Diamond's....A Jewel Wearers Aquaintance

You have often heard the saying that diamonds are a girl's best friend and that diamonds are forever. These words reflect the awesome power that diamonds hold and their absolute attraction for jewelry buyers due to their glamour and brilliant shine, not to mention their value.
Diamonds are know for their toughness and are not stones that break, chip away or crack easily. They can of course be broken by a single blow. About 90 percent of the world's diamonds today come from the diamond mines of Africa, while rest of the diamond contribution comes from the mines of Australia, Canada, Russian and South America.
Before you go out to buy diamond jewelry, you need to be aware of the four C's of diamond jewelry evaluation. The four C's stand for the diamond's cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
A diamond's cut informs about the level of light reflected by the diamond, it' dimension as well as its finish.
When looking for a diamond, check to see that it is colorless, as a diamond with colors is not considered of high value. Furthermore, colors can diminish a diamond's brilliance. Diamonds are graded in a color scale based on alphabets D-Z. 'D' stands for colorless diamonds which are also very rare. 'E' also denotes colorless diamonds, but with a slight trace of color that is only visible to the expert eye of a gemologist. The grade 'F' follows E in the scale except, the trace of color is a little more than what's found in 'E' grade diamonds. Diamonds graded 'G' or 'H' are near colorless and are of good value. Similarly the grade 'I' and 'J also indicates near colorless diamonds. The grades K-Z are for loose diamonds that have a slight or light yellow color. It' best to buy diamonds that fall in the G-I grade because they are of the best value, but finding one in the D-H grades is most optimal.
Most coveted diamonds are the ones with hardly any flaws or inclusions. A diamond's clarity reveals the number, type, size and location of such inclusions in the diamond.
Carat is the weight measurement for diamonds with large diamonds having an exceptionally large carat value.
Information about the four C's of a diamond is specified in the diamond's grading report. Be sure to have a look at the copy of this report before purchasing your diamond jewelry. The certificate is a proof of the diamond authentication and informs the buyer that it has undergone an unbiased examination by a professional diamond evaluator.
Diamonds are available in a variety of shapes for diamond lovers and collectors. You will see spectacular center pieces in round, emerald cut, heart, marquise, oval, pear, princess, radiant, and trillion shapes. Diamond jewelry can be maintained by gently brushing with a solution that's a mixture of water and ammonia. Avoid exposing diamonds to lotions, perspiration and other household cleaners as they can make the surface very dull. Store them in original velvet boxes to avoid scratching on the surface.

The Most Beautiful Jewels-Custom Jewels

Rare metals and gemstones together with a pleasant design and quality crafting are the best ingredients for the creation of the perfect piece of jewellery. Every beautiful precious stone can become a beautiful jewel if crafted right.

If you want to create a custom designed jewel, so that you can choose the metal and the gemstone that make the perfect piece of jewellery for you, you should take some things into consideration.

First of all, ask for an expert gemologist's advice in this matter. He can share precious tips and tricks with you and most important he can help you evaluate the stone's value and authenticity, because these days the market is full of stones that claim to be genuine but in fact don't worth anything. It would be perfect if the expert knows you as a friend, and he knows your tastes, because this will help him choose and design the jewellery that fits you best.

Make sure that the stone that you have chosen will be complementary to the jewel's design. The form and color of the metallic part must be attuned with the gemstone.

 Some people prefer to incorporate, instead of a precious stone, a picture of their loved one. Pictures are usually incorporated in pendants or brooches.

If you really want your custom-designed gemstone to be very special you can purchase one of the rarest stones available on the market, like a violet sapphire for example, which is only found in a few rare places in Tanzania. There are many gemstones available, so there are many colors and textures that you can choose from. Do not rush, make sure that you look at a large number of stones for your jewellery, because there are infinite possibilities in front of you when creating custom jewellery. Invest plenty of time in the search for the stone and design, because this search will be rewarded with a perfect jewel for you! If you want to order a custom piece of jewellery as a present for your significant other's birthday for example, start searching at least a month before the birthday.

Nowadays custom bracelets are very fashionable. They can be found in many shops. A custom bracelet is a special bracelet that has your own name imprinted on it. They are perfect at familiar birthday parties as a reminder from the person who organized the party.

Custom bracelets are also used by charitable organizations in order to increase the popularity of their events. Between the letters that spell your nme various stones can be placed, making some of the custom bracelets very beautiful and full of taste, they can even be considered artistic.

You may consider antique, or even other culture's jewels a source of inspiration for your custom design.

If everything will work as it should, you will have a lasting piece of jewellery of great emotional value and beauty.

Men's Croc Shoes Have Gone Hi-Tech

Men's Crocs shoes have started a new revolution in hi-tech comfort. Men are always looking for hi tech shoes that will give them the comfort they need at a price they can afford. Crocs are shoes for the hi-tech man of today. Crocs are designed to keep the busy man looking great, whether at the office or playing on the beach. Designed from high tech material, Crocs shoes are lightweight and comfortable. 
Men today are looking for shoes that go beyond the ordinary. They want an advanced shoe that is lightweight, hi-tech, and of course, comfortable. Crocs men's shoes are becoming more and more popular among men who are into these hi-tech standards. Men's shoes have notoriously been plain and boring, usually with limited colors available and not designed with comfort in mind.
Crocs shoes use a PCCR technology that molds to your foot and fits any man perfectly. This technology is the ultimate in foot comfort. PCCR is a patented closed cell resin that will warm and soften with your body's temperature. The PCCR is an anti-microbial material that is resistant to bacteria and fungus and will prevent your shoes from smelling of foot odor. Men's shoes of all types are becoming more and more advanced. Crocs shoes are determined to lead the industry in comfort and hi-tech quality for men.
Many men want to bring their shoes straight from the office to the beach. Crocs hi-tech clogs are perfect for walking the floor of the stock exchange or cruising the sand of the beach. Crocs Highland shoes are a closed shoe and absent of all ventilation ports. A pair of black highlands is great for comfort at the office and will go with any business attire.
The beach is not the first place you think of when you are thinking technical or hi-tech. Bring your Crocs to the beach and watch their hi-tech comfort transform. Crocs are the perfect men's shoes for boating, beach volleyball, or any kind of water sports. They are water resistant and will protect your feet from the hot sand without getting hot from the sun's rays.
Hi-tech has never been this easy. Men don't have to worry about getting their Crocs dirty because Crocs are easy to clean and even sanitize. If you have been on the beach playing and need to have your Crocs cleaned up for your next day of work, simply dip them in a sink of warm water or hose them off. Even medical professionals can keep their Crocs up to health standards by sanitizing them in one-cup chlorine combined with ten cups of water. No matter how dirty you get your Crocs, they will be shining with just a few seconds of clean up.
Because of their hi-tech design, men's shoes no longer are boring and plain. Now that men have a hi-tech option with Crocs shoes, they can be stylish and comfortable all at the same time! Crocs come in several designs and will keep your feet working hard and playing hard.

