Fashion is one of the oldest industry
in the world. It has existed many generations before us and will continue to
exist years to come. The likes of iconic and talented designers such as Christian
Dior, Coco Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld amongst
others have built brands that have become recognizable anywhere.
Fashion is influenced by
different factors and incidents happening around us. It has evolved over
time with many fashion brands of their time working so hard to create a brand
that will transcend all barriers and become acceptable worldwide. For
instance, we’ve known the Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga
etc for their distinct brand identity.
Fast forward to Africa in recent times,
many big talents have emerged and are gaining global attention in the
fashion world. They are working tirelessly to create their own unique aesthetics
and signatures that will be seen as unique, African and at the same time match up
global brands. The likes of Deola Sagoe, Taibo Bacar, Christie Brown, Lanre Da
Silva Ajayi, Lisa Folawiyo amongst others have been seen on international
platforms where they have shown their creativity and talent as proud
African Designers.
So the question is how do you
build your fashion brand into a global one?
Research and know your trade
As a designer aspiring to grow and
become internationally recognized, it’s prudent to know other designers
who have treaded similar paths and how they made it. Through research, you
can learn from them as well as know how you can incorporate our African
heritage, culture, fabric, textures into your work to create your own
distinct and unique designs.
Create unique aesthetics for
your brand
From your fabric choice or customized
print to the designs, colors, silhouettes and the finishing of your
pieces, you have to create that feel that makes your brand stand out from any
other. Make sure all your online and offline feel are in sync to give an
overall experience to your customers.
Identify your market
Knowing your target market influences
your choice of fabric, pricing, design and marketing promotions. This
helps to choose which market your brand will sell and which ones will not. For
instance, you need to know your market level to know where to position your
brand in the value chain and what kinds of people you want to wear your
cloths.
Move from passion driven to
business model
Many emerging designers have started
their fashion brands as a result of their passion for fashion. As much as
passion driven is a great thing, your brand needs to grow beyond your love
and passion for fashion into a business. You need to begin to see yourself as
an entrepreneur in order to move the brand to a bigger level. This also
means that you need to know the right time to get structures in place that
will enable the business to run effectively with or without your
involvement in every aspect of the business operation.
As a fashion designer looking to build
a brand that is recognizable globally, the aforementioned could be helpful
in positioning your brand as one of the best on the continent.
Article was first published in the Business and Financial Times Weekend
Paper
Faith Senam Ocloo
Fashion Public Relations
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts
