Sample - How to Start a Street wear Brand South Africa 2zaxlonline.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/6/6/53668359/sample... · 2018-08-31 · wear startups. We have grown our ... Sample - How

Sample - How to Start a Street wear Brand South Africa 2nd Edition by Jermaine M. Charles


How to Start a Street wear Brand South Africa

Second Edition

Jermaine M. Charles

Copyright Jermaine M. Charles 2014

First edition published in South Africa in 2013

ISBN 978-0-620-63228-7

The right of Jermaine Michael Charles to be identified as the author of this work has been

asserted by him in accordance with the copyright laws.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed by way of trade in any form

of binding or cover other than in which it is published, without the prior consent of the

Publishers.

All trademarks used or mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. The use

of any trademark in this text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership

rights in such trademarks, nor does the use of such trademarks imply any affiliation with or

endorsement of this book by such owners.

Design by Jermaine M. Charles.

Printed and bound in South Africa.


Contents

Introduction

Why choose street wear?

Who was this written book for?

The aims of this book

Motivation – Why does it matter?

Money Matters

Measuring success

Salary

Quality

Design

Skills

Life Long Student

Marketing Your Brand

References

Work book

Supplier Directory

Reading list

Acknowledgements


Introduction

It has been over fourteen months since ‘How to start a street wear brand – South Africa’ was published.

We sold our first two copies less than five minutes after walking out of the printers with twenty copies

in hand. Another seven were sold within a week.

We had no idea how many people would even buy the book when it came out, we had planned to sell a

hundred copies. At the time of writing we have sold just over 350 copies made up of eBooks on Kobo,

print copies from Paperight ‘print on demand’ service as well as physical copies. What this tells us is that

our local brands have inspired many to start their own brand and businesses. It has been a conversation

starter about creating the culture of entrepreneurship in South Africa.

The ZAXL project is now a formalized entity with two new partners, who are bringing their own skill sets

and energy into the business. We have collaborated and created products for the likes of Illskillz and

Black Vulcanite. We also launched our online store and now have a wholesale division to service street

wear startups. We have grown our network organically and will continue to do so.

In the next few months we will start to set up a ZAXL base in a city near you. We will be the number one

platform to not only inspire youth but also show them how they can take charge of their destiny.

Our goal is to create iconic African brands we can all be proud of.

In a personal capacity, I have had the opportunity to speak about the book and our mission at colleges,

culture events and creative agencies such as Instant Grass. I have met with some of the most talented

creative people from music to fashion.

Why choose street wear?

In the fashion business, starting a street wear brand is probably one of the easiest ways you can get into

the industry.

Unlike traditional fashion disciplines you do not need to go to design school and study for two years or

more. You can teach yourself most of the concepts yourself and put them into practice almost

immediately. The basic requirements to start a brand are both low cost and accessible. You can easily

find and buy one or one hundred t-shirts, in various colours, for an affordable price. Our city centers

have so many businesses that advertise t-shirt printing services.

There are more people who have studied graphic design these days, than there was even five years ago.

The personal computer is now as common as the toothbrush and free open source design programs are

just a click away. With some basic computing knowledge and a couple of bucks you can set up an online

store to sell your products. Most importantly, the internet and social media provide more tools to find

customers and tell them about your brand. With a solid idea, research and planning, the idea of having

your own brand can be a reality.

What are you waiting for?


Who was this book written for?

This book is for anyone who has been inspired by local street wear brands and dreamed of starting their

own brand but doesn’t know where to start.

You might be someone looking to use a street wear brand to showcase your design skills as an illustrator

or designer. One of the key things is to back your idea with a good plan to make them come true.

This type of business is not a get rich quick scheme. However if you have the commitment and passion,

like every other person who has done it before you, you can have your own brand.

It will not be easy, but it is not IMPOSSIBLE.

Why create this book?

The aim of this book is to get young people thinking more seriously about the fashion business, as well

as about small business and on the whole entrepreneurship, using street wear as a central theme . The

way to do this is not use too many technical terms. I wanted to make the book an easy read so anyone

can understand it.

More than anything else, it is about encouraging and developing a curious mind that is the doorway to

thinking about starting your own business in the creative industries.