Why Do Women Need More Than One Handbag

Ive had men friends ask me this question loads of times and every time I give them the same answer The very same reason why we dont wear pajamas to work, darling!
To men, one handbag is enough to suit every occasion. To women, theres a handbag of different design and color to suit different occasions. This clash of opinion has caused one too many closet-fights as it is. So, here are some reasons why women need more than one handbag.
Black rules but.well admit this. Black goes with everythingand I mean everything. From yellow casual clothing to grey corporate suits. You can take a black handbag shopping and also the very same black handbag into a meeting. If you want to blend in with the curtains, fine. If you dont, you need something striking, bold and coordinate with whatever you are wearing.
Shoulder bags look fashionable and professional but its just not right to take a shoulder bag to the beach. Itll make you look dowdy and bland.
Satchels are designed for women to carry their essential documents without having to lug around a clumsy luggage of stuff everywhere. This works wonders when out shopping.
The handbag print is also very important. You can carry your fun, funky and colorful handbags out for fun outings. And in the meantime, you can take the more serious ones to corporate functions. Imagine what people will think when you bring a Mickey Mouse print handbag to a corporate meeting in China?
Backpacks and luggage are for traveling, not shopping! It works just the same way and its pretty convenient too, we have to add, but its just not something youd want to be seen lugging around.
The clutch bag, on the other hand, is very convenient and chic but you cant be carrying it to parties because you cant exactly hang it over your shoulder. If thats the case, you run the risk of leaving your handbag behind when its time to leave (with a little bit of booze in the blood, its not impossible)
Finally, last but not least, women need different handbags for the very same reason why men like to look at women. In fact, its because men appreciate womens ability to dress up and look nice why in the world shouldnt women dress up and look nice? Make perfect sense?

Fashion Foresacting

To cope with the ever-changing world, the marketing segmentation and targeting techniques are rapidly evolving from traditional, static, demographic-based criteria towards dynamic, mood, lifestyle and psycho graphic influences. Fashion forecasting is the prediction of mood, behavior and buying habits of the consumer. It is no longer a question of identifying your customers by age, geography or income, but looking into how and why they buy, based on their mood, beliefs and the occasion.
Fashion is a style that is popular in the present or a set of trends that have been accepted by a wide audience. But fashion itself is far from simple. Fashion is a complex phenomenon from psychological, sociological, cultural or commercial point of view. Fashion trends are the styling ideas that major collections have in common. They indicate the direction in which the fashion is moving. Fashion forecasters look for styles they think are prophetic, ideas that capture the mood of the times and signal a new fashion trend.

The fashion system has spread across all other sectors, from cosmetics to cars via politics and sports. All sectors observe fashion as an endless source of inspiration. Gilles Lipovetsky points out that the more the fashion society develops, the less importance will be given to the affordability of clothes! To hold on to its role as a pioneer and enhance its brand image, fashion has to continue to innovate.
Forecasting the future demand for particular styles, fabrics and colors is an important aspect of the fashion industry. Textile specialists work two years ahead to determine the general guidelines for each fashion season. Fashion forecasting is an important activity to ensure that the process of observation related to short and long term planning can be based on sound and rational decision making and not hype. Forecasting can bridge the gap between ambiguous, conflicting signs and the action taken by the design team. "Fashion forecasting combines theories of fashion changes with the process of organizing and analyzing the information and synthesizing the data into actionable forecasts." (Brannon 2000) Forecasting is a creative process that can be understood, practiced and applied. Forecasting provides a way for executives to expand their thinking about changes, through anticipating the future, and projecting the likely outcomes. (Lavenback and Cleary 1981)

Long term forecasting (over 2 years ahead) is used by executives for corporate planning purposes. It is also used for marketing managers to position products in the marketplace in relationship to competition.
Short term forecasting is used by product developers, merchandisers and production managers to give style direction and shape collections. For short term forecasting most apparel companies subscribe to one or more services, whose job is to scan the market and report on the developments in color, textiles and style directions.
Forecasters reflect the earliest views on trends some eighteen months in advance of the season. At this stage, color is a crucial consideration of yarn mills. It is also the focus of discussion among others who are interested in very early trend decision-making. Fashion forecasters combine the views emerging about color and fabric from the early yarn and fabric trade shows with their socio-economic and cultural analysis. Major trends in lifestyles, attitude and culture in particular music, sport, cinema and television are used to predict changing consumer demands.
Fashion forecasting involves the following activities such as studying market conditions, noting the life style of the people, researching sales statistics, evaluating popular designer collections, surveying fashion publications, observing street fashions etc.

The Direction of Fashion Change
Observation is not enough. If the trend watcher is to take advantage, he needs a framework for explaining how the trend began and its likely path within a social system. The directional theories of fashion change trickle down, trickle up and trickle across to make prediction easier by pointing to the likely starting points for a fashion trend, the expected direction that trend will take and how long the trend will last.

Some trend watchers visualize the dynamics of fashion as a pyramid of status level. In some theories, fashion trickles down from a highly visible elite. In others, fashion trickles up from street once it is discovered by the fashion elite and introduced to mainstream audiences in an edited version. If a fashion look is promoted by the media and manufactured rapidly enough, the look can trickle across all levels of the market simultaneously for denim, introduction of an unusual color range, a modification in a silhouette or detail, a different way to wear an accessory or a mood expressed in a distinctive style. The pattern of acceptance (or rejection) can be mapped in time.

Fashion responds to whatever is modern i.e., to the spirit of the times or the Zeitgeist. People choose among competing styles, those that "click" or connect with the spirit of the times. This collective selection forms a feedback loop between the fashion industry and the consumer, a feedback loop moderated by aesthetic trends and social-psychological processes.

The Look; Design Concept As fashion insiders and forecasters have a mental map of the marketplace, the locations where innovations are likely to be glimpsed early, the supply chain of the textile/apparel industry and the retail conduct to consumers. Fashion insiders also have another mental map - the map of seasons and shows. When consumers shop for winter coats or summer swimsuits, fashion insiders are seasons ahead in their thinking.
Forecasters use these mental maps to organize their observations of directional information. Since innovations rarely apply to the entire marketplace, information must be tagged for the appropriate price point, category and classification. In this way, forecasters turn random bits of data into useful information for decision support, points and style directions.

The drivers of fashion change
Social and cultural changes are major determinants of emerging fashions. However, they are themselves affected by the other drivers of change that include globalization of world markets and accessibility of more sophisticated communications technologies. The latter has provided people with faster and wider access to more ideas and influences from other cultures and societies, driving demand for wider choice in fashion products.

The Fashion Forecasting Process

a) Trend forecasting businesses

French companies based in Paris have traditionally dominated fashion forecasting. Although a number of larger ones are still based in Paris, many with satellite offices around the world, a number of new niche forecasters have emerged offering their own specialties of product and services.
Some better-known trend forecasters include:
. SachaPacha
. Peclers Trend Union
. Line Creative Partners
. Au Studio Promostyl
. Promostyl

Forecasting is more that just attending runway shows and picking out potential trends that can be knocked off at lower prices (although that is part of it). It is a process that spans shifts in color and styles, changes in lifestyles and buying patterns and different ways of doing business. What appears to be near random activity is in fact a process of negotiation between the fashion industry and the consumer, and between the various segments in the supply side chain.
b) Consumer research
Manufacturers and retailers may ask consumers directly about their buying preferences. Consumer reactions are compiled and tabulated to find preferences for certain garments or accessories, colors or sizes and so on ,or products to fit specific consumer tastes.

