Sobol delivers valuable information – on breaking into international fashion markets
10/30/2009
Sobol, Taylor deliver valuable information – on breaking into international fashion markets
10/30/2009
By Alyson Holder
ONE of the features of the recently-concluded Absolute Caribbean Fashion Weekend was the workshop held on Saturday at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion Hotel. The event gave both models and designers the opportunity to gain insight and ask questions to some of the industry’s heavy hitters flown in for the event.
Beth Sobol, CEO of Miami Fashion Week, was the first to address the audience. Having been in her position for 12 years, she was well able to speak about the industry and the issues some designers face when breaking into the market. Overall, the fashion week sees well over ten thousand guests. The week, which initially featured Caribbean and Miami-based designers, now features designers from around the world. India, Dubai, Pakistan, Lebanon, Spain, Italy, Australia and Canada are just some of the countries represented. According to her, 90 per cent of the designers shown are not based in Miami, it was at this point that she began to discuss that designers not only need to understand the country they plan to visit, but also the regulations they’ll need to abide by.
“One of the worst things that can happen to a designer is to be stopped by Customs; it is a red flag that will haunt you for the rest of your days. The plan is to get it right the first time.” She noted to all interested parties that it was a good idea to get into specialty stores before trying to tackle the major stores. She made it clear that such entities are interested in the business of it and will request to see a sales history before adding any pieces to their array. In terms of production, she urged all designers present to pay close attention to the quality of the project as it is such that will speak to the consumers.
Sobol relayed the knowledge that the fit of the garment is also important, as the sizes need to be appropriate and fitting for individuals who would not have been pre-fitted or measured for the garment. The quality is equally important because that will be the stepping stone that will aid in the success of the product. Also during the discussion, she went on to speak about assessing their pricing. Considering that the clothes need to be shipped, taxed and priced for profit, she also made a clean-cut point of reminding designers that in such cases, they need to properly assess the cost of the garment and may sometimes have to assign a price which may be better for the market.
One of the many interesting points made by the CEO, dealt with the need for young designers to understand the market and how they can meet the requirements of the criteria. An example given was that though there are plenty Caribbean designers calling themselves couture designers, that they were in fact no couture designers in the region, according to the standards and criteria set by couture “headquarters”, Paris. The need for a business-minded person to aid in the discussion making of the projects was also highlighted. “You can’t do it all, you can’t design and run the business. You’ll run yourself into the ground.”
Aside from the information provided at the workshop, Sobol’s enterprises offer a wealth of information through their own workshops, which include an abundance of information necessary to designers who are looking to market overseas. They also give up-to-date and concise info on how to do good, legal business in other countries.
International Fashion Buyer, Carol Anne Taylor agreed with Sobol, saying that though she visits many Caribbean fashion weeks, she seldom finds more than a couple designers whose work can be carried to her market. “I can’t sell a product that is sold to me for retail price.” She says she usually gets a vendor or craftperson saying, “I spent ‘this’ amount of time on it and I can only give it to you for ‘this’.” She thinks that one of the things that has to happen in the industry, is that designers have to think of themselves in different ways. One being in a creative capacity and the other in a business capacity and consider making a line for mass production. She stresses that the line must maintain a consistent quality for the effort to work. When clothing is bought at the retail price, from the designer, it still has to be marked for sale. She says that price and consistency is one of the problems with moving the Caribbean product. She encouraged all designers present to think about items they could mass produce at good quality and make the money so you, the designer, can do what you really want to do.