MANILA, Philippines - I grew up around creative people so when I was old enough to use a pair of scissors, I was already cutting up my Barbies’ clothes and reworking them. So I guess I’ve always wanted to make clothes.
A little more than three years ago, I found myself enrolled in an entrepreneurship course in The One School, having to come up with a solid business idea. Because I already had this innate love for fashion, I chose to do my first business pitch on a clothing line called Glasnost (I promised my 17-year-old self I’d name an endeavor after Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy on transparency in socialist Russia). My first pitch was a disaster — it lacked research and was self-indulgent, arrogant, and scattered. The panel saw through it all and it left me in tears.
After that, I presented four business pitches (with no relation to fashion) before I could even resurrect the idea of Glasnost. One trimester, I braved it — I kept my presentation humble and my research solid and it all started from there. I went along with the trend of using multiply.com as an online store. Then because of this, I was invited by our sister school SOFA to join what was then called Fabric (Embassy’s Thursday fashion night). Stylebible covered the event and gave the collection a very, very good review. This caught the attention of a number of people. Things changed from then on. That was, from my memory, the real turning point. Since then, I’ve just taken things step by step without ever having to sacrifice the creative process. Keeping in mind my family’s motto, “All in good time.”
I do not claim to be an expert. I’m here to share my experiences through a little study guide based on both the trials I’ve come across and the few things I’ve achieved.
So, here are some of the things I did that definitely helped me get to where I am:
Write up a business plan. This will cover a huge bulk because it requires you to solidify your ideas and put in paper. Here you will discover that everything counts — from your label’s name, to marketing, to cost, to pricing.
Create a vision board and remember that anything goes. This board will be what your brand is about in one look — runway photos from your favorite designer, postcards from your favorite destinations, beautiful fabric swatches, or even pages from the publications you wish to be featured in.
Assess your strengths and weaknesses. If (or once) you can afford it, hire or consult to compensate for the weaknesses. But remember to always, always maximize your strengths. For example, if you’re more creative, you can choose to hire a business manager to take care of administrative things. But before relying on anyone else, do it yourself. (I am still learning this, every day.)
Start now and take your time. Truth is, whatever you are thinking right now, chances are someone else has the exact same idea. So start now and work from there. Allow yourself to fully absorb the endeavor you have pushed yourself in. Natalie Massenet, creator of Net-a-porter.com, said, “Sometimes in a career, you just have to jump in, you’ll learn to swim!” No way better to learn than to fully immerse yourself in it.
The Kaizen business principle of continuous improvement. Google it. My dad always told me, “Remember, there is always a better way.”
Milk your resources. My favorite one is using the power, the freedom, and the affordability of the Internet. Our new online home is http://shopglasnost.com, which I formatted myself. The site http://twitter.com/glasnostbystacy is where I update people on anything Glasnost because I am my brand and my brand is me. The world wide web is a tool we can all use to showcase our designs, sell our products, brag about our achievements, and spread our message. Use it wisely.
You’ll find yourself at a point where you’ve made your fair share of mistakes and celebrated a handful of accomplishments. When this happens, don’t under any circumstance and get overly consumed by it. Maintain detachment and remain in full contact with the world and the other things and people that are important to you. I know people say it all the time but it doesn’t make it any less true — you really can wake up one day and it will all be gone. So, above all, stay kind and humble, be grateful, and play nice.