Surveys, by telephone or mail are conducted by publication and market research companies for manufacturers and retailers. These surveys include questions about income, life-style, fashion preference and shopping habits. Customers are usually selected by the market research firm to meet with manufacturers or retailers. In-store informal interview can help researchers obtain information by simply asking customers what they would like to buy, what styles they like that are currently available and what merchandise they want, but cannot find. Because of their close contact with their customers, owners of small stores can often do this most effectively.
The apparel supply chain has one purpose, i.e. to provide an appealing and desirable product to satisfy customer needs, wants or aspirations. When successful, the connection results in a sale, because this connection is the purpose of the process. Every forecast begins with the customer, by observing the customer's adjustments to the marketplace and in the unexpected ways the customer adjusts the marketplace to his lifestyle and preferences.
Consumer research figures are important in decisions about product development, brand marketing and retailing.

c) Colour Forecasting
Stimulating sales is the driving force behind color forecasting. Color grabs the customers' attention, makes an emotional connection and leads them to the product. Even when the basic product stays the same, changing the color gives a sense of something new. Color consultants help companies decide on the right color story to sell the product. Some consultants specialize in advising on color. Others develop color forecasts as part of their overall product development function. Some large companies have departments dedicated to setting color directions for multiple lines. Professional color organizations bring together experts to collaborate on forecasts for industries like women's wear, men's wear, children's wear and residential and non-residential interiors.

d) Textile Development
Frequently, the development of a completely new product is the result of a particular functional need, but often it is driven by the benefits offered by a new fabric. Specialist forecasters make the point that the technology is changing the range of product, as through the ranges of benefits that designers can build into garment product through the textiles used in construction.
Fabrics range from slick surfaces like leather and futuristic plastic to softer surfaces like cashmere, from flat weaves to heavy textures like boucle and from the solid structure of flannel to the web-like open structure of crochet. Clothing has been called "the second skin" in recognition of its intimate connection with a person's physical and psychological comfort (Horn, 1975). So it is not surprising that news about which fabrics are "in" or "out" plays such a prominent role in forecasting fashion. Newness in fabrics comes from the introduction of new fibers, the manipulation of yarn and fabric structures, variation in pattern and prints and innovative finishing processes. These innovations are introduced in trade shows and exhibitions held in the fashion capitals of the world.

e) The Range of shows
The fashion shows: The word here is its widest possible interpretation to refer to the range of organised textile and fashion garment trade shows, operating over the 16 months preceding season. Trade shows, whether yarn, fabric or product have a basic function, which is to sell products.
Visitors vary according to the nature of the show. A yarn show will attract a range of people including fabric manufacturers, some retail buyers and designers. The fabric show performs a more balanced role with great emphasis on then sales of the fabric, but with more retail designers and buyers attending, as the product on the show has a greater relevance to garment design. Garment design shows are much more diverse, ranging from the products trade shows through to the high profile Ready -to-wear Designer shows like London Fashion week and then the exclusive Couture shows.
Continuing this sequence, specialist product trade shows are held after the fabric shows. These shows are segmented according to broad sector like men's wear or women's wear, and by specialist product categories, like sports wear or lingerie. These shows are a good indicator of color, fabric, styling and new products.

f) Sales Forecasting
Forecasting is relatively easy, straightforward and accurate for products with long lifetime and steady sales. However, the fashion apparel business is one of the most volatile, because it creates products that are new, highly seasonal or have short lifetimes. In such situations forecasts become increasingly inaccurate. Errors in sales forecasting result in two kinds of losses:
. Markdowns, when retailers have unwanted goods remaining at the end of a selling period, such goods then must be sold, even at a loss.
. Lost sales on more popular items because of stockouts (merchandise not available in stock at the time when consumers request it).

Companies have been slow to recognize the changing market environment and adapt forecasting practices to decrease the uncertainty about product demand. Sales forecasting impacts every apparel executive's work life, whether they help develop the analysis, read and act on the reports or merely react to the result of over- or under-estimating sales. For this reason, apparel executives need a basic understanding of the traditional approaches to sales forecasting and the leading-edge technologies making real-time marketing a reality in the apparel industry.
Eventually, a manufacturer and retailer researches his own sales record. Rising sales statistics show what fashion trends are developing and declining sales show what styles have passed their peak.
Overall sales show, that as style is not meeting consumer needs for quality or fit , its time to drop it from the line and move on to new styles.

Introducing Innovation
While attention is showered on the most exciting and extreme runway fashions, the mechanisms of fashion change work in the background to create patterns familiar to the most experienced fashion watchers. When an innovation arrives on the scene, individuals consider it for adoption. The cumulative effect of those decisions can be tracked in sales and visually on the street. In fashion terms, the innovation may be the invention of a new fiber or a new finish.

g) Cultural Indicators
In the apparel field, companies need an early warning system so that specific product categories can be fine-tuned to trends within a market segment. While timing is important, an agile and responsive company will be able to capitalize on trends whenever they are spotted; sometimes just as a glimmer far in the future and sometimes as a phenomenon in the building stage. Waning trends are another signal. When some avocation, interest or lifestyle loses cultural power, it is a good time to survey the information landscape for the next big thing.

h) Final Stage of fore casting
The 'Fashion look' for the season is therefore the result of a process of development that combines the evolved views of textiles and product trade show, forecasters, designers buyers and ready to wear shows. Like collage, the final picture emerges after various layers have come together. Even though these shows have an impact on some last minute high street fashion buys, their major impact is mainly on reflecting the final views on trends close to the season. Crucially, the media coverage of the shows is another important dimension in the trend development process, as it highlights fashion trends that fashion editors believe will be strong for the forth coming season. Such 'authoritative' coverage of the media, focusing attention on aspects of fashion, including the 'must-have' looks, colors and products influences the consumers' acceptance of hot trends for a season.

The Future of Forecasting

For apparel executives, hitting the target requires a balancing act between anticipation of future developments and improvisation in the face of change.

The marketplace locks into one pattern, holds it briefly and then cascades into a new configuration with the slightest jar to the equilibrium. In the marketplace, those shifts may correlate with:

• Changes in taste or lifestyles.
• Immigration.
• Technological developments.
• Shifts in the prices of raw materials.

Thus Fashion forecasting is used within the fashion/textile industry as a means of directing companies into new ideas of color/fabric/theme/mood and yarn developments for different product types and levels. Knowledge of trends and future market requirements is increasingly important to the industry. While there is no definitive fashion story, accessing the right color palette, researching fabric and styling trends to suit a particular niche and customer profile is essential. The degree and quality of information available to designers and its interpretation, given an effective marketing strategy, effectively dictates their success.

Forecasting fashion in the Indian scenario
The phenomenon of fashion moving from the ramp to the road seems to have started happening in India. Over the last one year, fashion has been highly visible, at least on the streets of metros. Western winds of fashion are reaching metros like Mumbai and New Delhi virtually overnight. We also see new categories added to customer wardrobes like clubwear, travel gear and loungewear. This indicates a segmentation of the customers' wardrobe. This also means that there are new brands and labels, although not heavily advertised, easing into the market riding on the trend of new segments. We expect this trend to rise further, mainly because fashion as a market allows brands to be created mainly on the product look. The biggest achievements are not from increasing efficiency, but by risk management. This would mean that by riding on fashion trend one would fetch maximum benefits. However, there is no agency today, which brands or retailers can follow for fashion forecast of domestic market. We still have to follow international forecasts and thereby miss out on lot of opportunities.

Cycle Of Fashion Trend

It's a fashionista's worst experience, even worse than looking oversize buddy, more degrading than wearing the same dress in another party -- it's the fear of symbolizing looking yesteryear fashion trend model.
Sometimes, fashion trends is considered as fads, are disreputably erratic. The fashion industry players are always on the quest to bring up something "NEW" & "HOT".
What is Fashion Trend?

Trend is the lead in which something new evolving, mostly leaning, penchant and line of growth. Hence, fashion trend is the latest evolvement of the fashion industry.

What is Fashion Trend Really About?
Your closet can give the answer. If you don't want to look at it, well.well. this resembles that you are matching your steps with the latest fashion trends. What it's relation to fashion? People stick rigidly to the rules - okay, maybe not 'YOU'. You may be one of those who walk their own way and dress as they like. When it comes to the fashion industry, it's a continuously changing world. Even though some trends are considered as ludicrous and outdated, many other comebacks with innovative ideas.

