PSA: Don’t Start Your Own Fashion Brand

As a teenager involved in the fashion world, it is safe to say there is an existing hunger amongst my peers to create something. It seems as if anyone even remotely creative and into fashion by any degree wants to build their own fashion brand. It is a chic endeavor to undertake. It gets people interested when you talk to them. Your clout will grow exponentially! But seriously, for the love of god, don’t do it.

Now that I have grabbed your attention, I’m not saying that doing this is completely pointless and not worth it. Plenty of revered names in fashion have started out through forming their own label, and most of them do have their own labels. Even some good friends of this great magazine run their own brands.

However, I believe too many people these days get carried away by this idea. They rush into it without planning ahead, but fail to realize that running a successful fashion brand is not just an easy side-gig. Sure, it can start out as one, but at some point, one has to pour in massive amounts of time, money, and skill. This trope has shown true through the plethora of upstart fashion brands whose offerings are tees and hoodies with a logo on it. Then they prove to be nothing more than that and fall into obscurity. I think you know exactly what I’m talking about here.

Remember Anti Social Social Club? Just a couple of years ago it was burning hot. It was even put in the same conversation as Supreme and Bape. But it got old. There was nothing of substance behind all the collaborations and recycled looks. The concept was burnt out and it became simply an afterthought, with no one who seriously cares about fashion giving it the light of day. Its only claim to fame now is being a fad.

Your brand has to be more than some logos and graphics. Now that anyone with a computer can slap a design on a tee, besides very few exceptions, this simply won't fly anymore. Brands like Human Made and Girls Don’t Cry do rely on logos and graphics, but they also bring higher quality materials and exclusive release methods to the table. Your work has to have this kind of depth. It needs a clear aesthetic and vision. References, appropriate silhouettes and materials are some of the most important elements you’ll need in order to set it apart.

To start your own label you must also be down with the idea of running your own business, because that’s exactly what it is. At its business core, there is no difference between what you’re doing and opening up a pizza shop. You need to know how you’ll distribute your product and who will manufacture it. There’s advertising and market research you need to worry about. You will have to tackle major questions, such as: “Who is your consumer?” And above all else, if one is so inclined to be financially responsible, payment in relation to all these factors must be accounted for. It all comes down to cold hard numbers, and you will need to be prepared with them in order to make a serious effort at starting your own brand.

Along with not taking into account all the facts I mentioned earlier, people tend to overlook the value and importance of apprenticeship. Working for another brand is a no-brainer for gaining experience in the field you want to excel in. When looking at the success of a brand, the grind its creator put in working for someone else isn’t always apparent. Does anyone remember when Kanye and Virgil interned at Fendi? What about Chitose Abe’s many years at Comme des Garcons? Or did you know that Martin Margiela was Jean Paul Gaultier’s right hand man in the 80s?

Some people are simply not cut out to be an out-of-the box supreme businessman/woman. Creativity can be better honed through experience and the gradual accumulation of skills. I believe that my generation is host to some wildly talented artists, people who will become the new Virgils, Rick Owens, or what have you. So please, do not burn that flame out too quickly. Pace yourself and assess what you know you can handle and what it will take to get to where you want to be.