Too little, too late: suppliers, be on time.

Up-and-coming designers can permanently sever relationships with major clients if they don't prioritise good supply chain management, a David Jones executive has warned.
Group manager for apparel, footwear, accessories and cosmetics Colette Garnsey said that designers who neglected to deliver collections on time not only risked their reputation but their business. Orders which ran as little as a week late could undo an entire season's worth of work, she said.
"That's perhaps the biggest heartbreak for a young or new designer coming into the business. The buyer can cancel the goods. So your order, it's gone, you don?t make any money. You may have to discount the order to sell it to someone else. So really think about the deliveries you quote."

Sounding this warning during the recent Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) business workshop, Garnsey added that designers needed to be firmer when negotiating delivery dates with buyers. She said even if major domestic and international players insisted on early deliveries, there was no point in making "empty promises" that potentially risked future transactions.

"Take it from me, someone who does insist on June deliveries [after placing orders during RAFW], don't listen to me! If you can't do it, say you can't do it, say August. If August is too much of a squeeze, say September."
Garnsey also advised designers to better prepare for buyer scrutiny at fashion industry events. Along with good marketing material, a strong brand philosophy and a quality collection, participants needed to consider fundamentals such their target consumer, price points and where they fit into a buyer's brand portfolio.
"Plan your conversation with the buyer ? what's it going to sound like? Can you answer those questions? Have the debate internally before you have it with the buyer. Practice it with your mother, practice it with the patternmaker. Make sure you feel really, really firm with the conversation you're going to have."
David Jones's current portfolio of brands include sass & bide, Alex Perry, Trelise Cooper, Sabatini, George Gross, Harry Who and Willow.