Pace and Re-emergence of Latest Fashion Trends
Now its new millennium, but most of fashion things like the pegged pant legs, jelly bracelets, and finally the denim jeans, seem to be returning in trends again. It comes out that the latest fashion trends are simply have nothing new at all. Almost everything re-emerged in fashion trend. You can virtually find torn jeans in every clothing retail store.
Who decides What's 'Hot' and 'Not' in Fashion Trends

There is no existence of specific group who declares what is hot fashion trend or not. In fact, the fashion designers and consumers who buys-out the fashion merchandise make their judgment and throw several opinions out there and observe what is grabbed.
Basically, 'WE', the consumer decide which merchandise is hot by making our minds what to purchase and wear.
The Fashion Trend Cycle
First part of the cycle, where the trend is highly hunted immediately after seeing that great fashionable hat, dress or shoe on the runway, red carpet or music video. Next, comes the emulation phase, where everyone wants a piece of the trend. Only big shots, celebrities and fashion industry players have approach to latest fashion right off the runway, which yet not showed up in retail stores.

During second phase, this newbie will appear in news papers, fashion magazines, TV and internet. At last, the trend will be soaked in the market, commonly at bit lower cost.
In the second phase new merchandise is available in bit expensive designer collections. It is only the third phase, where the merchandise is available to the mass market at affordable cost for most buyers.
The major part of over all mass will purchase it somewhere between second and third phase.
Before two or three decades it might have taken a some rears to make it from runway to mass market, however, nowadays producers have put the fashion cycle into rapid speed. Now, a hot trend often makes it appearance in low cost or discount retail store in as little as a few days or months.

In & Out of Fashion Trend
Reasonably priced fashionable clothing is a double-edged sword that make possible to buy fashionable looks at real-life budgets, at the same time leads to abolish the trend rapidly. However, when the market is completely saturated with a same monotonous trend it loses its appeal.
So how we can assume that how long a fashion trend will last? Let us find out:
Generally, most fashion trends last nearly one year, but some trends, usually the acceptable, last much longer. It is considered that normally fashion trends re-emerge nearly every twenty years. Hence, the minis skirts of the 80s are back in trends again.
The key to assume that how long a trend will last depends on from when you bought the collection. If you bought when the knock-off or discounts are going at retail store, then the count for the trend last not more one or two seasons. Fashion industry normally dumps together two seasons together, Spring and Summer, Fall and Winter, which provides you about six months to wear before it seems looks outdated.
In fact it is not specified that how long a fashion trend will last, you can put money on the just fads such as jeans, Uggs, hats etc... It doesn't signify that you might not get fun in purchasing them. They are the evergreen items you would like to purchase any time.
Purchasing power can keep a trend on oxygen. In some cases people love particular trends so much they wouldn't let it die.
The safeguard against rapidly changing fashion trends is to have a clothing line stocked with more traditional looks: T-shirts, jeans, and black dresses.

1960's Men's Fashion-An Era of Diverse Trends and Non Conformity

In the 1960s, fashion really kicked off with the introduction to many new and diverse trends. You can easy determine trends from the early, middle and end of the decade. Traditional, conforming man's attire was lost due to social changes. Throughout the 60s, the focal point in fashion was the uprising of bright colors and tones. The changes in the fashion of this time were more so than any other time previous. This renaissance in fashion was influenced heavily by Italian designers and by the Modernist, Hippie and Edwardian styles of dress.

The British & the Modernist Movement

At the forefront of style in the 60s were the British. The modernist movement came about at the beginning of the era, allowing young men to push boundaries and make way for the many new trends that would follow. It was all about moving away from the 'lack of style' in the 50s and experimenting with psychedelic prints and gregarious patterns. No man wanted to be seen in dull and pale shades. No! It was time to add color and plenty of it, the brighter and more flamboyant the better. It wasn't uncommon to see frills and cravats on a man's shirt. Even neckties enjoyed their rebirth, from the skinny tie at the beginning of the 60s to the very wide ties in the Hippie age, all adorned with unusual prints, stripes and patterns.

The Mods versus the Rockers

If you lived the 60s, you were probably a Mod at one stage, and if you weren't, you were a Rocker. The two were notorious rivals. The Rockers were heavily into 50s rock-and roll, big bikes like the Harley Davidson, leather jackets and 'Elvis' greased back hairstyles. The Mods were classier, listening to British bands such as The Beatles. They preferred Vespers over Harleys and took their trends from respectable French and Italian clothes designers. Most commonly, tailored suits with slim shirts, pants and skinny ties slimmed down to just an inch. The Modernists also brought us the anorak, an item of clothing regarded as their trademark.

The Edwardian Movement

A bit further down the line, specifically the year of 1966, men embraced the Edwardian movement. Double-breasted suits in velvet were worn by men following icons such as Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. These suits were accompanied with brocade waistcoats, shirts with frilled collars and longer hair as opposed to the previous shorter styles. All variations of colors, stripes and patterns were evident in this so-called 'dandified' look. The Nehru jacket also came about in this time and was popular with both men and women.

Hippies and an Even More Flamboyant Fashion

Towards the end of the decade, fashion became even crazier, people were not afraid to customize their clothing. Hippies were born and men became more in touch with their feminine side with long hair, polka dot neckties, paisley patterned shirts and florescent colors. Skinny became wide; for example, bell-bottomed trousers and ties returning to the 5" width. Nearly every item of clothing was tie-dyed or produced with floral prints, pop art and paisley patterns. Neckwear was commonly sold with the shirt together and designers continued to play with bold colors.

Fashion and Education

Change is the essence of life, if the change is for good reason and brings lots of rejuvenation to ones life then one must welcome such change in his or her life with wide open arms.....

We all know that fashion changes rapidly according to the trends and taste of people. Fashion is the word which means self confidence and satisfaction. Fashion has its own definition to any fashionable person..... as being fashionable is one's choice and its a mirror to ones own personality.

Talking about the education and courses in this field, it is considered as one of the most exhilarating and challenging career options in today's world. In a country like India, where textile and garment industries have been flourishing for ages, the recent boom in fashion designing & textile industry has led to innovation and new prospects in the existing sphere of garment and accessory design. If you have a inclination for creativity, style and novelty, a career in fashion designing can be perfect for a person who likes to do experiment and who is innovative. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people, on the other hand it promises glamour, fame, success and high pay packages.

But yes, no doubt its challenging career because fashion designers need to combine their imagination with administrative skills to continue and sustain in this industry and the competition is tough, thus, if you can create magic with lots of hue, imaginative designs and unique trendy shapes & sizes just get hold of appropriate professional skills to begin a successful career in this field.

There are many career scopes for the students who enter to this industry. A qualified fashion designer can work in areas like designer wear production, planning and concept management, fashion marketing, design production management, fashion stylist, fashion media, quality control, fashion accessory design and promotion of brands.

All the capable students can also find jobs as costume designer, fashion consultant, personal stylist, technical designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker, fashion coordinator, apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, and show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant, fashion photographer, fashion journalist and public relation executive in this industry.

Self-employment is an important feature of Fashion Designing course students interested in establishing their own business & goodwill can also become entrepreneurs and open their own companies.

After this several export houses, garment store chains, textile mills, leather companies, boutiques, fashion show organizers, jewelry houses and media houses gives them proposals for long term associations.

The students can classify their area of interest and match it with their aptitude while choosing the specialization offered in various areas of Fashion Designing. There must be a single minded approach for finally choosing the particular course, as being a wi de field it is some times very difficult for students to get focused. So accurate approach is essential for choosing the area of their proficiency.

Build Even Better Fashion Displays

Store displays can make all the difference if you are a fashion retailer - particularly when it comes to catching the eye of your customers. As a retailer, you will know the impact that clothing displays can have on buyer behaviour - when customers are presented with an attractive arrangement of products, they are more likely to make a purchase or return to your store at a later date. There are a number of things that make a shop display great - ranging from the layout of the store itself to small details such as the usage and range of mannequins and clothes hangers.

A good place to start is to create an ideal shop floor, where your goods can be showcased to their best possible greatest potential. First, you will need to determine what kind of retail space you want to create. Do you want shelves stacked high with neatly folded clothing, or would you prefer your customers to browse through racks of garments hanging on hangers? Will you be selling one type of garment, or several different clothing options - including accessories or shoes? These are all important questions to consider, as the answers will help you create the perfect showcase for your wares.

