Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Krystle:

Owning their own line of clothing is many people's dream, and it's one that has come true for quite a few of them! But it's a big undertaking. Some of the responsibilities of a person who has their own clothing line might be:

• Getting sample garments made from the design sketches.
• Getting patterns made for the production of the clothing.
• Finding a Manufacturer's Representative to rep the clothes to the Buyers (clothes need to be pre-ordered before they're made)
• Finding a production facility (factory) that can handle the amount of clothing that needs to be manufactured, whether it is a large amount or a small amount
• Traveling to and from factory, often overseas ( Asia , India )
• Sourcing all materials for the clothing line: finding sources of all different fabrics, trims, zippers, buttons, labels, and other"findings,"and ordering them in the right quantities for delivery at the factory in production-sensitive time situations
• Overseeing production of the garments at the factory to ensure that the garments are being produced the way they should be and correct mistakes
• Making sure the finished garments are shipped to the stores in the right quantities and at the right time for the fashion season.
• Maintaining a warehouse or storage facility
• Paying and collecting all monies due -- keeping up-to-date accounts.
• Working with marketing and advertising people to spread the brand
• Maintaining a website

A great way to prepare to have your own clothing line is to get a degree in Apparel Manufacturing Management from FIDM so that you are prepared to face the challenges of the very fast-paced fashion industry. FIDM's Apparel Manufacturing Management major trains you.

Sincerely, Fashion Girl