DESIGNER TOOLBOX: 4 Books You Should Read To Start A Fashion Brand

Hi guys,
when I operated my career change and started my journey into fashion, I had absolutely no idea what to start with. Nobody could help me. So I started buying books, some of which were good and bad. I tested many things and lost lots of time in the process. Worse… In Paris people told me that my dream was mission impossible without attending a fashion school. It meant delaying my dream by three years. That’s without mentioning the tuition fees.
I was busy and my budget was limited. So I looked for another option. I read a lot. I interviewed many experts. I learned the hard way.
I do not want you to go through the same pain. So before you start your own fashion brand, I thought I would share with you four of all the books I read, from which I benefited most.

So let’s start.
 

To understand branding

Title: Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara
Author: Mark Tungate

Benefit: If there is one thing you should keep in mind from now on, it is this:

BRANDING IS ESSENTIAL.

Although you will not find an actual step-by-step method on how to define your own brand strategy, this book will feed you with stories, strategies and concepts of successful fashion brands. It is a great inspiration to educate you for your own brand.
 

 To help you get started with branding

Title: The Fashion Design Process – Products Environment 
Authors: Armelle Claude and Eric Rabillier

Benefit: The Fashion Design Process – Products environment helps you go through the branding and marketing process. It will be an excellent help to keep the brand environment visually congruent when you start working on your business strategy. The book is written in both languages French and English.

To understand how the fashion industry is organized

Title: The Fashion Design Process – Collection Process
Authors: Armelle Claude, Valérie Praquin
Benefit: this book enables to get a thorough understanding of the whole fashion design process from designing a collection to its production. All the steps are detailed with clear explanation of the reasons why the processes are built as such and the functions involved.

 

To know all you have to do to launch your own brand

Title: How to Set up & Run a Fashion Label 
Author: Toby Meadows
Benefit: This book will quickly go through all the perspectives of the fashion brand creation. On top of the basic knowledge to start in the industry and the paperwork involved, you will also find a step-by-step approach to define your fashion business strategy.

Well I thought I would add a bonus to this list: The Fashion Business Plan. Honestly not (only) because I wrote it. I wrote this book because I believe that strategies and techniques may be fine and good but a successful fashion concept always starts with one thing: a good branding. And this perspective changes everything in the way you write your business plan.

Bonus: a fifth recommendation to help you plan your financial estimates

Title: The Fashion Business Plan
Author: Bako Rambini
Benefit: The Fashion Business Plan will give you a thorough step-by-step approach with exercises that will lead you from the branding to your financial estimates.

 
 
That is it, guys! I hope you enjoyed our article. By the way, if you did enjoy this, have a look at our free e-book to help you start your own clothing line.

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