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The Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast

The Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast

By Apparel Entrepreneurship

In The Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, Ana and Klas Kristiansson - apparel industry experts, authors, and speakers will discuss hands-on tactics touching all areas involved in running and growing a meaningful, successful apparel brand. Learn practical strategies about sustainability, design, product, marketing, sales, community, e-commerce, and entrepreneurship. You’ll also hear inspiring interviews with industry experts and entrepreneurs about their tips and journeys in this fast-paced industry. A must-listen for everybody that is running an apparel brand or is working with apparel.
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Currently playing episode

AEP040 - Do This & The Sales Will Follow

The Apparel Entrepreneurship PodcastFeb 14, 2020

00:00
09:17
Figure Out What Your Clothing Brand Is About | AEP078

Figure Out What Your Clothing Brand Is About | AEP078

We’ve worked with hundreds of brands and many of them have this in common 👇 ONE problem we see all the time: They are unable to communicate clearly and concisely on who they are and what they are about. In this episode, we talk about the importance of figuring out what your clothing brand is about.


Apparel Entrepreneurship: https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.com/


Desinder: https://www.desinder.com/

Mar 18, 202413:47
How To Grow Your Clothing Brand - Part 2 - Collection & Product | AEP077

How To Grow Your Clothing Brand - Part 2 - Collection & Product | AEP077

If you're aiming to elevate your clothing brand, this episode "How To Grow Your Clothing Brand - Part 2 - Collection & Product" is a must-listen. Ana & Klas from Apparel Entrepreneurship and Desinder talk about: ✅ Emphasizing sustainability is non-negotiable. With 67% of consumers prioritizing eco-friendly purchases, it's clear that environmental consciousness is central to your brand's appeal. ✅ Adopting a quality-over-quantity approach to your product line is crucial. Remember, a significant portion of your brand's success is likely to come from a small percentage of your offerings. ✅ Building strong relationships with your suppliers is key to ensuring product quality and operational efficiency. These partnerships are foundational to your brand's ability to innovate and respond to market demands. ✅ Collecting and acting on feedback from both customers and suppliers is essential for continuous improvement and alignment with market needs. Innovation should be at the heart of your strategy, involving new materials and designs to keep your brand at the forefront of the industry. ✅ Consider consolidating your suppliers to streamline operations, reduce costs, and foster closer partnerships for enhanced quality and sustainability. ✅ Smart use of colors and diligent data analysis can guide your decisions on which styles to continue and which to revise or discontinue. ✅ Carefully planning your product range to ensure a coherent collection where each item complements rather than competes with the others will optimize your sales potential. This guide is a concise roadmap for any clothing brand looking to grow in a sustainable, strategic manner. Watch the full video for detailed insights and actionable strategies to take your brand to the next level.

Mar 13, 202429:16
Why You Should Build A Collection With An Outfit Perspective | AEP076
Mar 06, 202410:02
How To Grow Your Clothing Brand - Part 1 - Business & Operations | AEP075

How To Grow Your Clothing Brand - Part 1 - Business & Operations | AEP075

Welcome to the first part of our series dedicated to growing your clothing brand. This episode focuses on the foundational elements of business and operations, crucial for navigating the complexities of today's fashion industry. In this episode of the Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, we provide a comprehensive look into the strategies and practices essential for the growth and sustainability of your apparel brand. With a focus on addressing current global challenges and the importance of a solid operational backbone, our aim is to offer insightful, applicable guidance for brand owners across the spectrum. Highlights Include: Building a Purpose-Driven Brand: An exploration of how to define and integrate core values into your brand identity, ensuring resilience and relevance in a competitive market. Enhancing Operational Efficiency: Practical advice on streamlining business processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain quality. Goal Setting and Strategic Planning: Guidance on establishing clear, actionable goals and developing a roadmap for achieving them, critical for focused growth. Financial Management Insights: Tips on managing your brand’s finances, from optimizing margins to strategic investment, ensuring financial health and the potential for expansion. Engaging with Your Audience: Strategies for cultivating a strong relationship with your customer base, building loyalty, and a sense of community around your brand. This video is for fashion entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their brand’s foundation and navigate the path to growth with confidence. Our approach combines industry expertise with practical solutions, designed to be directly applicable to your business. Apparel Entrepreneurship: https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.com/ Desinder: https://www.desinder.com/ Costing Sheet: https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.c... 6-Step Startup Course: https://academy.apparelentrepreneursh... Stay connected with our newsletter: https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.c...#clothingbrand #clothingbusiness #fashionbusiness

