What Buyers are really looking for

1. What Buyers arereally looking for Margaret Rushe FarrellInternational Fashion Trade Consultant

2. Current Economic Conditions Buyers are finding the current economic conditions challenging regardless of jurisdiction for a buyer to invest in a label. Right now they are looking for production and design excellence, longevity, timeless, ageless and appeal across the board with a forgiving fit and a fashionable look at a knock out price only seen before in the ‘cheap and cheerful’ fast fashion stores.

3. How can your label compete? (1) How can your label compete if your production is not perfect and your pricing is higher than fast fashion? • The answer is you need to source cheaper production. The market of production is aware of your need to be competitive. • Don’t be afraid to take your business elsewhere if you are not receiving excellence in your production and a competitive price point.

4. How can your label compete? (2) How can your label compete in longevity? • You need to find the market for your product that you are comfortable with and happy producing for. • Remember you need to test the market to be sure that it’s what ‘the market’ (as in department stores and buying houses) want. • There is a myth in the perception of the buyer that when they are investing in a style/piece of clothing that it will be timeless and last forever. The department store and buying houses are happy to buy into this myth but in reality they don’t want anything except ‘disposable’ fashion as they need regular foot traffic and sales to feed the store profits.

5. Do Your Research! Example: Sass & Bide If your target market is for Sass & Bide clients then you need to match your product suitably and offer a much cheaper price point to catch their clients. Their clients will be loyal and wear Sass & Bide as a badge of honour so to compete on that level, price point is the only way to go. Even then - their quality of design and suitability across the ages is renowned.

6. Appeal across the Ages • The hard facts of retail are that if you isolate brands according to age and appeal you can have empty stores until the weekend when school and offices are out. • This will not keep any store in business so designing a label specifically for your own age is a waste of investment in your time and hard cash. • Instead what you could do is make sure you have elements to appeal across the ages in your range and not just one piece per age. E.g. maxi dresses can be worn young and old, skinny leg jeans may be out for older women so perhaps offer 2-3 different styles per item. Short jackets are nice but often a choice in lengths is necessary to convince the buyer.

7. Trade Show Check List (1) Your range is ready to show at a Trade Show & your target is Big Buyers. What is your Essential Check List? • 50 pieces minimum and two racks are better than one. Do not clutter your racks. Essential if you are offering different colours or fabrics that you have decent size swatches neatly trimmed. Remember this is your showcase to the buyer. You must impress them with your professional abilities and you may only have a swift moment to do this. • Mannequins that the clothes look excellent on are essential. Likewise with the models or staff on the stand. Please make sure they are perfectly groomed and made up with clothing that enhance their shape. Accessorise as often as possible. Think David Jones on steroids.

8. Trade Show Check List (2) Your range is ready to show at a Trade Show & your target is Big Buyers. What is your Essential Check List? • Colour code your stand. If you have a collection that is all monochrome I believe it will be empty. If you are doing all brightsmake it appealing as in all clashing or all calming. • Greet the buyers with confidence whether they are from a small boutique or a large department store. Offer them refreshments and a seat. If they are harassed or in a hurry have a catalogue and a price list ready. Ask for their card but do not insist on this. If they do not want to give their cards they have their reasons. Smile as if they have just given you an amazing order and wish them a great show.

9. Trade Show Check List (3) Your range is ready to show at a Trade Show & your target is Big Buyers. What is your Essential Check List? • It’s a good idea to have models or friends who look good in your creations to walk around daily giving out catalogues with your stand details. Make sure they engage in friendly banter regardless of the store buyer being interested. You never know how this can affect a referral to your stand to a more suitable buyer. • Think of buyers as members of an elite club. You are trying to catch their attention and engage in dialogue but you cannot be pushy as it gets you written off immediately. It’s better to be friendly as a professional and non-threatening. Ask them for some feedback on your range and ask if they could give you some ideas on how to make your range more suitable for their stores or if they have any ideas on what stores you would be suitable for in their opinion.

10. Trade Show Check List (4) Your range is ready to show at a Trade Show & your target is Big Buyers. What is your Essential Check List? • You will have done your homework before investing in a show. You will have invited the buyers you think are suitable before you set up and you will have graded them in order of suitability per area etc. E.g. David Jones in double bay as no 1 and no 2 Di Vreeland’s in double bay with elegance as no 3 in double bay and what you will have to remember is that you can only offer exclusive rights to your collection per area to one buyer. • Suitability in your opinion may not match that of the buyers. Ensure you do your homework. E.g. If you are targeting the stores that sell Sass & Bide make sure that your label would indeed sit alongside Sass & Bide and that it offers a much better value price point.

11. Your Designs Remember to design for more than yourself and your contemporaries. • It’s wonderful that your friends all love your ranges and want to wear the pieces but that’s not going to make enough money so that you can produce larger amounts to keep your prices down. • Remember the golden rule- design for the young person and add pieces her mother can wear and include some pieces that her grandmother can also wear. • Remember not to make your ranges too figure hugging as not everyone shopping has the perfect figure. Clothing is better to hang on the body as not every shape suits a moulded look.

12. Colour Colour is essential in a collection or range regardless of season. • Traditionally Australians have bright skies and like dark clothes and that’s what sells in Melbourne and Sydney. • Remember there are more and more migrants coming to Australia daily and they want colour. Add some bright colours every season. • Remember to design to cover the international buyers as well as Australian markets.

13. Online Selling is Essential • It offers you the margin from production to retail cutting out the middle man. • Remember to protect your buyers in the wholesale arena. • Do not go online on sale without informing them and giving them plenty of notice and in your contracts with online sellers you should include the same clause as a courtesy from them. • This leads to good relationships with your buyers who will view you in a more professional manner.

14. Department Stores • Should a department store or large buying house absolutely love you and want to offer you a ‘store within a store’ or a pop up store within their store please get legal advice as the store’s contract will be geared up with them. • You could find yourself liable for many hidden and unanticipated charges as in staffing costs, advertising costs, store room costs etc. • Also insist on a minimum of 6 weeks stock at regular prices before they go on sale and always insist on being advised in advance before this happens as a courtesy to your other clients.

15. What Does a Buyer Look For? • Shapes and quality of fabric • How the shapes move on the body • Age & suitability • Pricing The season’s trend and colour tones matter little to the buyer overall.

16. Clients Lastly, never neglect your smaller clients to cater to the whims of the larger clients. See them all as being equal and treat them accordingly as you never know when the smaller ones are set to become bigger or when the larger ones will drop you with no notice.

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