TIPS FOR FASHION DESIGNERS: HOW TO REACH OUT TO BUYERS
One of the hardest challenges an emerging designer faces is to find customers and sell their collection to them. I've outlined some of my top tips on how to navigate the bewildering buying landscape, gathered from my time as a buyer.
WHERE TO START
Think about which retailer is in line with your product category, aesthetic or is missing a product like yours. If your brand is picked by a store or online retailer it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will easily sell though. Your line must be consistent with the product range of the department store in terms of: price, other brands and image. One thing to be aware of is that buyers often negotiate to return the unsold inventory to the designer, meaning that they won’t take the cost of the inventory on themselves.
Dover Street Market New York
WHOM
As an emerging designer your best bet is to try to reach out to junior buyers. They usually need to prove themselves and show to senior buyers that they are on top of their game and know what the latest trends are and who are the new exciting designers. You can also try the name of the buyer with the email address of their company. E.g: evasmith@net-a-porter.com
WHEN
The best time to reach out to buyers and junior buyers is when they start planning their next season budget, meaning they can already include you in their next season planning. Beginning of April for summer and beginning of October for the following winter.
If you don’t receive a bounce back email it means they have received your mail but are busy or are not looking for a brand like yours at the moment. Don’t despair: be persistent but relevant. Send them a new email to remind them of your brand but only when you have some new products or press about your brand (look-book, press articles, fashion show planned). Do not harass them!
HOW TO GET NOTICED
Buyers do have a lot of power over brands but don’t earn millions. One of the best ways to be remembered is to be sure you personalize your message and that you mention the key success factors of your brand.
One last piece of advice. Don’t forget this sentence: “I became an overnight success after 7 years of hard work”. Consistency over the years is very important for any fashion brand.
Katja Noschis Delaloye, fashion brand strategist
