When you start crafting your first (or twenty-first) clothing collection, a question always pops up: how many pieces are in a fashion collection?
Luckily for fashion designers, there’s no hard limit on how many clothing pieces make up a comprehensive clothing collection. It’s entirely up to you. However, a few aspects of fashion design will undoubtedly steer you in a particular direction.
Let’s see which factors are in play when starting your clothing line.
Who Is Your Audience?
Firstly, who are you making clothing for? Now is the time to understand your audience and what they’ll get out of your unique clothing line.
Now, you probably have an idea of whom you’re selling to. But if you don’t, it’s high time you did some much-needed demographic research.
Why would your customers want to wear your clothing or accessories? What’s the age range of your ideal customers? Remember to ask these and other similar questions to construct a buyer persona. The buyer persona helps you tailor your creations to the potential buyer and their end goals.
Additionally, you’re not alone in targeting your customer base. It’s helpful to understand your competitors, what they do, and what they promise their customers.
Choosing A Clothing Manufacturer For Your Collection
A clothing manufacturer is an invaluable resource. Not only because they’re responsible for making clothing, but they set the minimum order quantities. They also set the timelines, and they help you prepare for production.
Where are you located? How far are you willing to work with an accomplished fashion production house? It has never been more important to choose a manufacturer you trust implicitly. After all, you’re forging a partnership with a group of creative individuals, helping you get your fashion dreams off to a good start.
In short, they’re helping your collection come to life.
With TEG, the clothing manufacturing studio in Los Angeles has had a direct hand with various fashion designers over the past twenty years.
Creative Services That Help Build New Collections
Another vital aspect of manufacturers is the creative services they provide their clients.
For example, The Evans Group creative team takes fashion designers under their wing for as much time as is needed to perfect a particular design. More specifically, the team will hold various brainstorming meetings and invaluable fashion mood board planning.
These crucial aspects to developing and creating different accessories, dresses, jackets, and more make up The Evan’s Group’s dedication to the budding designer.
What Are Minimum Order Quantities?
As mentioned, a minimum order quantity (MOQ) plays a massive role in how many pieces are in your clothing line.
Simply put, minimum order quantities are the minimum number of items to a clothing order that a manufacturer will accept to begin fashion production.
As you can probably imagine, MOQs of 50 or more can prove to be a tall order, literally and figuratively, for new fashion designers.
At The Evans Group (TEG), founder Jennifer Evans commits herself to require no minimums at all. Being a low or no minimum clothing manufacturer in Los Angeles provides massive benefits. Namely, it gives both established and emerging independent fashion designers the chance to familiarize themselves with both bespoke clothing and the fashion industry as a whole.
How Many Styles In Your Collection?
Not every fashion collection is uniform. There are different colors, clothing patterns, and more that need consideration.
Determining how many styles are in your collection depends on how well your target market responds to them. Is your audience loving that new jet black puffer jacket this winter?
Consider designing more clothing that your customer base responds to favorably. Running with that puffer jacket example, run an experiment if you want to see which performs better. See which colors do well amongst your customer base and go from there.
Again, this is where low minimum order quantities come especially in handy. The fewer pieces that need producing, the more quickly you can proffer unique pieces at your local boutique. It takes some experimenting and notetaking, but it could make the difference in how many styles belong in your finished collection.
Keep Your Collection Cohesive (for Now)
People love a good pattern. Customers appreciate items when they contribute to the overall collection, whether it’s a line of similarly-colored knitwear or matching jewelry.
As such, try to keep your first few fashion collections and designs more cohesive. While we’re all for experimenting and letting designers run free, you want to build an excellent foundation to work from.
In short, keep it consistent; we can have fun later with designs!
How Many Pieces Are In A Fashion Collection?
Overall, it’s best to have at least ten or so. When starting your first collection, keep it in that area, and you can reap the benefits from market research in no time.
Again, a lot depends on other factors like your target market, clothing manufacturers and their MOQs, and where you’re selling your product. Every independent clothing brand needs to consider these factors.
In short, it varies, and you’ll have to determine how many designs belong in your collection. What helps you stay on budget with your collection?
With The Evans Group, you’ll have invaluable resources in your corner. Namely, creative services, talented pattern makers, and minimum order quantities that won’t break your budget.
I've spent years deeply engaged in the fashion industry, from working closely with designers to understanding the intricate process of clothing production. In terms of creating a clothing collection, the number of pieces isn't rigidly defined—it's about a blend of factors that steer the direction, and I can help decipher those elements.
Understanding your audience is fundamental. Demographics like age, preferences, and lifestyle dictate the design choices. Creating a buyer persona is key, tailored to your potential customers' desires and needs.
Selecting the right clothing manufacturer is pivotal. They not only craft your designs but also set minimum order quantities (MOQs) and timelines. The choice of a trustworthy manufacturer, like The Evans Group in Los Angeles, aids immensely in bringing your collection to life. Speaking of MOQs, they play a significant role in determining the number of pieces in your line. Often, lower MOQs enable new designers to delve into the industry without substantial financial constraints.
Then there's the creative aspect. Collaborating with manufacturers who offer creative services is invaluable. For instance, The Evans Group offers brainstorming sessions and mood board planning, facilitating the development of accessories, dresses, jackets, and more.
The diversity of styles within a collection is another pivotal consideration. It's crucial to gauge the response of your audience to different designs and colors. This involves experimentation and noting the customer preferences, which can influence the number of styles in your final collection.
Maintaining cohesiveness in your initial collections is advisable. Consistency in design or theme fosters a strong foundation, even while allowing for experimentation in the future.
While there's no strict rule, starting with at least ten pieces is often recommended for a first collection. This number can be influenced by various factors like market research, manufacturing capabilities, and the target market.
The resources offered by The Evans Group—creative services, skilled pattern makers, and flexible MOQs—can significantly support new and established designers in staying within budgetary constraints while fostering creativity and quality.
Navigating these factors harmoniously results in a well-rounded, market-responsive clothing collection.
