Armed and ready for the real world

 

Later this month, Ragtrader will be the official trade media partner for a new seminar aimed at emerging designers. Regular readers will be familiar with the format and speaker line-up for A Higher Learning (www.ahigherlearning.com.au), which will run at Sydney’s ivy sunroom from June 17 to 18.

Given our magazine will be distributed to some 200 designers attending the workshop, we thought it would be a good opportunity to shift the focus away from bigger players and check in on the little guys.

So in this edition, we touch base with three designers at three very different stages of their career cycle. First off the bat is Christopher Esber (first year), followed by womenswear designer Dhini (fifth year) and Marnie Skillings (tenth year).

The point? To illustrate the challenges they face and celebrate the victories achieved.

But what’s a life story without a lesson? To wrap it all up, I’ve asked key industry stalwarts to offer some advice to the next generation of Aussie designers:

• Belinda Seper, founder of Belinda & The Corner Shop boutiques, on starting out: Rather than launch straight into your own label, spend time working for another designer. That way you get to continue your education, refine your ideas, make new contacts and best of all, make mistakes. You have the rest of your life to have your own label and achieve recognition. Try to maintain a perspective which leaves your ego at the door, your feet firmly on the ground, and a level head upon your fashionably attired shoulders. You’re going to need it!

• Dominic Beirne, director of Australian Fashion Partners, on finance: First up, know your item costings. Know what the components cost, how much of each component is used and what your mark-up and gross margin are. Second up, know your business costs. At a minimum, have a budget for all expense lines and track them, at least monthly.

• Louise Ryan, director of Black Collections, on debt recovery: When it comes to wholesaling, it’s important not to hold on to debts for too long. Recovery is far more likely before a boutique or shop is forced to close down. I say, don’t wait 120 days, ring it in after 45.

• Nicholas Huxley, responsible for training the likes of Alex Perry, Michelle Jank, Akira Isogawa and Wayne Cooper: Do not follow trends, create them. It’s all about being innovative. Make sure you have a great cut, use really good fabrics and don’t out-price yourself. Rosemount Australian Fashion Week proved what not do: too much of the same everything, colours, silhouettes, styling. Thrive on being different.