A guide for start-up fashion businesses in the UK - Nesta
A guide for start-up fashion businesses in the UK - Nesta
A guide for start-up fashion businesses in the UK - Nesta
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02<br />
IDENTIFYING<br />
THE BUYERS<br />
APPROACHING<br />
BUYERS<br />
Switchboards at <strong>the</strong> larger stores will not give out names,<br />
so you will need to address any correspondence to<br />
<strong>the</strong> ‘Womenswear Contemporary Buyer’ or whichever<br />
department is relevant to you. Smaller stores may be<br />
more helpful. But remember, everyone is busy. If <strong>the</strong>y<br />
give you details of an Assistant Buyer, ra<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong><br />
Head Buyer, try to be persistent to get <strong>the</strong> Head Buyer’s<br />
details. But don’t make a nuisance of yourself; people<br />
have long memories.<br />
You also need to know how <strong>the</strong> buy<strong>in</strong>g world functions.<br />
Buyers often spend a large proportion of <strong>the</strong>ir season’s<br />
budget be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong>y even get to <strong>the</strong> tradefairs. So this<br />
is key to your tim<strong>in</strong>g. Try to see buyers about a month<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong> key tradefairs. If you leave it much later, your<br />
call will just be wasted. For example, <strong>the</strong>re’s no po<strong>in</strong>t<br />
<strong>in</strong> try<strong>in</strong>g to contact buyers dur<strong>in</strong>g London and Paris<br />
Fashion Weeks. The buyers will all be busy try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
see <strong>the</strong> shows and visit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> 20-30 showrooms on <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
hectic schedule.<br />
It’s unlikely that you can af<strong>for</strong>d to exhibit at any of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>ternational tradefairs <strong>in</strong> your first year, but do try to<br />
attend so that you can be network<strong>in</strong>g. Check on entry<br />
criteria. Not all tradefairs allow non buyers or press <strong>in</strong>.<br />
We are all busy, and bombarded daily with 100s<br />
of unwanted emails. So you may have a limited<br />
opportunity to attract <strong>the</strong> attention of a buyer once<br />
you have identified him/her.<br />
It is vital that you research <strong>the</strong> market to make sure<br />
your product is special, at whatever level, and that it is<br />
different enough from <strong>the</strong> hundreds of collections that<br />
are already out <strong>the</strong>re. You will need to po<strong>in</strong>t out <strong>the</strong>se<br />
reasons to any buyer you are lucky enough to meet.<br />
You need to f<strong>in</strong>d a way of make <strong>the</strong>m want to see what<br />
you are do<strong>in</strong>g, and what is special. You need to make<br />
<strong>the</strong>m hungry to want your product and to be <strong>in</strong> at <strong>the</strong><br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g. So your first email or phone-call is important<br />
– make sure it is strong.<br />
A <strong>guide</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>start</strong>-<strong>up</strong> <strong>fashion</strong> <strong>bus<strong>in</strong>esses</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> Centre <strong>for</strong> Fashion Enterprise<br />
www.nesta.org.uk<br />
03<br />
You can try email<strong>in</strong>g – but <strong>the</strong>re will need to be<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g catchy <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> email title <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m to bo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
open<strong>in</strong>g it.<br />
You can try hand-deliver<strong>in</strong>g or post<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>the</strong> buyer. But make sure it is not just a letter. Make<br />
an impact. The packag<strong>in</strong>g needs to make <strong>the</strong>m<br />
curious enough to open <strong>the</strong> envelope/package; and<br />
when <strong>the</strong>y open it, you want <strong>the</strong>m to respond with<br />
‘This is <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g. I’ll look out <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m’. You might<br />
have <strong>in</strong>cluded a postcard or lookbook promot<strong>in</strong>g your<br />
collection, or maybe a beautiful small sample of textile<br />
– followed <strong>up</strong> a co<strong>up</strong>le of weeks later with a postcard<br />
or lookbook.<br />
IT IS VITAL THAT YOU<br />
RESEARCH THE MARKET TO<br />
MAKE SURE YOUR PRODUCT<br />
IS SPECIAL, AT WHATEVER<br />
LEVEL, AND THAT IT<br />
IS DIFFERENT ENOUGH<br />
FROM THE HUNDREDS OF<br />
COLLECTIONS THAT ARE<br />
ALREADY OUT THERE.<br />
Mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>novation flourish