How to Set Up and Run a Fashion Label

by Toby Meadows

No matter how talented you are as a designer, if you are going to run a successful fashion label you also need to know about business—from marketing and PR to manufacturing your collection, and where to find the money to finance it all.

In How to Set Up and Run a Fashion Label , Toby Meadows presents a no-nonsense guide to running your own business, whether it is within the clothing, accessories or footwear sectors. Packed with tips, case studies, and tasks to help you analyze yourself, your market and your product, the book is designed for anyone wanting to start their own fashion business.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Business, Fashion Design

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Devika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for someone who's more from a business background but does not understand the very basics of the design and manufacturing processes, along with knowing/anticipating certain aspects of running a fashion label (legal, marketing, etc). In fact that's the first thing Meadows mentions- a good fashion label is 90% business acumen and 10% design.

In a nutshell, this is a DIY Fashion Label book. Although this book may seem a tad bit obvious and too simple at times, I am giving this 5 stars because it is a very comprehensive checklist for setting up a fashion label. Meadows really breaks it down well for a novice like myself. Highly recommend it to fashion entrepreneurs who are just beginning on their journey.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great fashion business book to have in your arsenal if you're a designer, crafter or manufacturer. This is an introductory book that covers a wide range of topics superficially. For anyone just starting out I would also recommend (for business books that deal with fundamental pricing/financials/legalities, etc.):

Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco
NOLO The Craft Artist's Legal Guide
The Successful Business Plan by Rhonda Abrams

I also found some of the forms from these two books very helpful:

Art Office, Second Ed. Smith & Viders
Craft Inc., Business Planner by Meg Mateo Ilasco

[Reni Hanifah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After some failures on trying to finish a book, finally i managed to read this book to its last page! I initially began reading this book in 2015, 1 year after i had bought the book from periplus. My english was limited and the writer wrote in difficult english and uncommon vocabulary, so after 2 pages i was tired and closed the book. Today, 2 years later, planning to start my own fashion label with my friends, i had decided to start over and gave this book another chance hoping for some insights. This book is reliable enough for me except that the writer gave samples mostly from UK designers, and some strategies could only be applicable in UK only.

[Danial Kalbasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe it could be much more focus on fashion.

The main issue with this book is, wasting lots of pages to explain the generic part of the business which you can find in other business books. It's a waste of time frankly.

The main second issue is, explaining the concepts very briefly and not digging enough, which it should! If this book wrote for businesses and, not for normal consumers, we need something in deep and practical rather than talking phrases and jargons.

Of course, there are good points inside this book about running fashion label, but again, it's very shallow.

[Benjamin GM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical, very easy to follow. Having taken a class directly with Toby, the book has all of Toby's knowledge. Very recommended if you are starting a fashion business or working at a fashion startup.

[Steve Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toby Meadows book is good because it tries to be comprehensive. The book is laid out logically, each chapter deals with a specific aspect of the label creation process. It covers the legal and the practical, it has resources and templates and a pretty solid directory at the end. Within the chapters, Meadows breaks down the process and structures analysis in a way that feels like it's covering all the bases. Helpful case studies also dot the book, adding colour and touching base with the real world.

I wish it had gone just a little bit further than it did. I would have loved advice on how to call distributors, more concrete numbers/specific places to go for more concrete numbers, and tips that go beyond the very broad. I understand that this stuff gets outdated and the broad stuff is most accessible, but I think without it the book just feels like it's missing something essential. It needed more depth and examples.

The exercises are a let-down. They are scattered across the book, but they are not as interesting or helpful as they could have been. So much potential there.

All in all, worth reading as a quick introduction to making fashion labels if you're into that sort of thing.

[Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro prescindible sinceramente. Realmente no cuenta nada que esté fácilmente accesible con un par de búsquedas en Google.

Demasiada información generalista que bien podría servir para crear una marca de ropa como cualquier otro tipo de empresa y algunos, pocos, vagos detalles sobre el proceso general de crear una marca de ropa que además, por momentos, es información bastante obvia.

El formato del libro es diferente a lo habitual, está a mitad de camino entre un catálogo y una revista, y lo que llama "estudios de caso", aunque no deja de ser interesante conocer historietas de otros creadores de marca, son simplemente un comentario sobre la empresa con algunas citas de los creadores con poca relevancia y utilidad más que satisfacer la curiosidad.

[Cindy Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would think this book is perfect for someone who has no background in Fashion as the content is quite basic. All materials is discussed lightly, so in a sense it gives great content for someone who want a broad overview of how the industry works. If you are studying fashion, I would think that this wouldn't be a good book for you as it would summarizes everything that you studied in fashion school. You might want to read Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar as it covers materials in- depth.

[Clarissa Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful book for starting a fashion label. It does not only talk and spill your insight with art but through the finance and operation as well. Helps us a lot to understand the supply chain in detail order, how to calculate the margin and do the treasury and so the money won't fly away. Easy to understand, explaining the steps from the very beginning until the very last, and the content is mind-boggling as well.

[Robert Tetteroo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great 'how to...' book. I am now setting up a fashion label and will keep this book close at my side in particular for the sales, marketing and branding, cause that's my part. I will re-rate it again in a year and see where we have ended.

[Kimberly C. Charlery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

Got good information about the business side of fashion. Much needed guidance. Even though Tue case studies were based in the UK, the information was generalized and suited for any reader.

[Anamaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although laid out in textbook style it is very intelligent and useful.

[Dele Tosh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really as informative as one would expect as the title leads to believe.

[Jeffry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basics for starting a label

Definitely use this as a guidelines along the journey of starting a label. Lots of motivating story of successful brand.

[Aditya Mahardhika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Vineca Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Current and comprehensive - great reference for a start-up design entrepreneur.