The youth love the design side of fashion but it can be very scary to think of it as a career. We are at a

point where our parents are still used to the idea of traditional jobs and careers, such as being a doctor,

lawyer or accountant. The tuition fees for most colleges are very expensive and this has put a lot of

people off pursuing their passions. The creative industries are seen by many family members as hobbies

and not as ‘real’ jobs.

We need to start showing the older generation that design and creativity can create not only an income

but also a fulfilling career option.

The hope is that as more creative people take themselves and their talents seriously, the more faith our

communities will attach to talent.

It is time for us as creative to show our value and create value as well as an income for ourselves.


Motivation – Why does it matter?

So you have thought about starting your own street wear brand?

So what? Seems like a very rude thing to say to someone right?

The truth is the motivation behind doing anything in life probably the most important thing a person has

to think about.

Athletes train for years to win a gold medal at the Olympics. Students study for long hours so they can

get a degree. Actors go to hundreds of auditions every year so they can get roles in films and show their

talent. All these people have a passion to succeed and know how to stay on track and how to keep

score.

Your motivation to start a brand might be different.

Maybe you think the quality of clothing available to the youth is not high enough?

Maybe you believe you have a new approach to street wear?

Maybe you want more people to see your artwork and think that the t-shirt is the perfect canvas to do

that?

Maybe you are tired of the job you have now and want to explore your creative side?

Maybe you are an unemployed designer?

Maybe you want to get into fashion with the least amount of risk and money?

Maybe you want to spread a message of hope to the youth using t-shirt?

Maybe you want to do something new and challenge yourself?

Your motivation to make the dream of having a successful brand is extremely important. It is the only

thing that will help you stay committed to a very rewarding and also challenging journey. That is what

starting a business can be, both rewarding and challenging. Your passion alone will not carry you

through the tough times if you do not have the commitment as well.

Passion is like the flame of a candle, it can burn out in a short time. This is why commitment and

dedication is needed. It is the air your flame needs to continue burning. Spending time focussing and

looking for the information you need comes with creating something new.

This is especially true if you plan to start and run the brand by yourself.

Fortunately, street wear fashion is the ‘easier’ area of fashion to start in. You do not need to go to

fashion school and study for two years or more. You can learn the basics from magazines such as

‘Entrepreneur Magazine’ and of course books like this one.


Money Matters

How much does it cost to start a street wear brand?

Given the amount of knowledge you have, your unique skills and experience, qualifications, the business

relationships you have with possible suppliers, the amount of time you have available to you, I believe

that it can cost anything from R1000 to R30 000.

As Richard Branson of Virgin said in his book ‘Screw it. Let’s Do it’, the first thing he does after he comes

up with an idea is set goals. After that he works out how to reach those goals.

You will need to do a lot of research, register a business, find and pay graphic designers, buy t-shirts,

find quality suppliers make samples with tags and labels, send them to store owners to look at, set up a

website, make a full production run, pay for storage, send the items to the stores, advertise using social

media, plan for the next two seasons and more if need be. All this costs time and money of which you

have to invest as much as you can, while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Luckily this book will help you do more than half of what is needed in that list. (See the Street wear

Brand Checklist).

If you do not have the skills you are going to have to pay someone or partner with someone to fill that

gap.

We often hear how finding money to create brands is not easily available. That is mainly because fashion

is a high risk business. You need to invest your own money until a point comes where you need money

to grow the business. I have heard once that if you are an entrepreneur who needs funding first then

you are not an entrepreneur at all.

Money is not the only asset you need to have. Some people fail (or learn a very expensive lesson) even

when their business idea has a lot of funding. The idea itself is an asset. However it might take you a

long time to meet someone who wants to invest in a startup street wear brand. Potential investors will

come when they see how well the brand is doing and how well it can do with more financial resources.

For every skill you need to have to run a successful brand, you will either need to pay someone to do it

or partner with someone who has a unique skill that will make your brand a reality.

In the last episode of How to make it In America the two original owners finally brought in a

professional pattern maker (for their CRISP jeans) and a retail brand distributer. Thereafter they had all

they needed to become a successful brand.