Your shop floor vision can offer you plenty of direction when it comes to choosing the major items you need for your display. A slat wall is perfect if you are looking for a merchandise display that can easily be changed or rearranged, while clothing rails on wheels could be the ideal solution if you are in a multi-use space.

Depending on how frequently you plan to change your entire layout, you may wish to opt for fixed shelves or a more mobile option that can be put together or taken apart quickly. Of course, it is important to keep all elements of your display design matching. You will want to ensure that everything from your shelves and racks to your hangers are consistent in terms of colours and materials - a uniform look projects an image of expertise and professionalism to your potential customers.

Once you have the big jobs out of the way, it is time to turn your attention to smaller details. After all, creating the perfect shop floor is only the first step in building a successful fashion retail display. These details include any effort to showcase your garments off at their best and brightest and mannequins and clothes hangers are ever popular ways to meet this retail objective.

Clothes hangers are arguably one of the most important details in a shop, but they may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fashion retail. However, they are an essential consideration - you may be surprised at how much there is to think about! For example, your customers may like to take their hangers home with them whenever they make a purchase. Frequently replacing items such as wood hangers could be expensive - so in this situation, it may be wiser to opt for cheaper plastic or metal hangers that could easily be re-ordered as they are needed. Likewise, if you are an high-end fashion retailer and frequently collect your hangers to be re-used again and again, you may want a more luxurious-looking and durable option.

Hangers can also influence the way a garment is displayed - when it is hung correctly, a garment can look very appealing to a potential customer. You should always use hangers for the function they have been intended - heavy or bulky items on coat hangers, trousers and skirts on clip hangers and so on - to ensure your clothes are optimally displayed.

Mannequins are another influential way to display fashion items. Whether you are showcasing a dress or suit on a full-body mannequin or a hat on a specialty head mannequin, you may find these handy items are the perfect way to demonstrate what your store's clothes look like on an actual body shape. These are also the perfect solution if you are looking to inspire your customers - you can use mannequins to pair items and accessories, creating an entire outfit, encouraging customers to buy 'the look' you have created.

Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to improve your shop display through greater attention to detail, you are sure to get a great reaction from your customers when you take the time to not just get the big things right but also focus on the little things details.

Latest Trends in Fashion Designing Industry

Fashion industry is a global industry and is one of the fastest emerging industries of India. The industry has made an outstanding performance in the recent years and has the potential to make a mark internationally. A lot Indian fashion shows are organized every year at the metropolitan cities of India. All top designers of India exhibit their designs to make clients and earn appreciation at such a popular stage.

India is the epicentre of textiles and handicrafts industries; there are many handicrafts industries in the towns and small cities of India. India is the largest exporter of textile garments and fabrics and second largest producer of silk. Today Indian fashion designers are largely inspired by the simple but elegant apparel designs of these small scale industries. They use silk and cotton in their apparels time to time. These designs are also appreciated internationally for their uniqueness and elegance.

Films and TV soaps are the major areas of fashion designing. A lot of designers design apparels, accessories and jewellery for movie stars and TV soaps actors. This has boosted fashion designing industry and fashion is spread across the general masses.  Several top-notch Indian designers design apparels for movies, TV soaps and other reality shows on AIR. They are being paid a handsome amount for every film project they work with. Today, many prestigious film banners design the clothes for the movie from the top designers only. However, this was not the case earlier and fashion was not promoted at such a large extent.

Today, Fashion industry not just caters with the demand of younger generations but it covers almost people of all ages. Fashion designers design clothes for every occasion from wedding to parties, conferences and even funerals.

They not just look after the interest of their high profiled clients like celebrities and elite classes but they also cover the middle class segment. Today people from middle class follow fashion closely and this has led to the tremendous progress of fashion designing industry. A career in fashion designing is promising and rewarding, all successful designers earn a good sum of money and appreciations.

Fashion designing is a highly paid job and with the advancement of fashion designing industry there is ample scope for amateur fashion designers. Designer clothes, shoes and accessories have become a symbol of status. A series of designer stores have opened in the metropolitan cities of India where you would find collection of extravagant designer items and accessories.

With the spread of fashion among the Indian masses, several export houses, textile mills, boutiques, garments stores and factories have formed their business in the market. Multi National Companies have also come up with their apparels and accessories in the Indian market to lure fashion freaks.  Fashion industry has become a billion dollar industry around the world.   A lot of young aspirants are eager to make a career in fashion designing which has given rise to a series of fashion designing institutes in different parts of India.

Lakme Fashion Week Attracts Larger Number of Buyers

On the business from Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) has reported significant growth in the number of buyer registrations as compared to the last season. This year, the premiere fashion event received 185 buyer registrations, of which 143 were domestic and 42 international buyers, from across the globe. This augurs well and speaks of the strength that Lakme Fashion Week was gaining in showcasing Indian design talent to the world.

This Year LFW was held between March 10 - 15 at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai to showcase the best of Indian and international fashion talent to an audience comprising buyers, media and fashionistas in the global fashion industry, entering into the 11th year of its existence, LFW is continuing its pursuit to commercialise Indian fashion through certain new initiatives taken this year.

"This is where the stars are born". Lakme Lever CEO Anil Chopra can be forgiven for sounding so chuffed. Of the 58 designers who participated in the Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2011, 15 have come through the GenNext designer platform. From a prolonged 15-year internship earlier, to instant recognition in six months now, young designers have never had it so good.

The Lakme Fashion Week has managed to integrate Mumbai and India into the global fashion network. According to Ravi Krishnan, Managing Director - IMG South Asia and Senior Vice President - IMG "The purpose of LFW is to give impetus to the business of fashion in India by addressing the fashion requirements of the fraternity and to keep it at par with international standards. Fashion is rapidly moving towards a digital revolution, and to cater to the change in market, we will be launching LFW TV this season, which will provide a unique brand engagement for customers, by granting them access to LFW, whilst deriving additional value for the stakeholders of the event".

Latest Trends in Jackets for Men and Women

Men wardrobes the most special pieces of cloths are there jackets, same as women love to have small trench coats or cardigans in there wardrobes, and Jacket is for the men's. Collection of good jacket always help you in stepping forward to dress up in the best possible way. Jackets are the best addition for means clothing whether the climate is warm in summer or cold in winters. There is lots of option available to choose while buying a jacket from a designer to a cheap one. Below is the best fashion for men that will be available for the coming year of fashion. To now well about the entire fashion for jacket you must land at a perfect page.

Let me tell you that, wide range of alternatives is available for your search in getting a perfect jacket for men in terms of looks as well as material. This year you will see a lot of new designs in jackets made up of cotton with fancy lining classy pieces and heavy fabrics in corduroy and denims, but the most preferred on for men's are there motorcycle jackets made from leather. Leather Jackets are among the must to have in 2011. A wide range and varieties are available in leather which can be worn in various occasions. Leather jacket has and will be a hottest trend every year. It is coming with more design and trendy looks in men's section this year. The slim fit jackets are the latest trend these seasons as the loose fitting jackets of the previous year.

Range of stylish jackets is available in men's jackets if you browse through the best fashion trends. There are some styles that are all time hit in this category as well as runway fashion has introduced some of the new designs in this category. The latest trend in the jacket is the sleeveless jacket made from lamb skin due to which they are light weight jackets. Apart from that leather bomber jacket is one off those which can make you look a class apart from every one and help you in getting the desired looks. Bomber jacket are one off the top most preferred wear in winter. At a same time the ultimate pickup of these seasons are the biker's jackets.

