How to Start a Fashion Brand in India 2024-25_

1. So, you aspire to start your own brand story! Wonderful. We congratulate you on your decision. Nothing matches the pride in shining across the fashion horizon with a brand known by your name. Imagine the host calling out your brand name on the ramp of an international fashion event. Enthralling, isn’t it? Many fashion designers, alumni of the leading fashion designing colleges in Pune, Mumbai, etc., work with reputed fashion houses initially. But only some build the entrepreneurial spirit and confidence to start a fashion brand or clothing line. Those who don’t, aren’t any less talented. But while a few are enticed by the idea of a brand and the glamour and identity that follows it, some prefer working behind the scenes. If you are among the former and have discovered the fashionpreneur within you, you must be wondering how to start a fashion brand. Here’s a step-by-step guide provided by NIFD Global Pune Kothrud to help you. Fashion Entrepreneurship: Key Steps to Building a Successful Brand It is incredible to start your fashion brand. But it is as challenging as starting any other business. Hence, it requires you to go plan your venture carefully and meticulously and work out the plan to make your entrepreneurial venture successful. Develop a Proper Business Plan

2. This is another significant step in your endeavour to start a fashion brand. Your business plan helps you map your way to near and distant milestones. In other words, it guides you in accomplishing your goals over the next few months or years. Accordingly, it is prudent to invest time, thought and effort in creating a realistic business plan that includes a rational outreach and sales target. However, ensure your business plan is flexible and allows you to adapt to a particular situation or sudden shifts in the market environment. Fashion is a trend-driven industry. Hence, you should have room to accommodate those trends and revamp your strategy to stay aligned with the market’s orientation. Identify Your Prospective Buyers It is identifying the people you would sell your creations to and understanding their needs. It will help you align your designs to their needs. Remember, every prospect segment and their needs are different. For instance, designs that work well with middle-aged people might not necessarily resonate with youngsters in their teens or 20s. While you would already know this as a fashion designer, you will have to make conscious efforts to learn what your prospects would like to wear. Start Designing Your Outfits Now that you know whom to target and the market’s demand size, you can bring your concepts to life. It means you can start designing your outfits. However, as mentioned earlier, fashion is a highly dynamic business. New trends quickly dethrone old ones, making them redundant. Hence, you should be quick enough to design your outfits and take them to a manufacturer capable of maintaining the required production pace. Search for a Manufacturer This one can take some time. It might also require you to travel extensively. Searching online and making decisions through online searches won’t help. While searching for a manufacturer, you should pay a site visit and factor in aspects like the manufacturer’s reputation, adherence to SLAs,

3. manufacturing processes, capabilities and capacity, and the willingness to help to sprout fashion startups like you. Factors like the distance between your market and the manufacturer’s location should also be considered as it will directly affect the transportation costs and overall production expenses. Of course, balancing all these aspects could prove challenging. But no one ever said starting and running a fashion business would be easy! Conclusion Emerging as fashion brand from a fashion startup will take time. Starting, surviving and succeeding as an entrepreneur isn’t child’s play. While taking time, it also requires considerable effort, persistence, patience and abundant people management skills to maintain cordial business relations, balance expenses and profits, and thrive despite numerous market challenges and dynamicity. Hone the entrepreneur within you with NIFD Pune Kothrud, one of the fashion design institute in Pune. While enhancing their talent, we help students develop entrepreneurial skills and approach through our updated course curriculum, internship and industry exposure across various national and global events. Many of our students have taken up fashion entrepreneurship and made their mark in the fashion world. Call us at +91 9205290939 " to connect with our support team. To learn more about our B.des fashion design courses and entrepreneurial approach. You would also like blog: Roles of Fashion Designer