Section 1: Define Your Design

What you will learn in Section 1 of our Apparel Mentor Program! In this section, we will guide you through essential steps to define your design, establishing a solid foundation for your brand.

Let's embark on an educational journey through our five captivating topics! In Topic 1, we'll dive deep into the importance of defining your mission. It's all about articulating the core values and purpose of your apparel brand, setting the stage for a strong foundation.

Moving on to Topic 2, we'll explore the significance of identifying your target market. This crucial step enables you to connect with customers effectively, understanding what makes them tick and why they should choose your product over others.

Prepare to unleash your creative imagination in Topic 3, where we'll delve into the art of sketching your designs. Get ready to bring your visions to life on paper, as we provide valuable insights and techniques to enhance your sketching skills.

In Topic 4, we'll tackle a vital decision-making process. We'll discuss the pros and cons of taking a DIY approach versus partnering with professionals. You'll gain a clear understanding of the best path to achieve optimal results for your brand.

Lastly, in Topic 5, we'll guide you through narrowing down your style offering and creating captivating tech sketches. With a focus on precision and attention to detail, you'll refine your design concepts and present them in a compelling and professional manner.

Join us on this enlightening journey as we empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the world of apparel design!

In this lesson, you’ll:
- Name your company.
-Write or revisit your mission statement, in one to two sentences.
- Set your five to seven core values.
-Find out who your competitors are.
-Describe what makes your brand different.
-Identify an inspiration brand.
-Create a profile of your ideal client that includes a variety of factors like demographics, values, and lifestyle.
-Consider the economy of scale. Like it or not, the client’s income is very important.
-Revisit your inspiration brand through the lens of your target client.
In this lesson, you will:
▶ Think through details of the garment you envision, including fit and features. Use existing clothing as your inspiration.
▶ Draw a simple sketch, both front and back.
▶ Do this for every product you want to make, with five as your max.
In this lesson, you will:
▶ Explore the steps required to build an apparel line.
▶ Weigh two approaches new designers can take:
DIY or Full Partner.
▶ Decide which approach is the best fit for you.
In this lesson, you will:
▶ Determine how many styles you’ll offer.
▶ Create a hand sketch of each style.
▶ Solicit feedback from your target market.
▶ Hire a technical designer to create a tech sketch
for each style.

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Know your Why!?

If I had a chance to talk with you one on one, there is one main piece of information I would be after: Why do you want to make a clothing line? I’ve heard countless stories about what motivates people to bring their own apparel line into the world. The ones who answer with a unique reason and story are the ones that excite me. It all starts with you having a clear vision and a clear “why.” Your answer would tell me so much. It would tell me what matters to you. It would tell me who your customers are and how your garments will stand out. Not only that, but your answer may even give me a sense for what your development process will turn out like. Your “why” matters, a lot. This is true of any business venture, but it’s critically important for new clothing brands. Having a clear understanding of your brand’s “why” can make or break your success. One simple reason is it’s very difficult to know when you’ve met your goals if you don’t understand why you’re trying to reach them, or what success really looks like. You can’t get where you’re going if you don’t have a good idea of what it looks like, or why you’re getting started. And changing your motivation can drastically change your ideas of success as well.

Have a sketch/ inspiration/ idea that you want to turn into reality? Join the Apparel Mentor.

This is a collaborative process with you (the brand owner) and your designer to make sure we capture your vision. Design Board service vary from each designer but you can usually expect 3-5 design options per product that your design team sketches out based off your inspiration.

DESIGN BOARDS / TECH SKETCHES INCLUDE

2D CAD drawings of front and back views
seam placements
stitching lines
stitch type
design/function call outs
fabric placements
trims placements

WHY IS THIS STEP NEEDED?

The sketches communicate to you what we plan on prototyping. It is best to work out as many design details early on so the process runs smooth and quickly.