Buttoned and zippers both are the hot choice this year, with cool patch work round and wide collar will be high in this year. You can also find elegant mandarin collar jackets, ultra stylish high collar jackets and china collar jacket on men leather jacket clothing. These are available in large design and trendy looks, with a perfect fashion statement to all means. Leather jacket with high collar look superb when worn with a perfect pant.

Men's leather jacket will never run out of fashion as it has been there even before the Great War. It's never going to stop acquiring the largest sales in jacket industries and men would not stop wearing it either, that the good thing about leather jacket. Leather has always fascinated women as its one of there first choice. Women look more outstanding in Leather Jackets.

The Design Process in Fashion Product Development

The development and formulation of a design requires rigorous involvement and in most of the cases follows some or the other process. The process involved should be a course of action that would make reaching the goal very much easier and simpler. Design can be defined to conceive the idea for some artifact or system and/or to express the idea in a form. It would also mean reaching the goals within constraints. Here, the goals consist of the purpose like who is the design for? What is the use of the design etc. The constraints on the other hand are the materials and the platforms to be used. Overall it is a very challenging job to create a design that is aesthetic, creative and innovative at the same time.

If the designer is gifted with artistic talent and creativity then obviously the outcome is highly enhanced. Every individual has his own methodology for approaching the problem but even then a designer or a group of designers develop a specific format which assist them in making their task much simpler. This method can then be worked upon in order to develop and improve it for the best of purposes. Irrespective of the stages in the design process there are certain factors which have to be dealt with before starting the works. Some of these may be:

• Identify the target market - The market that a firm is catering to is segregated on the basis of gender, age, social and economic segment. Here the market is a group of people or the consumers. Each market segment is going to have different requirements and expectations from a design and all of these have to be satisfied by the designer, in order to make it a success.

• Maintaining an Identity for the brand - Every company has a specific look and caters to a particular clientele. The price ranges are also fixed since generally they cater to a specific target market. All this has to remain more or less constant so that the company has a proper brand identity.

The design process in a nutshell and a very basic form may constitute of the following stages. These stages may overlap or may be treated as separate units. The designer only has the prerogative for deciding on these matters.

For starters these stages can be summarized as:

Research & Analysis

Before getting to know the problem and understanding the task, if one simply jumps into it, the only outcome is going to be a disaster. We will not have to look far before we come at a dead end. Proper research and planning is very important before starting a project, however big or small it may seem. The question that might arise here is that how much time should be devoted to this particular stage and the answer to that would be, in a proportional manner. This proportion has to be maintained keeping in mind the various segments that we come across during designing. For example in case of apparel or fashion oriented products research could comprise of an adequate study of the current fashion trends and forecast. Fashion forecast may be customized according to the clients requirement or could be even accessed through existing ones in the market.

Step into the fashion world with cool leather apparels

The 2011 fashion trend has recommended certain new range of leather apparels today. While, such designer clothes may not seem to be in fashion now, but they are surely the latest introduction in the market which has compelled many fashion lovers to love them and follow them. So, to add to the leather fashion fetish, there are leather pants and many other apparels that have become the talk of the town these days.

It is a known fact that leather wear has been very common amongst bikers but with change in time the demand for leather apparels have increased in the fashion world even amongst the high street fashion lovers. So, if you wish to own leather apparel then here are some of the factors that you should look for before purchasing apparels made of leather. For starters, you should see for the climatic condition and then pick up the leather apparel that is favorable for that weather condition. For instance, you cannot choose a short leather skirt during winter season. So, choose apparel that may satisfy your interest.

So, leather pants are amongst those perfect choice and high on demand apparels. During winters, many people are seen wearing leather pants, because it not only makes one look trendy and cool, but it also keeps the body warm. In leather pants, the street style pant is the most common one amongst females and widely worn during many events and occasions.

Apart from leather skirts, it is also skirts that are high on demand amongst women. Leather skirts are today available in different patterns and designs. There are numerous designs and types of leather skirts such as full-length skirts, knee-length skirts, mini-skirts, high-waist skirts and many more. However, apart from leather skirts you can also opt for leather dress that also has the capability to add the glitz and dazzling look to your persona.

Hot pants also made of leather are the kind of apparels that can make you look charismatic and attractive. Hot pants have become the latest trend in various parties and who knows it may be seen on street too. If you wish to look sizzling hot, then hot pants when teamed with appropriate tee blends perfectly with it and suits any event very well.

Another form of leather apparel that you can choose along with leather skirts or dresses are jackets, leather coats, bomber and many more. So, if you wish to look presentable, sexy at various events and occasions, then choosing any of the above leather apparels are a perfect pick because it helps in creating an ever-lasting impression on men's mind. These leather jackets can do wonders in completing the attire. In fact, you can also carry suitable appurtenances and also certain handbags that can enhance the beauty.

So, when you wish to carry the style along with you, it is best to study the latest leather fashion and grab the eye catching apparels.