Mar 04, 202429:45
How To Start & Run A Sustainable Clothing Brand | Masterclass 2023 | AEP074

How To Start & Run A Sustainable Clothing Brand | Masterclass 2023 | AEP074

In this episode of the Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, we talk about how to start and run a sustainable clothing brand. You'll learn the fundamentals of starting and running a sustainable and responsible apparel business.


We cover what it means and how to implement sustainability in:

✅  Brand values & mission

✅  Marketing

✅  Collection & design

✅  Sourcing & manufacturing

✅  Packaging

✅  Logistics

✅  Product care & afterlife

✅  Sales & communication


Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and the fashion industry is no exception. We discuss how a clothing brand can be more sustainable in all stages from idea to sales.


We start by discussing the importance of sustainability and the challenges the fashion industry faces. We then discuss the different ways that you can make your brand more sustainable, including:

✅  Choosing sustainable materials

✅  Using sustainable manufacturing processes

✅  Reducing waste and pollution throughout your supply chain.

✅  Packaging your products in sustainable materials.

✅  Marketing your brand in a sustainable way.


We also share tips for building a loyal customer base and positively impacting the environment. We talk about the importance of transparency, storytelling, and community engagement.


🔥 Apparel Entrepreneurship - https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.com/

🔥 Desinder - https://www.desinder.com/


Oct 17, 202301:32:43
How To Design A Clothing Line | Masterclass 2023 | AEP073

How To Design A Clothing Line | Masterclass 2023 | AEP073

In this video podcast , Ana Kristiansson from Desinder and Apparel Entrepreneurship presents the Masterclass: How To Design A Clothing Line. You’ll learn how to create a cohesive collection that speaks your unique values and language. An apparel brand's design language is like a person’s personality. It makes your brand UNIQUE! This strengthens your brand and it keeps it cohesive for customers to recognize you. It will help you attract new customers who can identify & relate to your brand. It also helps you stay consistent season after season, year after year.


In this Masterclass Ana teaches you: 

✅  Why design language matters 

✅  What your designs should include 

✅  Satisfaction points and what to always consider in your designs 

✅  The essential building blocks of design 

✅  How to find inspiration 

✅  How to create your unique design language 

✅  How to integrate sustainability when designing    


Ana is an accomplished apparel designer with over 20 years of experience, a BFA from Parsons School of Design, and education from the Academy of Tailoring and Cutting in Stockholm. She founded the design agency, Desinder in 2007, has created award-winning designs, and worked with renowned brands such as Peak Performance, Salomon, Helly Hansen, and Orage. Ana's commitment to excellence and innovation has earned her a reputation as one of the most influential designers in the sports and outdoor field.

Mar 15, 202359:36
Essential Clothing Brand Team Members | AEP072
Mar 13, 202318:05
How To Find & Work With Clothing Manufacturers | AEP071
Mar 02, 202340:58
5 Design & Product Development Mistakes Clothing Brands Make | AEP070
Feb 14, 202310:38
Behind The Scenes Of Luxury Garment Manufacturing (with Diana Kakkar) | AEP069

Behind The Scenes Of Luxury Garment Manufacturing (with Diana Kakkar) | AEP069

In this episode of the Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, we have the honor of speaking with the founder and CEO of MAES London, Diana Kakkar. MAES London is a luxury womenswear manufacturer located in North London, launched by Diana in 2018. In this fantastic conversation, we get a behind-the-scenes look at creating luxury garment manufacturing, and what a successful partnership between a brand and manufacturer looks like. We talk about MAES’s selection process for new partnerships and what clothing brands can think of when reaching out to manufacturers. We also talk about sustainability, taking a business through the pandemic, invisible PR, and much more.


