Quote:
Originally Posted by
elcmens 
Having gone through this process over the last 4-5 years I can tell you it is an incredible uphil battle. We started by taking basic classes to acquire working knowledge of sewing and pattern drafting. This is important for both a working knowledge and to develop the vocabulary necessary to interact with contractors.
We then found a pattern maker that we could trust and work with closely to develop our fit and the basic pattern blocks for our line. This is where you start spending gobs of money because if you are not a proficient pattern maker yourself you need to be preparred to go through lots of revisions before you get sometihng to something you are happy with.
You then need to make inroads with every fabric house and contractor in the industrytahtyou can come in contact with. I spent a year while between jobs calling door after door from LA to London and Milan to meet people in the industry and to try to build a working relationship.
I could go on and on but this would turn into a small novel. You are more then welcome to PM if you would like advice by email or phone. Long story short there is no quick or easy way to get into this business. Learn as much as you can and save up your pennies. We spent $30k developing our first block of patterns before we ever saw our first sale.
Best of luck go take some classes and get hungry you got a long road ahead of you
I need to quote this again, because I woke up this morning after having replied to it last night, and the first thing that happened across my brain this morning was '... what the fuck? that guy spent thirty thousand dollars on patterning?' '4-5 years' ?? I realize that's not impossible - but worth it? You can do a lot more, tons more, with a lot less.
I am not sure if I will still be making clothes in 4-5 years, but I know that if I do, I will have made thousands upon thousands of pieces of clothes, and still not spent $30K on patterns, not even half that. That is insane. I am pretty thrifty about this kind of stuff, but still. Shit. I want to start a restaurant in the near future and I'd want thirty grand to go double what it normally does, and fashion labels and restaurants are not dissimilar, except for the fact that you can make something from almost nothing in fashion, if you know what to do.
