When I first decided to start a clothing line I thought I would be able to do the designing, technical specs, patterns, samples, marketing and business administration all myself. Now that I am a few months into it I am realizing that if I want to have a viable business that makes a profit I am going to have to spend more money in the startup phase than I initially planned. In the long run, however, these initial costs will be minimized.
I will still be designing, developing the technical specs and handling business administration but I have learned that I will need someone to make the patterns because having unprofessional patterns is just too expensive. There are a few options as far as hiring a pattern maker. First, I have looked in the local yellow pages and have come across a few pattern makers but nothing that makes me believe these people are able to make patterns for production. I then checked out a website called Dobizo which is a actually a very good resource for startup designers. There are quite a few links to pattern makers but the websites are rather intimidating and their clients include national chains such as Arden B., Bebe and Moschino. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m quite ready to step up to that level. The last two options are on either end of the professional spectrum. One is to contact companies advertising pattern making and production services in WWD and see what that turns up. Second, is to place ads at the local sewing and fabric stores in hopes that some former industry professional will be interested in freelancing. I keep telling myself there are thousands of clothing lines in this country and what one man (or woman) can do, another man can too. I will figure it out, I just have to be patient and remember that I am working on my dream…things could be worse! 🙂
Kristin, Self Assured