How to Start a Fashion Label

Don't ask "What am I doing" while you're doing it, simply ask that before your doing it.
Quantity or Quality?
Quality
Do you want to be a high and Fashion Label, offering Fancy Party dresses and worked on Party-Wear? This means selling the items in a smaller quantity and for a higher price, it also means that you have to have more money to invest in actually making the clothes, because of the "naturally" higher production cost. You have to make sure to choose a Manufacturer that you'll know can make these items in high quality so that there is no unpleasant seems that starts to rip or that the colors fade. In this case it's unwise to be too eager to "bargain" too much on the Manufacturing price since it's important to maintain high quality and have more expensive fabrics, greed in finding cheap fabrics making a dress out of them will results in complaints about the quality later on. Remember, being a new brand will still "in most cases" mean that you can sell your items at a higher rate because of the small set of cloths your offering and for the tailored feel.
Once again, if the price is high you have to have high quality, so missing out on that will be devastating and one bad collection can make you loose the few valuable boutiques that signed up for your clothes.
Quality in fabrics is in this case also crucial and having, for example a dress in to much "poly" would not agree with the price, choose pure silk, pure satin and don't compromise when getting that "luxurious" feel and style. The name and the label makes a great deal in this case as well, you can't have a brand name saying: crazy girl's and then offer a fancy prom dress "fit for a queen", make certain that the customers that buy the dress also get the label that states the high end brand your actually selling, like your name, that is a great one for clothes, just see Armani, or Donna Karen.
Quantity
If you go for a cheap set of wear with fun details and in a more basic fabric any Manufacturer will be willing and able, finding a Manufacturer shouldn't be a big problem unless you have specific demands that are harder to meet. Make sure that they can start off in a medium quantity and grow with you, sometimes a Manufacturer that specialize in "cheaper" clothes have a Minimum, often around 100-300 pcs per design to reach that really great price. I have found some that can be willing to work on a smaller order if the "Total Amount" is 300 pieces, witch means that it's possible to split it up, arranging to make on top in 50 pieces and the other one on 50 and so on..
Make sure you have places to sell the items since you have to be ready to compete with bigger companies such as H&M and GANT and various chain stores, of course depending on where you are based. If the prices you're aiming at are really low, maybe you can consider contacting Wholesalers. The profit your making will be lower per item but it doesn't mean that you will make less money, selling heaps will probably be your goal. There is always a "middle" so painting up, high end and really "low budget" clothing doesn't make any justice to the Industry but making a comment about it makes you decide on what scale and in witch proportions you will and maybe want to work in.
Learn your Fabrics
To be a great designer it's a necessity to get familiar with the fabrics you want to work in, whether it's high end clothes with a lot of different silks and georgettes, or with beading and embroidery techniques. For a more basic line find fun materials like velour and different weight of cotton. There are all sorts of weaves and prints, block or Silk prints and for ECO-get familiar with natural fibers and limitations in colors and dying. All this can be summed in a book or just by surfing the net. When making a collection, it's important that next to every dress, pair of pants or just skirts you have a small cutting of fabric. This is will make a good reference for the Manufacturer that this is the fabric you would like, but also if there is a special wash you need or rough look to it. Attach written fabric quality beside it as well. To know your fabrics will be the base for making great collections, you will now how it falls, if it would look to heavy when lined or if it's to thin. This confidence that you portray being a designer will make the Manufacturer feel confident when working with you and the results will come easier and the risk for misunderstandings lowered. The Manufacturer can also easier count on the price per pieces and start looking for materials straight away.
Decide the Size of Collection
A tricky part is deciding how big the collection is going to be. Since I've started the magic number has been 12, something that exceeds. A good size to begin with is about 10 garments, easier to focus on a few tops offered in different colors and sizes and then something to match, that will set a great foundation for both photo-shoots, catalogue so that you can show what your brand is about.
This is not strict and you don't have to feel a need to produce more then around 5-10 different pieces but many small designers work with that number 12 witch can be good to have in mind. Once more, this is depending on how many of each designs you intend to do and what quantity the Manufacturer can handle, still keeping a reasonable price. It's up to you, but having that in mind and to give it some thought before entering into a conversation with a Manufacturer you have to know. Also thinking ahead, how is the collection being released, Summer/Spring, how many collections/year? That is individual but you have to be ready to quickly offer a second Collection to your customers and grow from there. The worst thing that could happen is to stop in production at a beginning state, to just put one collection out and then suddenly be delayed or not simply producing. This will scare potential clients since your being portrayed as a "loose cannon", someone that simply won't follow up and be easy to work with. Confidence and safety in always deliver on time and show Stores that your here to stay is a must.
Just because the first collection didn't sell, it doesn't mean that you have to stop, no rather the opposite, fight for it and keep on getting more stuff out, stopping will just scare anyone away, that will just send out a signal that your a "loose cannon" that might have something to offer or not. Be confident even if the success doesn't happen over night. How many fairy tails have we heard in our lives and how many comes true?
Well, if you start off by setting your goals low it will mean that a fairy tail easier comes true just by selling one item (perhaps to your mum), it doesn't matter, small goals will keep you more motivated and happier here and now. But saying that, getting stuck in some "la la land" accepting small things like big things will at a longer perspective stop you from growing; someday you want to be bowing on that catwalk? Being in that interview or earning the big dollars, seeing and picturing that is all good, "carrot on a stick" and progress will naturally happen.
So maybe you want to do 12 items? How many of each then? If the Manufacturer offers a great deal if you produce 100 pieces of each it might be worth grabbing, but then again, uniqueness, and where are you going to sell the items? Giving a tip I would recommend you to ONLY produce a Sample Collection first. It's a great way of testing how well you and the Manufacturer work together and also how your designs look in reality. It might actually come as a shock the first time, seeing a shirt that you been drawing on in 3 D, it could result in a good reaction but could also be a negative one, such as "it looks boring", the print was plain and so on. Then having the samples ready you can roll up your sleeves and start searching for an Agent, and that seemed to be at least my biggest challenge.
What's unique with your Design and the brand you're putting up?
Ask yourself what kind of customers you want to attract and also checking out the competition.
"An example: You have a great idea for a Young Kids Collection". What you need to think about it's always been there and done that when it comes to most fashion, it's like a big circle repeating itself but that doesn't make your stuff less interesting it's just that you have to focus on bringing something with a "ump" when you start. A signature "green line" that marks the jackets collars or a cool LOGO that goes on all chests, maybe even a garment that has something extra.
To get back to the example of the Kids Cloths, ask yourself is anyone feeling a need for more Kids Clothes or can you offer them something unique? Maybe Kids Cloths that are simply for rough plays, maybe extra easy to wash and have rougher materials.
Designing and producing Kids Clothes means that you have to start producing in a small quantity first, it's hard gambling with amounts over 50 pieces per design. This means that your clothes are going to be more expensive since there's a small quantity order, if you don't have an Agent that will sell a Sample Order of yours and then take orders, anyways; the fact is that you still are fresh and the cost is going to be a little bit higher.
How do you go about selling a product similar to others for a higher price? The answer is to offer Design, you can either stand out by putting a print in a "handmade" look on the chest or just go for that designed seem or cut. It's about building a reason for you brand, a reason and need to buy it, but before deciding that you have to be in terms with your style, represent it, believe in it and with that later on help selling it..
What are you really offering, important creating your Image?
This is linked to "Learning Your Style" and goes hand in hand with developing the brand in mind, get goals for it and treat your visions and creations like your baby, a baby that you want to see growing and finally get successful with.
Is your product unique enough or different enough? The answer is; it doesn't have to be. It could be a great basic Cotton Basic Line, t-shirts and comfy pants; the important thing isn't the uniqueness of the Designs but the uniqueness of the availability of it. Maybe you're based in a small town where nothing really is on offer, just because there is a lack on a certain item it doesn't mean that it has to be filled, it might just not be on demand. Don't put up a "Fancy Dress" Store in such a place when it might in that case be smarter to move, follow your dream elsewhere or just adjust to the public with a twist. Just because you're selling a pant doesn't mean that it has to be boring, with your logo, print or cute button you can achieve uniqueness without being "over-crazy".
A lot of designer desires to be different in such a big scale that being basic sometimes stands out. Huge shoulder pads, pearls everywhere and hair dues that would make any man run, maybe you're just a creative person that loves the small touches. It's enough too, don't be scared that you are to plain or to "ordinary", there will be a need for those clothes as well, all you have to do is adjust how you want to be promoted, having a website for example is a great thing to let other people find out about your brand, but with a basic Collection it might be harder, adjust both colors and pictures and print so that it matches the look of the clothes, and most important start building an Image! The image of your brand is going to be the answer to the question: why would people buy your brand? Simply because of the image, whether it's ECO-Wear with a natural wibe, picture a suntanned young woman, not wearing any make-up leaning against a palm tree wearing a Natural-fiber shirt and a pair of leather sandals. Well there you go, that's the image.
Get to know your Computer
If you are starting off with little means the computer you have will help you in promoting your brand, and having a Website or a Fashion Blog is a great way of trying out your clothes and see what people think even attract potential customers. Having a camera handy is also a plus; this is great for communicating with your chosen Manufacturer. Another tips is when receiving samples for the first time, taking a photo and then attach comments on the pictures is a great way to communicate and make your ideas simply for the Vendor making them, use the basic program paint and don't forget to resize to photo before attaching them in the email, this is if you don't want anything time-consuming and just simply want to mark the faults with rings and pieces of text.
Ask to get the samples in your size! This means that you can try them out and then make comments accordingly, no first sample is perfect. Programs can be added as you go depending how you like to work, but being "buddy" with your computer is the best thing. Use it like the only office you'll need and this will not just save you time and ease work process, it will save you the office space. So, get updated with the program you might need, you can also always ask the Manufacturer how they like to work, some work receiving the pictures or sketches attached in Excel Sheets and some just basic Emails. Labels must be done in a program with special measurements and effects, could also just send a sample and they'll probably work from that.
Size-Charts and Payment set-ups must be discussed and planned, most things is from the Manufacturer and will be given to you when you start working together, also make sure that if you start cooperating that you have the Pantone Color Chart so you both can choose color and maybe even having a double set of cuttings, a good Manufacturer thinks of those things. Being a computer Wiz is not always a birth right so there is great ways to go about setting up a Website and promoting your brand, even selling it through an online-store. Checking Fashion Blogs and getting Contacts in the business is great before setting off.
Learn how to Employ yourself and work as the Best One!
Say that you're now sitting by the drawing board and have both the idea and the desire to create a Collection of your own; you need to hire one right? Someone who is the best you'll know, that's you. Yes it might seem weird thinking that way but it's a great way to treat your business, with respect and dedication. It's otherwise hard to be on time, work with the collection instead of following the day's soap operas on TV and really getting some work done. I always get the most done when working under pressure. If you don't have pressure yet, try yourself out first. Book a simply Coffee date with a friend, say a Saturday at 3 o clock, it's for example now Tuesday, that leaves you 4 days to finish drawing the corrections that you want to have made for the Manufacturer. Make sure you'll work to get it done, all this might be "playing around in a big box of sand" but its great just being clear that you can handle it before diving in. Please just take a few seconds and imagine the brand throughout the seasons and years so that your whole dream isn't based on just a few drawings, it has to be more long-lasting then that and it's also important to feel that your ideas don't suddenly stop, why make one collection when the second one is a dry rerun? This is a great way of knowing the limits of your creativity. Try to see what makes you more inspired as well, music, a walk, flipping through the pages of a new issue of Vogue or just a quick walk in a Shopping Mall. Everything that makes you more certain of "you" as your own employee will increase your own confidence when it comes to handling deadlines and working dedicated even if not on a fixed payroll. Simply get to know yourself and imagine setting up an office at what you would need to really work well, laptop, printer, pantone pencils, drawing board, Mannequin, sewing machine and so on.
Set up a Financial Plan, Budget.
Just as a example, if you want to go to India to physically meet the Manufacturers and get a knowledge in the country's specialties like the various local skills and quality. You'll sure need to calculate on not just the actual goods but also flights, accommodation, food, other expenses such as transport, guides and even smaller things like maybe buying a sample shirt, something that you could use for either get inspiration or just great to show the Manufacturer to get the idea of that certain wash you want and so on. So a rough budget for what you want to do physically would be a great idea.
So, if you now have an idea let's just start making some changes right now? Taking the step is always hard, a bit scary but I have some great tips to get your" toes wet before your whole body".
Presume that you have a job, why don't you just cut down the hours? Half days and the rest of the day start sketching on your collection. This means that your not in an 'non financial spot yet and will go about it pretty safe and smooth. If you don't have enough money to get started you can have that unpleasant talk to the bank, set up a loan (there is heaps of scholarships to be added if dedicated) or just plan ahead. Nothing is worth rushing into, just take a step at the time and make changes that doesn't mean make it or break it, take care of your finances and play it safe. If you have the attitude of 'no or never' then waiting will probably be to painful and will only cause panic that everyone else is making it and your just sitting there, watching your life pass you by. So, well just jump in there and learn as you go. Mistakes are bound to be made either way or what better lesson then been there and actually have done that.
Contacts, Contacts and then Contacts
Well, I guess we all heard that before, but getting a "stable" of good useful contacts are more time consuming and much harder than it seems. If you're "thinking" of putting up a Brand, start sourcing and talking today. This will ease things up for you, blog around, ask around and get to know some names. Locally, such as Fashion Stores near you, friends you might have in the business and don't seclude anyone. A musician could be great knowing if your planning to have a small release party for your brand, a Photographer could help out photographing the clothes or a Tailor that are willing to make some physical samples for you.
The best or should I say the most important contact will of course be the Manufacturer, don't forget that it could be wise to use several, send out your collection sketches and ask at least 3 Manufacturers to do samples for you, and then it's easy to choose witch one that meets your idea and price the best. One could be good for a high-end party line; the other could be great using for a Basic one. Everyone has a preference and it would speed the production process up, using 2-3 Manufacturers working on your different lines. Well, if your are unsure just experiment getting some samples from a few and then later on just use one, since having several could also mean pretty intense work emailing and explaining your exact ideas to them all at the same time. Some people use an Agent that handles all the business between you and the Manufacturer, I personally don't recommend using an Agent simply because it increases the production price but also risk of misunderstandings having a middle man, the charge 7-10% on the whole order and then you have to work emailing them both, it's just as easy to find the Manufacturer yourself and then make the deal through them. Then again, there are always people that are really happy with having an Agent and it would ease things up at a certain extent like approving the order before shipment. After choosing your Manufacturer you will need someone who can get your clothes out on the market, it could be a Distribution Manager, or a clothing Agent. These Agents are gold to have and hard to find since its not popular being new and it often equals missed deadlines and unorganized as a beginner. They have to really believe in you and the ability for the brand to grow, and then build it up from scratch, so finding one will be a bit though. It's like a moment 22, you have to have a sample-collection to show before they can decide if they want to represent you and they all dream about someone with a few years in the business. The Agents have different deals, the best is if they work commission based witch will make it better for you economically when starting up, it would be though paying all expenses up front. The Agent often have a stable with a few other designers and they all are represented on the Agents website, if your one of them it will mean free advertising and promotion through them, they book the Fashion Shows for you and will handle all the press contacts, so that end of it will be optimal. Some new designers are choosing to 'do it' themselves and will act as an Agent by there own witch is possible to.
So whether you prefer staying by the drawing table or heading out to the stores it's all about spreading the word, a new dreamer is on the stage and a new brand is being showed...

