Other Orders Questions - for Affiliates, Industry Types

[mensimageconsultant]

When you order stock from a brand (for example, Penguin), how much say do have in the colors and patterns you will receive? Must you accept a style of shirt in all the colors it's made? Must you carry x number of styles in a line?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

There should be a mad/sad/confused hybrid icon. Somebody else recently asked about behind-the-scenes doings and received an answer. Now there probably are a number of people who would like to see an answer in this thread. There definitely are members here who could give an informed answer. Look, it's okay to give a vague answer or even reply privately and request that the information not be shared if there's some fear that it would be bad for business.

 

[LA Guy]

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

When you order stock from a brand (for example, Penguin), how much say do have in the colors and patterns you will receive? Must you accept a style of shirt in all the colors it's made? Must you carry x number of styles in a line?

If you were not called "mensimageconsultant", implying that you are somehow involved in the fashion business, posters would not be as reluctant to answer your very basic questions.

1. You do have a say in the colors, patterns, and sizes that you order. In some exceptional circumstances (say, in the old Martin Margiela 0 10 line) where pieces are unique, there may be some variations to this rule.

2. No, you don't have to accept a shirt style in all colors.

3. Sometimes. These conditions are set by the brand or distributor. Often, a brand wants its collection represented as such, and will not allow retailers to buy, say, just the denim.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Image consultants don't necessarily have anything to do with that aspect of fashion. Beware of the so-called "image consultant" who sells apparel directly to clients.

FYI, The New York Times just had a lengthy discussion about sizes. The consensus there, maybe not about streetwear or high-fashion items, is that the retailer doesn't have much control.

It would make more sense if retailers were forced to carry some of the colors they do, since many of the outlandish choices end up discounted. It was kind of dumb to ask about patterns, since patterns differ per item and clearly it would be unusual to have to carry every item. Thanks for giving answers with some certainty.