[ad_1]
Los Angeles-based designer Donny Nahmias planned a big launch for his sneaker debut in November, designing it as an ode to two classic shoes, the Converse Chuck Taylor and the Nike Air Max. Established in 2018, it was a big step for the Nahmias brand, a California street-and-skate meets luxury menswear brand.
Due to factory delays, the products did not ship until early January.
“We’ve been pushed to the sidelines as a small brand,” Nahmias said. “It wasn’t the start I expected.”
Independent brands have gotten used to things not going as planned over the past three years. There’s been a relentless series of challenges since the pandemic began: first store closings and the growth of e-commerce during the lockdown, then supply chain snafus and inflation as the world reopens.
Many innovative brands have survived – and even thrived – in the midst of the turmoil. But there’s more chaos ahead: Retailers worried about inflation and recession are reluctant to bet on untested brands. Meanwhile, investors are turning to so-called recession-proof companies, a category that rarely includes emerging fashion labels.
“It’s like a rule. When a recession hits, stop investing in fashion because this is it. [seen as] said Gary Wasner, CEO of luxury and fashion consultancy Hilden Corporation.
After surviving the pandemic, young brands are generally more disciplined about maintaining margins and inventory. Many designers and founders are now self-taught supply chain professionals. To get through the recession, they need to deploy the same tactics they did during the pandemic and focus on cutting risk and driving sales.
Unlike 2020, at least they can plan ahead.
“It was kind of a reaction to what was happening before, it’s something that we can be more strategic about,” says Willy Chavarria, founder and creative director of the namesake brand. “There is very little room for vanity in our line of work. [now]He said.
Bet on winners
Fashion brands always seek to maintain a balance between creativity and business. During the recession, they should lean more on the latter.
Retailers, which were burned by ordering too many items last year, are expected to make smaller purchases in 2023 and focus on brands and products.
“For a while, the stores needed those iconic brands,” Wassner said. “Now everyone wants brands that they can buy.”
Julie Gilhart, chief development officer of brand incubator Tomorrow Ltd. and president of Tomorrow Advisors, said many brands will offer tightly curated collections this year.
For Judy Turner’s upcoming collection, which is set to debut in February, founder and creative director Conley Averett has tapped old ideas to make them more commercially viable.
“I’m trying to make the vision more specific and clearer for people who have a hard time understanding it,” Averett said.
Nahmias, on the other hand, is reaching out to buyers earlier and focusing more on reliable brands like jerseys, t-shirts and hats.
With future wholesale orders less certain, accounts are directing buyers to their own site. After the February show, Chavarria will offer made-to-order products exclusively on the brand’s website. He does extra off-calendar drops and collaborations to generate sales and maintain his brainpower throughout the year.
Like retailers, the last thing a brand wants is to carry excess inventory. Emma Gage, founder and designer of gender-neutral clothing brand Melke, thinks it’s beneficial to make labels in small runs. Since Gage founded Melke during the pandemic, she has focused on building relationships with local, New York suppliers, which she says has given her more flexibility in orders.
“I have a product that I can sell. I can’t overproduce,” Gage said.
The disruption of the pandemic has left a lot of room for brands to carve their own path. Brands have developed direct-to-consumer channels, so they are no longer dependent on being present in specific stores.
Back to creativity and community
Strict seasonal constraints can frustrate designers.
“There are times when you need to focus on your business and there are times when you need to be more creative,” says Olivia Cheng, founder of Dophinet. But when business isn’t good, it stifles your creativity because you don’t feel like you have the mental or financial capacity to design properly.
To combat the recession, brands are looking for new ways to get products to consumers. Cheng plans to host a Lunar New Year party in January, where she will launch a new wine and unripe concept of specially designed shirts.
Melke, Judy Turner and Dauphinet among other labels are organizing pop-ups, opening studios for tours, or trunk shows and archive sales to operate at low cost and gain awareness time with consumers.
Brands are also evaluating how they present their collections, an easy task after the pandemic, with buyers and editors becoming more open to viewing collections both in person and off-plan.
Nahmias, for his part, said he would continue to show during Fashion Month, but would cut prices in half for his show in Paris. Cheng’s show at Fashion Month in New York last September, which she partially funded from her personal savings, didn’t get the response she’d hoped for.
“It’s a very busy calendar, I just wanted to give myself a chance to try something different,” Cheng said.
Leaning toward the strengths that come with being small and independent — agility, ingenuity, perspective and a passionate customer base — is what helps brands weather the storm.
Willie Chavarria, for example, has gained buzz in part for illuminating the complexities of Latinx culture, queerness, and gender in shows. His Spring/Summer 2023 presentation “Please Stand Up” opened with an anthem about crossing borders, and his Fall/Winter 2022 “Uncut” collection focused on Latinx America.
“Brand is more than clothing, we sell something very personal,” says Chavarria.
Chavarria wants to further emphasize that connection, adding new content to the site and featuring other artists who align with Chavarria’s brand ethos. Drops are accompanied by unique images and videos to encourage consumers to stay on the brand’s website.
“These are the brands that have something to say and know how to create a community that will be the most successful,” Gilhart said. “This is not a doom and gloom attack. It’s like the flu, as opposed to the flu.
[ad_2]
Source link
