Pattern-makers fight back

NATIONAL: An increase in the number of clients not paying their bills has forced Australia’s pattern-making community to make drastic changes to the way its members do business.

Tired of getting burnt by clients unable – or unwilling – to pay for work already tendered, fed-up freelance pattern-makers say they have now been forced to alter payment options, hire debt collectors and engage process servers to ensure their invoices are paid.

While the group of freelancers spoken to by Ragtrader – which between them boast more than 50 years’ collective experience – were reluctant to disclose the names of their bad debtors, all agreed the problem had gotten worse since the onset of the global credit crunch.

Sydney pattern-maker Victoria Hannah, who has worked for a variety of companies including Marks and Spencer, the Burton Group and Dolina, said she had resorted to contacting the Sheriff’s Department and debt collection agency Creditec to help chase bad debtors.

As recently as last week Hannah was awaiting payment of an account that was issued last October. To date the debtor has paid just $420 from the $4000-plus owed despite being issued with a court enforcement notice threatening to seize goods in the event the account was not settled.

Hannah said while the amounts being defaulted on were not always huge, in many cases they were the only revenue stream available to the pattern-maker and their families.

The problem was becoming “all too acceptable” and fashion businesses could not expect to become complacent about this type of offending, she said.

“I do not want to be known as a litigious pattern-maker but I, among other senior pattern-makers, am totally fed up with this sort of behaviour. More than anything it is the blatant lying that I cannot stand. I know everyone is struggling these past months but you cannot just lie and think that people like me will accept it and go away. We have to be paid so that we can pay our own bills and survive as well.”

Swimwear, lingerie and menswear pattern-making specialist Ruth Segal, whose full service agency trades under the name Tibron Holdings, said she too had experienced problems with clients assuming it was okay to default on payments. While on average she had only one major client neglecting to pay her bill every couple of years, this was enough to make her wary of all potential prospects.

“I’ve had a lifetime in clothing and I’ve a few come to me and I’ve said no. It’s never on the level the way they [defaulters] do it either – they’ll say ‘your pattern’s not right’. Now I ask for cash on delivery. I’m not the cheapest but if they don’t like it they can go to someone else.”

Segal, who insist on meeting all clients face to face, said in her experience the larger fashion companies were the worst at clearing debts.

“I won’t take on anyone who I think is going to fail. The new designers are generally honourable, it’s the big ones that mostly think it’s fun to keep you waiting [for payment].”

Weir Design pattern-maker Suzie Weir, who has previously worked for brands including Davenport and Anthea Crawford, agreed the defaulting practice was “hideous” and had “definately gotten worse” in recent months.

Weir, who has been operating her business for 15 years but supplements her income as a teacher at fashion college RMIT, said she insisted customers pay cash up front. She also makes a point of including her banking details on her invoice as a means of encouraging customers to pay electronically.
“If I have a long-term relationship with them I will go to seven days, but they understand that is a privilege and not a right.”

Weir said the only way to stamp out the practice was to name and shame and for this she made no apologies. “I’m always going to look after my mates [fellow pattern-makers] and will also let my factories know. I always advise my customers that this is a very small trade and people talk. Pay your bills up front. You don’t want to leave any question marks.”