How to Start a Clothing Brand in 2024

Introduction

• Presenter: Caprice, 18-year-old clothing brand owner
• Brand: Project Caprice
• Previous Brand: Adore Caprice
• Objective: Teach how to start an efficient and profitable clothing brand in 2024.
• Disclaimer: Not a get-rich-quick scheme; requires a love for fashion.

Self-Promotion

• Caprice's School with 700+ brand owners.
  • Topics: Designers, manufacturers, marketing, influencers, size charts, fabrics, etc.
  • Weekly calls with experts like Who's Casper and Hollywood Shack.
  • Sale price: Dropped from $75 to $47.
• School membership provides detailed guidance but not mandatory.

Steps to Start a Clothing Brand

1. Choosing a Name

• Tips: Avoid corny or cliche names.
• Example: Project Caprice (Capri means “goat” in Latin)
• Suggestion: Use Urban Dictionary to find unique names.

2. Picking an Aesthetic

• Definition: Visual and emotional vibe of your brand.
• Examples: Streetwear, emo, happy, etc.
• Advice: Choose a niche you enjoy and stay consistent.

3. Finding a Designer

• Not everyone can design; consider hiring a designer.
• Search Tip: Use ".std" on Instagram for potential designers.
• Note: Many designers lead to similar designs.
• Alternative: Learn Procreate or design skills yourself.

4. Creating and Marketing Your Brand

Design Process

• Mock-up: Initial digital rendering of your design.
• Production: Finalize mock-ups and design files for manufacturers.
• First Products: Consider starting with sets (hoodies and sweats) for better profit margins.

Choosing a Manufacturer

• Recommendation: Go for Chinese manufacturers over Pakistani ones (higher quality).
• Platforms: Alibaba for finding manufacturers; use request for quotation feature.
• Resources: Detailed lists available in Caprice's school.

5. Setting Up Online Presence

• Website: Use Shopify.
• Age Requirement: Over 18; workaround by using a trusted adult’s SSN.
• Tools: Purchase a Shopify theme, use Postscript for SMS marketing.
• Tips: Postscripts drives high conversion rates through targeted SMS campaigns.

6. Sampling and Initial Production

• Sampling Costs: $100-$300 per sample; secure funds if needed.
• Avoiding Errors: Understand GSM, fabric types, and use essence for size charts.
• Influencer Strategy: Use a single sample to gather promo content from multiple influencers.

7. Marketing Strategies

• Types: Ads-heavy, organic growth, influencer-based, customer-centric.
• Platform Usage: IG reels, TikTok, YouTube shorts.
• Follower Goal: Minimum of 2,500 Instagram followers before launch.
• Engagement: Repost customer content, run meta ads or sponsored posts.

8. Preparing for Launch

• Sample Use: Create mock-ups and promote for 2 weeks.
• Analytics: Track metrics to gauge readiness.
• Fulfillment Materials: Poly mailers, label printers, thank you cards from Amazon.

9. Post-Launch Actions

• Customer Communication: Keep customers updated to avoid chargebacks.
• Shipping: Use Pirate Ship or Shopify for buying labels.
• Reinvesting Profits: Reinvest profits for scaling; aim for higher funds and larger drops.

Legal Setup

• Sales Milestone: After reaching 20-30k in sales, get LLC, EIN, and open a business bank account.
• Loans: Consider credit union loans for future drops.

Conclusion

• Scaling: Reinvest, scale up production, and maintain high-quality customer service.
• Consistency: Stay dedicated and continue marketing effectively.
• Final Reminder: All resources mentioned (manufacturers, designers, marketing etc.) available in Caprice’s school.