A guide for start-up fashion businesses in the UK - Nesta

16
ONCE PRODUCTION
HAS STARTED
Don’t assume that the whole process will be free of
glitches. Experienced production managers always
recommend that you keep a close eye on production
throughout the process. If your studio is located close
to the factory use this to your advantage – go and
check on production as often as possible. This can
be useful for picking up on any problems early on in
the process, when they will be easier to rectify.
Try to establish a good relationship with the
manufacturer so that you can learn from them.
For instance, they might be able to suggest a
solution if some aspect of the design is proving
difficult to produce.
Stay professional. Manufacturers sometimes avoid
working with young designers because they worry
about their ability to pay on time – don’t reinforce this
belief by failing to meet your contractual obligations.
If you are unfortunate enough to have a dispute with
the manufacturer, try to resolve it calmly.
Don’t be intimidated by manufacturers: without your
orders, they can’t stay in business. They may have
more experience, but if you establish an equal
relationship from the outset, you’re much more likely
to get the quality of production that you want.
AFTER THE
ORDER HAS BEEN
COMPLETED
IF YOU WERE
HAPPY WITH
THE WORK THEY
DID, LET THE
MANUFACTURER
KNOW. IT COULD
BE THE START OF
A MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL
RELATIONSHIP.
A guide for start-up fashion businesses in the UK Centre for Fashion Enterprise
17
You’ll probably just be relieved that you got your order
completed on time, but it is useful to reflect on how the
production went overall.
– Were you satisfied with the quality of production?
If not, you need to raise this with the manufacturer.
There is no reason for you to accept garments that
you are not happy with.
– Did you get your timings right? Had you left enough
time for the delivery of fabrics and trims? How could
you improve on this?
– Would you use the manufacturer again? Would you
recommend them to another designer?
– Were there any problems with meeting the payments
on time?
If you were happy with the work they did, let the
manufacturer know. It could be the start of a mutually
beneficial relationship.
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