7 Myths About Starting A Clothing Brand BUSTED: Overcome These Mindset Blocks
If you’re thinking about starting a clothing brand, you might have a few misconceptions in your mind that could be holding you back. After 15 years of running my own clothing companies, I’ve learned countless lessons about what’s actually possible. I started my first clothing company from home with five small children and no fashion design degree – and I grew that company to a 7-figure business in two years.
Now, I coach women to launch their own clothing lines so they can earn a full-time living as a fashion designer. But sometimes, women come to me with the following myths or misconceptions in mind. Perhaps you’ve heard these myths before, and you might even be letting them stop you from living your dream of starting a clothing brand. I’m here to debunk these myths and share how I can support you along your journey. If you want it, I can help you achieve it!
Let’s break down seven common myths in the fashion design industry and shed light on the reality instead:
MYTH #1: The world already has too many clothing companies.
Reality: When you go shopping and you find a new shirt that you love, do you ever stop and think, “I’m not going to purchase this because I already buy from enough different clothing brands”? No – you find a piece that resonates with you, and you buy it because you love it.
It doesn’t matter how many hundreds of thousands of clothing brands there are to choose from; there are billions of people in this world. Your unique audience is out there! So, really, the challenge is to make sure your brand is seen so people have the opportunity to make a purchase. That’s where branding and marketing come in.
MYTH #2: I will never be able to stand out or compete with larger brands.
Reality: Many clothing brands fail because they don’t take the time to properly identify their ideal customer and market their brand accordingly. However, if you build your brand with these elements in mind, as I teach in my course “The Brilliant Branding Method”, you’ll be setting your business up for success.
In other words, if you don’t want to blend in with the rest, you need to take action to stand out. I can teach you how to take a proactive approach by designing your pieces with your ideal customer in mind.
MYTH #3: It will cost too much money for me to be successful.
Reality: First of all, there are so many opportunities to build your brand online for free. You don’t need a fortune, you just need a good strategy. With the right guidance and tools, you can create a powerful brand on a modest budget.
For example, you could spend a bunch of money on Google or Facebook ads and basically never share your face online. Or, you can build your brand around the reality of you as the business owner. People are curious about your life. Put your story out there on social media for free and start to connect with your ideal customer.
If you’re trying to DIY your fashion business as much as possible, you’re probably looking for solutions where you can cut costs. Print-on-demand and dropshipping are common ways to lower production costs. However, if you want true creative control over your clothing brand, you’ll want to consider manufacturing with a factory. Typically, this is a huge added cost to starting a clothing brand because you have to order in large quantities. Inside my coaching program for fashion designers, I provide exclusive partnerships with trusted manufacturing companies to drastically cut the cost of production.
MYTH #4: The market is too saturated.
Reality: I believe that there has never been a better time than now to be a creative entrepreneur. When I started my first clothing brand in 2009, we just didn’t have the same opportunities online that we have today.
As clothing brand owners, we have the ability to get online and start to building an audience for free. We can send messages and start to be seen by our people which is such a blessing to a startup company. I believe that the world has room for any and all clothing companies. You just have to get started and find your people!
MYTH #5: I need a fashion design degree or a business degree to start a clothing brand.
Reality: I sold 29 million dollars in clothing in 8 years after launching my own business with NO formal fashion design or business degree. Formal education is not nearly as important as passion, experience, and perseverance. Now, what I wish I had was a mentor or a coach to guide me through every single detail of starting a clothing brand.
That’s what I’m passionate about doing today. I coach women as they create their dream fashion businesses from home. If this sounds like what you’re looking for, head over to my courses to find something that’s right for you!
MYTH #6: I’ll have to do everything myself.
Reality: Just like with any business, you can (and should) outsource when appropriate. Especially if you work this into your budget, you can plan to hire assistance in areas of your business that you need help managing. And as your business grows, you’ll hire more permanent employees.
When you decide to expand your team, I highly recommend that your business foundations are organized first. Check out this post for the top 9 business management tools I recommend for fashion designers.
MYTH #7: I’ll need to open a physical store in order to sell my clothing.
Reality: This could not be further from the truth – most brands are selling online these days. Through social media and other digital marketing, you’ll be able to reach everyone that you need to.
Now, I admit that setting up a website from scratch to host your online clothing store can feel daunting. Inside my coaching program, I guide my students through every single step of creating their online store (expert tip: I recommend using Shopify for the most seamless experience). If you need support with this, check out my program Fruition today.
Next Steps To Starting A Clothing Brand
I hope this post cleared up some of the most common misconceptions about starting a clothing brand. If you’re feeling inspired to start your journey in the fashion industry, check out my variety of resources to get started!
Looking for a mentor who’s been through it all? Inside my mentorship program, Fruition, I stand by you each and every step of the way while you launch your dream clothing line. You’ll receive every training, resource, and piece of advice needed to run a successful clothing company.
I hope to hear from you!
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