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“I started it because I wasn’t pleased with how other local brands were representing Portland,” McCarthy shares. “I started selling shirts for $20 and began to grow a following.”
As you receive positive & negative feedback on this amazing next chapter in life, your vision will only turn into creations, solely by your dedication, purpose, & understanding from within yourself. While thinking & bringing life to what you're trying to show your customers, peers, and family, I know now, you're now trying to find a setting, location, models, photographers, social media outlets, fashion show producers, even sponsors. Even you didn't think of one of those main key players to get your brand to the next level, please continue reading.
Now, What brings celebration, comes hard work. Remember, its only you sitting here reading this blog. No one else. You must trust your gut instincts on every decision that goes on from now on, wether its Major or small. Those sticky problems you once handed off to your boss or the head stylist, is now going to be your daily duty. It's challenging especially when you have no background in marketing, social media, or even fashion styling. When we start a new project, we don't always have the necessary tools we need to have in every realm in order to have a functioning brand. Designers can design, create, even vision their garments walking the runway on Models & celebs; But have no clue how to properly send out a press release, master sponsorship letters, or give proper model direction. As a Fashion merchandising student, i've had the the pleasure to dabble in a lot of different aspects of the process to getting a brand to its highest expectation. Or so I thought. not knowing what i wanted to do in the fashion industry, i decided to s my own mens collections. Thinking that since I had classes in image consulting, model direction, fashion show producing even a few sewing classes under my belt.
Now what I didn't have was the experience in any of these aspects. I was still very "Textbook." I knew what to do, but with no actual hands-on experience. I didn't have my own instinct and gut feeling, nor had the background & actual work experience to really get me off the ground. I was going off my handouts & notes straight from my professors, and everyone I contacted knew that right away. Looking back, now wishing that I had someone who was highly skilled in marketing, someone who knew how to write a press release, a team of social media junkies, or even a place like Colabination to take my inspiring, independent brand in to their hands, create not only a great traffic source for my collection, but advertisements on levels I never thought possible. Not even knowing how much a independent interview could better my entire overall feel of my brand, Colabination would have been a great place to start. You need a team; A team of peers to get you and your brand above & ahead on things you cannot tackle yourself. And don't feel bad about that. Stylists, cant style anything without clothes, fashion show producers cannot give a show without a amazing collection, and Colabination cannot share your story a& collection to the world without having your dedicated brand.
Im not trying to steer you from your dream, rather prepare yourself for what can happen. Don't feel discouraged, there are thousands of designers who were/are in your position. And now with 2016 just around the corner, social media is the new black; So in a since, you can say that everyone's branding. Branding themselves with pictures, comments, & making a presence known. But, Its getting to the right customer base & finding those target market audiences, or making social media your first middle and last name. which brings me back to the e-commerce start up that can only do great wonders for the collection you so proudly put in blood sweat & tears. I cannot stress enough about how Colabination will take your brand & life to new heights, ones you couldn't imagine possible. But thats the point right? They leave the designing to designers and showcase not only your pieces but your story. From the time you have read this article until your being interview by one of their Local Blog Ambassadors, Colabination thrives to gathering independent designers together in one place so not only will your customers be able to purchase your collections, but they will see the hard dedicated work you pulled off. Because remember, its only you reading this, no one else. With this article & with the help of Colabination, a few friends from Facebook that just happens to be stylists, producers, even DJ's, those applauses, and gratitude that you give your boss, is now your daily appreciation. Click Colabination to find out more about the amazing opportunities your future brand can have, shop some from other amazing independent designers who have already joined board, or share this article to a friend or family member who you think can benefit! With bloggers all around the country, and a customer traffic base something in the MILLIONS, Colabination will come through with hands on interviews, a clean and beautiful website where your items will seen by more people you would could never even imagine, and they are always looking for the next indecent designer who is ready to show the world what they are made of!
Good Luck, Share your Stories below & check out COLABINATION.COM!
