Last night I had a casual chat with two young women on the
subway both ( as it seems everyone in New York is) were “indie” designers. Inevitable the question cam around as to how
whether or not they were moving product and what was the best way to do so! One
adamantly insisted that social media was the best route, that it was simple upload your images and have friends comment
and share. Of course I asked about their success. Which elicited the usual, “response
has been great!”
When asked how much were you making!
The inevitable response, “we weren’t actually selling!”
There is “Product, content and audience.” Designers sell
product; Bloggers monetize content and audience… social networkers monetize
audience with other people’s content! Social media marketing agencies as
supposed to help brands sell product by increasing their audience! It is gauche
to ask about salaries and profit… a great wall of secrecy that supports what I see
as the abuse of young dreams! I am The Fashion Editor of the Calabar magazine
so I justify it as professional curiosity!
So how much is does a
designer have to make to be successful!
The challenge is cutting cost so that they can see a profit! Designers
who have gone through our program do! Many without even fully adapting the
program! Brooklyn Designers can gross six figures and above annually! To which
one young designer replied not in your firstyear! It can and has been done…
in the first year!
Open up our program to designers who want to show a collection in February
so that they can sell and see a profit simply use our contact form and inquire
about our apprenticeship program
As
a writer and social Media Marketer Macala Wright-Lee ranks as one of the best, she understands of what she speaks and more importantly can back up her theories!
In fact Vote for her for social media agency in Mashable Open Web Awards! So why then do I
counteract her on the issue of social media and the importance of Bloggers and
twitter to designers!
The
fact is that local creative entrepreneurs such as fashion designers especially,
independent designers thrive on social networking! It is the engine for their
businesses! I keep saying social networking is not new... I'm a second
generation independent designer... It's the way my mom and her
counterparts sold. It is the way Local designers in Brooklyn Keep their doors
open!
Even though I support efforts to educate on it, from the designers'
perspective there are some serious drawbacks that not even the glitz of a well
designed website and "Oprah's success' can negate. Simply put it is a
question of priorities! There are so many issues that need to be resolved
before the focus is the "new" type of marketing! Crucial changes to
adapt from traditional social networking to social new media networking!
As
a designer I started exploring new media as early as 2005, our project
test many "theories through practice'. There is some value and we help local designers through the
integration and adaptation of new media tools into their general operational strategy!
COST:
We accept that social media changes the bottom line… yet no concrete proof
exist! To the designer it is a matter of allocating resources! Many migrate
where and when there customer base exist. Social Media companies DO NOT INVEST
in Off line marketing! Often in fact relying on their users to build the
customer base! At the end its about thriving where there customer is! So unless
a designer also has resources to bring their clients into new media they won’t!
Beyond
accessories and t-shirts, the numbers are not adding up! Especially among the
Indie designers, many walking runways, being heralded on blogs even on Etsy
"ARE NOT SELLING", despite the great members we see reported!
Yes social media can and does help but the perception of value is
skewed... without an accurate reporting system, there are not
enough numbers available toaccurately guage!
It’s just too much of an investment for the local indie designer to consider it
a valuable payoff! The hard question at the end of the day "who's selling
and why!" and more importantly who's making a profit!
The issues are multifaceted, beyond accessories and t-shirts, the numbers are
not adding up! especially among the Indie designers, many walking runways,
being heralded on blogs even on Etsy "ARE NOT SELLING", despite the
great nembers we see reported!
Yes social media can and does help but the perception of value is
skewed... without an accurate reporting system, there are not
enough numbers available toaccurately guage!
I've
had to learn the value and pitfalls of the media game!
This response to the original article ("Fashionably Late to the
Social Media Party?") has been long over due, but it’s vary
lateness exemplifies the core argument! I am an avid networker… I even believe
that Social (New) Media Marketing is vital, and a necessary part of a creative
entrepreneurs overall business strategy!
What we forget, (a component that is at the core, a major breakdown in
fashion) is that ultimately I am buying a PRODUCT! The “Brand” simply delivers
a packaged promise as to the type and quality of the product the offered! Social
Media Marketers monetize the audience. Bloggers can opt to monetize their
content as well as audience. As a Designer I have a product; That is my primary
focus for monetization efforts, I can opt to monetize my media content as well
as my audience!
For
the record we have been putting designers online since 2005 and have a push to
have them all secure their Social Media ID(IP) so yes we encourage them to get
on the social Media train! It is however one of the several steps we are
promoting towards a more efficient industry!