https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.com

https://www.desinder.com

https://www.maeslondon.com

Nov 09, 202201:03:16
How To Come Up With A Name For Your Clothing Brand | AEP068

How To Come Up With A Name For Your Clothing Brand | AEP068

Early on in your clothing business, you need to work on your brand identity. Branding is the process of building a product image based on associations, feelings, lifestyle, and identity that is projected by a label. You need to think about the meaning of your brand to your customers. Encapsulate that meaning in your brand name.  Choosing a great brand name is not easy, we know that. In this episode, we give you clear guidelines for coming up with a name for your clothing brand. The clothing brand name is an important part of your business and what your customers think of your brand. When you choose the right name, your customers immediately identify with your value proposition. If you would choose the wrong name, your customers have no idea what your business stands for or what it does. The importance of your brand name has to do with human psychology. As human beings, we evaluate information quickly and make judgments in a snap. We usually make up our minds in only a few seconds, and then it takes much longer to change that first impression.  There are many aspects to a great brand name, and in this episode, we share some of them.

Oct 27, 202214:58
How To Build A $45 Million Brand (with Tony McWilliam) | AEP067
Oct 18, 202201:36:55
AEP066 - 14 Mistakes To Avoid When RUNNING A Clothing Brand

AEP066 - 14 Mistakes To Avoid When RUNNING A Clothing Brand

In this episode, we are going through 14 mistakes you should avoid when running your clothing brand. We have worked with hundreds of clothing brand startups around the world and helped them start and run their own businesses, through Apparel Entrepreneurship and Desinder. These 14 mistakes that we've seen brands make, will be devastating for your business growth. Don't do the same mistakes when running your clothing brand.

Oct 11, 202217:29
AEP065 - 13 HUGE Mistakes To Avoid When Starting A Clothing Brand
Oct 04, 202216:48
AEP064 - How To Start A Clothing Brand With Little Money
Sep 30, 202212:39
AEP063 - Fashion Business Expectations

AEP063 - Fashion Business Expectations

If you haven't been running a clothing brand before, it may be difficult to know what to expect. We are walking you through what to expect when launching a fashion business. We are also explaining what the most important thing is to figure out when starting your clothing brand.

Sep 27, 202213:55
AEP062 - Your Brand Aesthetic, Brand Messaging & Handling Complaints

AEP062 - Your Brand Aesthetic, Brand Messaging & Handling Complaints

In this episode of The Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, we are answering questions from apparel entrepreneurs. We will cover four topics that our community has requested, which are all very relevant today.

The four topics we talk about in this episode are:

  1. How to find your brand aesthetic.
  2. How to be authentic with your message.
  3. The difference between going to college and online education.
  4. How to handle complaints
Sep 15, 202223:24
AEP061 – Prepare Yourself To Start A Fashion Business With These Questions
Nov 17, 202043:22
AEP060 - Avoiding Common Mistakes & Facing The Reality
Oct 14, 202016:45
AEP059 - Things You Need To Know Before Launching Your Fashion Brand
Sep 22, 202024:27
AEP058 - 5 Tips For Selling More During The Holiday Season
Sep 14, 202019:40
AEP057 - Success Tips For Emerging Designers With Brian Hill
Jul 17, 202050:32
AEP056 - How To Build A Brand That Is More Than A Brand
Jul 01, 202034:26
AEP055 - Design Innovation, Brand Building & Awards
Jun 25, 202056:03
AEP054 - Apparel Industry Insights & The Future Of Sustainability

AEP054 - Apparel Industry Insights & The Future Of Sustainability

In today’s podcast episode, we have the honor of talking to an apparel industry friend, Charles Ross. Charles is a specialist in performance sportswear design, and an expert in sustainable matters and a lecturer at the Royal College of Art in the UK.

