Ask Fashion Girl

Dear BagBiz,

I’m so excited for you! Starting a line is a lot of hard work but just imagine how great it will be to see your handbags in store windows! There are many steps to getting your handbags out there. What market do you have in mind? Once you know your ideal customer, you will know where they shop and where your handbags will sell the best. Research current trends and colors. Go pseudo-handbag shopping and see what’s already out there. Dive into the world of handbags and talk to other handbag designers. OK, now the creative steps. Design the handbags! Where will you get the fabric and trims for them? Keep in mind that you will eventually be filling orders for your handbags and will need to get lots more materials. So check into wholesale textile retailers in your area or by mail order. Once you decide on a name and logo, you can create labels and hangtags for the handbags.

Your handbags need a presence. Know any photographers? You need pictures of those handbags for a portfolio, a catalog, and a website. For inspiration, check out Karan Feder's handbag success story in FIDM’s Alumni Archives section under FIDM Stars. Visit her site at www.karanfeder.com. For more information, the book "The Business of Fashion: Designing, Manufacturing, and Marketing" by Leslie Burns and Nancy Bryant goes into detail on creating a line.

Hope to see your handbags soon! Sincerely,