The
issue of fashion designers not adopting social network marketing is one I keep
defending since a Fashion 2.0 roundtable at Web2Open last November! Independent
designers have mastered the art of social networking for marketing purpose;- They
invented the game. The issue is online or mobile, social network marketing! Digital
media came, in traditional PR “discovered” a goldmine and now are running the
show!
I’m
a second generation designer, my mother never placed an ad in the papers, her
customers brought her customers. She was involved in social groups at church,
women’s organizations, and community projects. In fact apologies came if
someone could not use her services! It is the nature of local community
business! Local designers today do the same and stop in any local showroom will
find someone stopping in even helping with the surface cleanup, passing out
flyers! Parcels are dropped off and picked up by relatives, tickets, flyers,
news; there is even a local financing support around these circles!
So
why not translate to Social Networks Tools… such as twitter, Facebook
etc Several factor’s!
It’s
a cultural mind-shift, “I have a great dresses”, does not translate as well as image
of those dresses. This means media production cost! Many expect designers to
provide the pictures… “We’re providing exposure”!
As
one designer put s it
“exposure does not pay the bills. There is a solid cost for ‘eye
candy!”
If
designers stop supplying images and stories blogs won’t exist! So unless a
designer has a sales outlet many question “what’s in it for me.”
when I am the talent in media! When a designer does opt to invest in social
media collateral the Brand will work with a social media marketing agency or
create affordable material for their use. That’s an investment in their
business!
Many
Social media sites want and need unique collateral! Simply ask/offer to cover a
designer content creation cost and she will gladly provide the pieces for you
to shoot even work along with you to help you create unique content for your social
media marketing efforts… so yes fashion brands are a vital part of the social
media eco system. However their business is fashion production it may be up to
the content creators and site owners to invest and create in the fodder that
has been feeding this frenzy!
More
importantly till the very basic adjustment of operations;- production, storage
and delivery services is addressed it is not a complete system! Yes, designers
have to change how they have operated to accommodate these changes!
Designer’s primary focus is product! Most of the designers I know have perfected
their products seldom have a need for a sale they do not have stock that needs
to be offloaded!
But
some lines do well …
Yes
online is a cheaper outlet for retailers, many Indie designers have no problem
with small bulk purchases, some even have drop shipping packages!
So
what about the advice Macala gave in her article! http://heartifb.com/2009/06/29/brands-bloggers/ it makes perfect sense if your company is at that point! I keep hearing “Brand
and Bloggers” mentioned
Another
factor we discovered early on is that the Indie designer is “Eye Candy” for
blogs! Their images and videos, their media collateral, drawing attention, and
since most bloggers who are selling ads often drew larger “competitors” in the
same area, designers are reluctant to be talent in their production! There are
a few exceptions, namely jewelry and tee-shirts where it works!
The
fact is too many are depending on the designers to carry the weight of this
growing sector without sharing the burden of cost or the profit or residual
income! That has to change! The perception of value is skewed! Online stores
qualify for hundreds of thousands even millions in funding… without funneling
that to support the changes necessary to sustain the industry!
Yes
social media can and does help but the perception of value is skewed...
Without
an accurate reporting system, there are not enough numbers available
to accurately gauge! We lack the resources to correctly carry out a full survey..
What has surprised us is the low numbers and profit figure we encounter, many
designer walking runway, appearing in blogs ARE NOT SELLING!
Like
the Mythical Bigfoot someone knows someone, who sold! Since designers do not
reveal their numbers it is an assumption yet to be tested! I see number s of
“commenter and attention rates” How do they translate to not just sales but
profit! If local designers could produce a garment at $20 and retail at $80.maybe
then they would adopt Social media! A $ 20 dress is produced oversees! Many
retailers Buy at that price point from oversees production, hence large volume!
Local indie designers serve the boutique more select market!
To
compete many lower their profit margin, those that actually sell are not making
a profit! So where are the numbers being reported by online companies coming
from if not from product sales… content monetization and most importantly
audience monetization! The Fashionista’s attention is worth a lot!
There
are simply too many issues relating to successful product development,
production sale and delivery to get to even consider; development in
production, sourcing, shipping, storage. The sector needs and overall overhaul
to effectively maximize the potential of new technologies! So what about
the advice Macala gave in her article! http://heartifb.com/2009/06/29/brands-bloggers/ it makes perfect sense if your company is at that point! When a designer has
fabric and notion resources, sample and production, shipping, storage and fulfillment
and can effectively deliver, Then they can really maximaize the services of bloggers!