Ever since we started the podcast we have wanted to have Charles on the show, so today’s episode is a real treat.

We cover a broad variety of topics from material innovation, to industry opportunities, projections for the future, industry resources, but during the conversation, we always circle back to two main topics - starting an apparel brand and sustainability. During our 1,5 hour long interview, we also touch on circularity in the apparel industry and ideas for how we can combat overconsumption.

Charles mentions resources, books, companies, and organizations and you can find the links to them below.

Turn up the volume and join us for AEP054!


Show notes at https://www.apparelentrepreneurship.com/podcast/

Jun 02, 202001:29:07
AEP053 - Sell More Products By Nailing Your Unique Value Proposition
May 28, 202026:08
AEP052 - Dealing With Uncertain Times - Your Questions Answered
May 22, 202032:33
AEP051 - Digital Material Sourcing, Innovative Materials & Sustainability
May 12, 202044:35
AEP050 - Sell Your Products
May 05, 202010:30
AEP049 - Make Your Garments
Apr 28, 202009:53
AEP048 - Design Your Collection
Apr 21, 202009:54
AEP047 - Build Your Brand
Apr 14, 202008:48
AEP046 - Manage Your Business
Apr 07, 202009:08
AEP045 - Build Your Foundation
Apr 02, 202013:40
AEP044 - How To Deal With The Corona Situation & Still Run Your Business

AEP044 - How To Deal With The Corona Situation & Still Run Your Business

In this special episode of the Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, we talk about how to deal with the current coronavirus situation and still run your business.

The coronavirus or covid-19 has changed the business landscape dramatically. The pandemic is out of our control, and we don’t know what the near future looks like.

This topic has been brought up in our coaching calls and also with some of our members. Many of you are wondering what to do, how can you minimize the risk and stay ahead of the competition.

In this episode, we are going to give you over 20 actionable tips on what you can work on and what you can do for your customers and communities.

Business is not as usual but if you can, continue your business as usual without panicking! Most apparel business operations can be done virtually. Believe us, we did it when we ran our 2 apparel brands, and we are doing it today, with our brands in the design agency.

Around the world there are lockdown measures, shops are closing, there are travel bans, people are taking social distancing measures, kids are home from school. In our lifetime, we haven’t seen anything like this. But, we have to keep moving, we have to keep going, to run our businesses and support our customers and our communities.

We're all in this together! You move on, businesses move on, and the ones that adapt are the ones that are going to survive and even thrive.

Show notes

Sign up for the brand new Course: How To Successfully Launch A Clothing Brand

How to build your online store yourself: Read the AE blog post.

Mar 19, 202022:43
AEP043 - Get Started With SEO To Boost Your Online Sales
Mar 10, 202019:55
AEP042 - Protecting Your Fashion Designs From Plagiarism
Mar 04, 202025:34
AEP041 - 5 Steps To Develop A Growth Mindset

AEP041 - 5 Steps To Develop A Growth Mindset

In this episode of the AE Podcast, we share with you 5 steps to develop your mindset.

Mindset - what is that? It's a set of beliefs, assumptions, and notions that you have about your world. But your beliefs are shaped when you were little. The society and your parents and the culture you were brought up in have shaped who you are and what you believe.

Depending on what beliefs you have, these can really limit you and eventually your business. Psychology is one of the biggest parts of running and excelling at business. 80% of the actions you take and the output you create depends on your mindset.

- Good news, you can change that! And in this episode we are going to talk about how.

You know the saying - if you change nothing, nothing will change? Well, it's the same with your mindset.

One of the biggest reasons why entrepreneurs succeed or don’t get anywhere depends on this exact thing. Their mindset.

We are covering 5 simple actions for how you can shift your mindset that can result in a successful apparel business.

Feb 21, 202019:56
AEP040 - Do This & The Sales Will Follow
Feb 14, 202009:17
AEP039 - Apparel Entrepreneurship - What’s In It For You?

