification.

Q: What do buyers look for? What's the best way to get into a store?

Karen: The best way to reach out to a buyer is to email a well thought out lookbook. Don't waste time with cold calling. First impressions are important.

Michelle: Started out by entering a group showroom, whose owner made calls.

Amy: Called Neiman's -- caught the buyer off guard with her boldness and got a meeting. Hired her own sales person. Started with four styles -- recommends finding one solid idea like a great shirt or dress.

Gaby: Started with a blouse. Had no intentional wisdom. Started very small and focused. Quickly went into a multiline showroom.

Q: How do you recognize when you're taking on too much?

Michelle: launched with her boyfriend-turned-husband. Not a numbers person -- partnering up with someone is essential.

Amy: When you start making money you can get someone to help. It's important to do research and make sure you're giving yourself enough time to look at the big picture.

Gaby: Everyone has a different equation to solve. You need to find inspiration to relate to. Had another job that brought in money.

Q: Is there a certain amount of time a buyer gives a designer to see how he/she will perform?

Karen: No -- takes risks on a designer she believes in. There are forgivable mistakes but first collection must be shipped on time and in good quality. Calm down a little bit and make sure everything is right.

An: Up to 2 weeks late is OK as long as you call to let her know.
Don'ts: Shipping product not represented in the sample. Doesn't look right -- won't reorder. Proper quality control is important, fit has to be spot on.

Mistakes are forgivable if you fess up and work with buyers to share risk.

Important:
Balance and patience
Tenacity and dedication
Understand the demographics of each store and who your customer is

Important to establish a good fit -- expensive to find a good fit model. Try things on yourself. Be consistent in your fit.

Q: How did you finance? What was your business plan?
Gaby: Selling product was her business plan. Used a factor and avoided working with an investor because she didn't want to deviate from her plan.

Michelle: When she presented her first capsule collection to the owners of the showroom, she showed them mood boards and sketches. She recommended building relationships and working for other companies first.

Q: How did you handle PR?
Amy: hired PR at first. Used direct mail - smoke and mirrors to give the impression that the company was bigger.

Michelle: called magazines herself. Do your own PR.
PR is important. Buyers look at magazines and it's important to be identifable.
When editors enter showrooms to see other labels, they will see yours.

On online marketing/ecommerce:
Michelle: For ecommerce to work good consistent fit is important as well as selling product that photographs nicely.

Gaby: sells loose fitting blouses that fit a wide range of women.

Reach out to bloggers -- the web has lowered the barrier for entry.
Get your clothes on people.

An: Don't cannibalize your wholesale business. Retail price should be on par with what your retailers are charging.

Michelle: Offer exclusive product. Better known designers are purchased online.

Carry on consignment. Common practice even in bigger companies.

When I asked them what advice they would give new designers or what they had wished they had known they answered:
Michelle: Recommended working for other designers first. Wished she had taken more business classes.
Amy: Wished she had hired a great fit model and tech designer
An: Wished she had known in 2008 that the economy would crash
Gaby: Wished she had hired a good tech designer.

When I asked them about a gap in any category, Karen mentioned that she had a hard time finding good pants.