To
be fair many bulk all designers and design brands together when they are
referring to traditional luxury or retail “Brands’. Many Retail Brands are new
to the “social, community game” These brand with markups sometimes way over
ever 120%, they can afford the deep cuts that make for “buzz or offers”. Our
research shows that many social media shoppers are bargain hunters looking for
the 50 % off or the $60 dress, hence the success of Gilt and Ideali. With local
production and boutique numbers there is no way the smaller even some medium
designers can compete. There is a built in perception of value! (BTW I’ll touch
on the article on pricing and projections another day!) It is within certain
Niche sectors that these numbers are being reported. We tend to lump all
components of fashion together and therein lays the mistake!
So
let me clarify; Jewelry and Tee-shirts sell,
Vintage,
especially well priced vintage sells!
More
importantly they have a significant margin of profit to make them worth
pursuing as a product line… that is true offline and on it is true online- the
reasons vary. Even on the web and via social media it will continue to be the
same way for years to come! We do not expect vintage to fit, seldom is a
vintage purchase returned, Vintage is acquired for its inherent beauty and
heirloom value, we may or may not ( according to our individual passion) choose
to make necessary adjustment! In fact the vintage shoppers I know are extremely
particular and passionate about their purchases! They are naturally limited;
“Vintage” as such translates well to web sale!
Jewelry
and accessories on the other hand not only sell, they usually fit . Earrings
are seldom too small or too big, they can be easily adjusted, or “passed along
as gifts‘. The only thing more valuable as a sales item than a modern jewelry
line is “Vintage” Jewelry or accessories. There is one other reason that
jewelry does so well online (and in every other sales area) but we’ll get to
that later!
Clothing
(especially ladies contemporary, day and evening is a little more difficult to
sell. It involves the assessment of ‘Fitting”, color and a whole lot of other
choices that deter an immediate sale! The exception is the “Tee Shirt” (s, m,
l, xxl; the designs and color setting it apart. Both easily communicated
online! A tee-shirt either fits or it does not and if it doesn’t, it’s a great
universal gift! With the print on demand services and myriad graphic designers
out there this is a commodity made for Sale…
Online and off line! Simply put Tee Shirts have and always will sell!
But
what’s make them perfect for recommendation and attention aspects of the social
media is that there is an acceptance of familiarity! I do not “mind” if someone
has the same tee shirt as I do! There is a certain comfort in that… I belong!
It is the same with jewelry… Where did you get those earrings inevitably gets a
positive response!
Ever
saw a woman walk into a room and recognize that someone is in the same dress
she has on… From President’s wives to actresses, church goers to
strippers even bridesmaids … it is the ultimate woman’s nightmare! Yes we look
at magazines and clip images, and rave at fashion shows, but in the end we want
something … well different! We’ll buy the same lipstick, even share jewelry!
But DO NOT WEAR the same dress that I have! In fact for generations (and
families), a favorite dress maker, or your favorite shopping haunt is a guarded
secret!
Try
asking a woman where you can get her dress?
Women’s
clothing especially above a certain price point or for certain social
functions, is not an item that is to be “shared” till worn! We have the
same suit for work no problem …it’s a uniform after all! But friendships have
been ended because of copycat purchases! Now with a wide distribution the
chances of that happening are slim to none. Local and Indie first have to get
production and distribution, to be able to overcome this social hurdle!
But
what of sizes, I am yet to find a realistic set of garment specs that reflect
the customer base, of the Indie sector. It should follow that social media
could solve the problem! I am however yet to find the woman that admits her
correct measurements even to herself when buying clothing! The Indie designer
is sort after, because her silhouette better fits the consumer! She normally
secures this through direct measurements and a direct relationship with her
audience!
Consumers
come to independent designers for a specific fit, fabrication, color or design
service! The customer who will pay for the current profit price-point “is not
usually online.” And if they are; they are not necessarily in the same local
area, designers will first have to figure out a new way of doing business!
Shipping Storage handling, returns add to the cost of doing business! We have
been exploring collaborative tools and video conferencing, but at the end of
the day what the customer pays premium for is the personal fit and designers
are reluctant to give that up!
To
the designer every party is literally a business deal and the numbers must
add up! We’re not late for the party we’re just having one of our own!
Fashion By Brooklyn 
When asked how much were you making!