AEP039 - Apparel Entrepreneurship - What’s In It For You?

In this episode, we are talking about the solution to the struggles of frustrated and overwhelmed emerging entrepreneurs. The struggle is real you guys! So many spend tons of money and time, getting nowhere or making very little progress, pumping in money in a business without a real plan for return on investment, meaning profit. We know these struggles and worries, because we have been in those shoes. We were you! From starting and running 2 own brands, working with hundreds of brands through Apparel Entrepreneurship, and running a technical design agency for 12 years, we have seen and made many mistakes, and had to figure stuff. Hopefully now you can learn from these mistakes instead of making them yourself. Put on your headphones and listen to how we have helped entrepreneurs through Apparel Entrepreneurship.

Feb 07, 202021:48
AEP038 - Grow Your Brand With Fashion Trade Shows
Jan 30, 202021:20
AEP037 - How To Maximize Your Sourcing Fair Visit
Jan 23, 202029:03
AEP036 - How To Know When You Are Ready To Launch
Jan 13, 202011:46
AEP035 - How To Best Work With A Manufacturer

AEP035 - How To Best Work With A Manufacturer

This is the episode many of you have been waiting for. It’s the first interview ever here on the Apparel Entrepreneurship Podcast, and it’s about how to best work with a manufacturer. We are talking to Kevin Van Lancker, founder and CEO of Sportwear of Tomorrow, a manufacturer of sublimated sportswear. They are the first and largest Print on Demand manufacturer in Europe for the cycling and triathlon industry and work with clients worldwide.

Kevin gives us the inside view of what brands need to think about when looking for manufacturing, how to best prepare, and how to create a fruitful relationship with the manufacturer. He also gives you insights into how you can work with an on-demand manufacturer, mistakes to avoid, and how the industry is evolving.

Sportswear of Tomorrow is the most technologically advanced private label, sports- and swimwear manufacturing plant in Europe, and Kevins shares with us how his background in IT has led to the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in their manufacturing process.

Whether you are about to start or you have been running your brand for years, this episode will give you loads of tips of working with a manufacturer, and insights in what possibilities there are when working with a manufacturer at the forefront of technology.

Find out more at apparelentrepreneurship.com

Dec 30, 201948:56
AEP034 - Planning A Productive 2020
Dec 21, 201925:38
AEP033 - 7 Apparel Business Trends For 2020
Dec 12, 201925:10
AEP032 - Design Inspiration 101

AEP032 - Design Inspiration 101

In this episode of the Apparel Entrepreneurship podcast, we talk about how and where to find inspiration for your designs and collection. How do you turn design inspiration into fashion collections? Why is it a good idea to have an inspiration for your designs and collection?

So how and where does it all start? How do designers know what to create? Inspiration is everywhere and we often hear this when designers are interviewed: where do you get your inspiration from? They most often answer from everywhere. But where is everywhere? In this episode, we give specific ideas for where to find inspiration and how to go about it.

You might have a trend sensitive business, or you may run a timeless brand. But you, at all times, have to know what's going on in the world, and know the trends and why things are the way they are. Because your brand is evolving with time, whether you like it or not, because that’s the nature of the game. And if you do know the trends it will be easier for you to run a business that is relevant, to increase your chances for more sales.

Inspiration isn’t only for the prints, or the details, it’s for everything. Starting with the products themselves, the silhouette and shapes, the materials choices, the colors and color story, the accessories chosen like buttons and trims and cords, all the way down to the finishing touches and styling of the garments.

Put on your headphones and join us for Design Inspiration 101.

Show notes

The Apparel Entrepreneurship Membership Program: Join this week

Dec 04, 201930:36
AEP031 - 5 Reasons Why Your Customers Don't Buy Your Products
Nov 27, 201927:39
AEP030 - 9 Marketing Ideas For Black Friday
Nov 19, 201921:48
AEP029 - Blog Tips For Fashion Brands
Nov 15, 201930:19