1. Find your niche
Starting a clothing business is a very personal journey. You’re probably a creative person, with something different to offer in a fast-moving industry. It’s likely that you’ve spotted a gap in the market, or have a unique design in mind for a specific customer group.
Whatever your inspiration for starting up, it’s important to define your niche from the out-set. Are you planning to build a fanbase for one specific item, like the world-famous Fred Perry shirt? Or it could be a particular style that you have in mind for your clothing line – for example the pared back, design-focused children’s products sold by lifestyle brand Scandiborn, or menswear that nods to your own unique heritage?
It could also be a clothing business that’s born out of a particular need or ethos, from cruelty-free clothing to premature baby accessories.
Know your niche, and bear it in mind. Even if you branch out and introduce lots of other designs as time goes by, your original idea gives you heritage, a guiding principle, and a reason to be remembered.