My name is Alice and have put together a Clothing Label and with that, a small Collection.
Since March-2008 I set out on a journey throughout South East Asia and a quest to learn more about making a brand. From getting samples at local tailors, printing labels and making business cards to ordering my first cloths.

A Quick Guide to Australian Ladies Fashion and Tips For Buying Aussie Fashion Online

Australia is moving up the ladder quickly in the world of fashion. With export totals in the millions of dollars, ladies fashion in Australia is now getting exposure around the world. A country once known for simple fashion based on comfort is now releasing designer fashion clothing that is being featured in some of the top fashion shows around the globe.
A Few Top Australian Fashion Designers
Here are some of the top Australian fashion designers. Those who want unusual, but beautiful, designer fashion apparel will find exactly that when searching for these Australian ladies fashion brands.
*Wheels & Dollbaby is a leading ladies fashion producer in Australia offering unique apparel, from "high society" ladies wear to "rock & roll" wear. These classy Australian designer fashions are available in Australia, Europe, Asia and the United States.
*Billion Dollar Babes is one of Australia's top designers in ladies fashion offering colorful apparel such as cocktail dresses, chiffon gowns, cruise day dresses and more.
*Billabong is a leading Australian fashion brand for surf apparel. They provide surf fashions for men, women and children throughout Australia, North America, Europe, Brazil, Japan and New Zealand.
*Grab denim is one of the leading denim-wear brands in Australia. Grab offers jeans, jackets and mini-skirts. Designer fashion jeans with all sorts of washes and styles are available.
*Mooks Clothing Company offers streetwear denim with comfortable ladies fashion apparel such as jackets, jeans and t-shirts. Mooks serves the Australian fashion market as well as the international market.
*Bonds has grown to become the largest clothing and underwear manufacturer in Australia and serves a vast international market as well.
Shopping for Australian Ladies Fashion Clothing
Shopping for Australian ladies fashion products from top designers such as Wheels & Dollbaby or Billion Dollar Babes has never been easier. Thanks to online technology, designer fashion consumers can buy their favorite Australian fashions while sitting at their own personal computer.
The search engines are useful in finding the latest fashions and websites that sell specific Australian apparel. For example, someone searching for a cocktail dress by Billion Dollar Babes might type the keyword phrase "billion dollar babes cocktail dress." Or, the keyword phrase "Wheels & Dollbaby high society" might be used to find the High Society clothing line by Wheels & Dollbaby.
Save Money on Australian Fashions
With the recent increase in exports of Australian fashions, there are many retailers who are located outside of Australia but still ship the items to consumers around the world. This is beneficial for those who do not live in Australia and do not use Australian currency to make online purchases. The converted dollar amounts can be unpredictable and extremely high at times. Consumers can shop and compare at different websites and discover savings on pricing, shipping and currency conversion.
Those who are always on the lookout for unique apparel will adore the look and feel of Australian ladies fashion. It's a whole new look - with attitude!