Managing Margins and Meeting Expectations in Fashion Industry
The fashion industry is constantly evolving, and it is crucial for buyers to stay ahead of the curve. Managing margins while still meeting customer expectations is a delicate balancing act that is becoming even more challenging as material, labor, and shipping costs fluctuate. Missing the mark on the customer’s quality expectations, could negatively impact brand loyalty, sending them straight to a direct competitor or the growing number of brands saturating the direct to consumer market. A common misconception in apparel programs is that maximizing profit margins means sacrificing quality. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Every decision in the
Designing High-Performance Clothing for Functionality
Creating high-performance clothing is a challenging task that requires a deep understanding of fabric selection, functionality, design, fit, and garment construction. If one element is wrong, the garment may no longer function in the rigorous conditions of the activity. Adding to the complexity, some details may counteract each other, rendering one, or both ineffective. Every decision in the process is crucial to the effectiveness and performance of the garment. “It’s not enough that a garment looks good or feels good anymore, everyone wants it to do something. Even if they don’t know what that something is!” ~ CEO, Bret Schnitker
Fashion Designer Spotlight – Lewis Remele
Fashion designers are a best kept secret in the industry. As consumers we know the key figures behind Versace, Gucci, and Chanel, but the people within the fashion house designing the pieces remain nameless fixtures behind the scenes. Many of the masterminds behind these intricate concepts are highly educated individuals with a vast array of knowledge in both art and design. A garment starts as a vision in a designer’s mind, making its way from a sketchbook to a final wearable item. Stars Design Group CEO Bret Schnitker sums it up beautifully saying, “Designers are every bit of artists like
Avoiding Pilling During the Product Development Stage
Have you ever purchased a sweater and been so excited to wear it out? After a day and maybe a wash later, it’s covered in fuzz balls and its feeling and quality as decreased. As a sweater weather advocate, this happens to me all the time. I’m constantly pulling the pilling fabric off and hand-washing my garments to insure that they still look brand new. While this is annoying, there are ways for brands to fix the issue. Sweaters can be such a Pill: There are two main causes of pilling; normal wear and tear, and when the garment fabric
The Guide to Starting a Fashion Brand & Business
For many, starting a business or brand sounds like a dream come true. There’s no boss to report to, and you make your own rules. Becoming an entrepreneur may seem like the ideal career path, but that dream can slip away, without a solid foundation. If done right, the brand has the potential to become a multi-million-dollar company. Done incorrectly it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and years of heartache. For those new to the fashion industry, Stars Design Group CEO/President, Bret Schnitker, says “It’s really important to align yourself with experience when you’re going out and starting
Apparel Programs as a Brand Extension
PHOTO COURTESY: Life Magazine (1942) It is an iconic piece of apparel that spans gender, socio-economic status and geographic location. The t-shirt is universal fashion that fits all sizes and can be dressed up or down. While graphic t-shirts are a staple in our wardrobe, they are historically a relatively new garment. Printed t-shirts date back to 1942, when an Air Corps Gunnery School shirt landed on the cover of Life Magazine; a short time later, resorts began printing their own versions. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that t-shirts became the powerful messaging tool we know them as today. Now,
Supporting Ukrainian Designers at NYFW | Kyiv Art & Fashion Days
GUGU Valery Kovalska Forced to relocate and reinvent, six Ukrainian designers displaced by war are keeping their brands alive in the most dire of circumstances. These designers were part of the inaugural Kyiv Art & Fashion Days, held in Ukraine in October, 2021. The event was created to establish the city as a cultural epicenter where all forms of art exist both independently and collaboratively. Stars Design Group learned of the event through a conversation with award-winning designer, Keanan Duffty on our Clothing Coulture podcast. His first hand account described a vibrant city, full of talented designers, interesting art and
Moving Production while Managing a Manufacturing Portfolio
The question: “How can we move our production out of China to domestic or nearshore options?” is becoming a daily conversation. Considering that China supports nearly 80 percent of the world’s apparel manufacturing, there is not a simple answer to this question, nor an immediate “flip the switch” solution. With planning and awareness of strengths by country, however, there are decisions that can be made to reduce risk and manage your production effectively. Why Can’t I “Flip the Switch?” We have a mathematical problem. The entire industry can’t shove 80% of the manufacturing in new places. The infrastructure to support
What Came First: Fashion or Interior Design? The Chicken or The Egg?
Header Image: The Times, photographed by Lorne Campell/Guzelian. Make-up: Lauren Curtis Generational Media Influence Coming of age in the era of social media accompanied by the rise of influencers, I learned about the worlds of fashion and interior design through a screen. I did not have Cosmopolitan, Elle, or Vanity Fair magazines on my coffee table, instead I would scroll through my eerily well-curated explore page on Instagram for fashion inspiration, watch youtube creators, or HGTV for interior design. The popularity and accessibility of social media and its influence have had an important factor in how I understand the worlds
The Business of Independent Fashion
Designers graduate with dreams of becoming the next multi-million dollar brand, most won’t make it, but not because of a lack of talent, Stefan Siegel is changing that. Siegel is the Founder of NOT JUST A LABEL, an online community of fashion designers disrupting the industry and making an impact on sustainability through intentional design and manufacturing. Stars Design Group, CEO, Bret Schnitker, and Chief Strategy Officer, Emily Lane, discuss the organic growth of NOT JUST A LABEL in this episode (Season 2 Episode 21) of the Clothing Coulture podcast. Links to the full audio and video episodes are below.