I recommend you watch the series again and analyze what each partner did for CRISP.

Before you begin to think about how much money you will make, you need to think about how much it

will cost you start your label. What will you spend the most money and time on in the business?


Creating a business is not only about making money but also about creating a different life for yourself,

your community and family.

In a country such as South Africa, with fewer and fewer jobs to go around, we all need to seriously start

thinking of creating our own jobs. Perhaps not straight out of high school or university, but with at least

a few years of experience, in an industry that will give you key skills.

With the rest of Africa developing every day, the opportunities for the clothing industry to grow in South

Africa are increasing. If South African businesses can produce great products we can export, the more

jobs we can create. It is a well-known fact that small businesses (a business that makes less than R5

million a year) lead in job creation most countries, such as the United States of America.

The creation of jobs and customers for various businesses, in the long run, will also help decrease crime,

poverty, youth unemployment and the lack of education we are all affected by.

You and I cannot wait for government to do this for us.

Setting goals for your business (written down, with a deadline to achieve them) cannot be taken lightly.

Success depends on what your goals are (‘I want to sell 1000 t-shirts this year’) and your vision for the

next year, three to five years (‘I want my brand to be available in all the smaller stores in the major

cities’).

What you produce as a first range, will also determine the success of your brand. However, starting to

make actual items is so important. Renderings (digital drawings of what your items will look like) are

useful but not good enough for most of your potential customers to make up your mind about your

brand. A key business idea is the fact that a sample or prototype is better than a drawing or a business

plan. This is especially important when you want stores to stock your items.

We sometimes focus too much on planning. Do not spend too much time on planning. The more

information you get on starting a brand, the more you can imagine it being a reality. When you can

clearly see how each part fits together, it will not look as challenging as it seems.

Not planning enough is just as dangerous. If you are reading this and want to release a brand soon, I

suggest you give yourself no less than one year to launch your brand. This will give you enough time to

save/make money to produce a good first collection of garments.

It is better to delay the release of your brand than start with 20 t-shirts and run out of items and money.

Although this strategy could work in the earlier days of street wear, that time, in my opinion is long

gone.

How you produce your ‘collection’ for the year is equally, if not more important than how much money

you will need to make it. The ‘Product Life Cycle’, which is how long you sell a certain t-shirt, cap or

hoody for, becomes very important.


Street wear is about keeping things fresh, dynamic and interesting, so make sure you have enough new

designs to release for at least one full year. I truly believe people buy design first, then over time when

they begin to trust the work, the brand second. Once they love the brand, they will think of it first when

the time comes to buy their next hoody. They will also recommend your brand to other people, which is

the best form of advertising.

Keep things fresh, energetic and dynamic. Experiment enough to keep things moving towards making

new designs. Potential customers will think your brand is boring if you do not do this! You should have

different designs for your t-shirts, caps and hoodies as a range each year. Change more than the colours

of your t-shirt prints! International brands change their selection every three months. Fast fashion

brands like ZARA release new items every two weeks. Work out what will work for you given your

finances and the number of stores your brand is available in.

Timing becomes very important as you do not want to miss seasonal changes and not have garments

available, like winter and summer, when people buy different items. Planning is vital. Planning ahead is

even better. Customers get tired of hearing your gear is coming soon. They will end up buying what is

available right now, with the cash in their pockets, rather than wait for your new garments to be

released. We have seen this especially with winter ranges of most local brands.

This year (2014) was the first in many years where a lot of local brands brought out their winter ranges

in the middle of the winter. We need to learn how important this is. Many people want to support you,

but you cannot market products you do not have available now! Rather produce new garments earlier

than other brands instead of later than everyone else. Look at when established brands like Nike release

their winter ranges. I have seen some stores release a small range of winter gear as early as the end of

February. That strategy must work since quite a few businesses take that approach.

This takes us to the point of what your garments look like. Design tells everyone what makes you

unique. This is the core of the business of fashion. This will be the main thing that should make your

brand different to what is available to your potential customers. Design cannot be taken lightly, as the

artwork (yes it still is art) you have on your range will help differentiate from the other brands that are

out there. You need to stand out. Your graphics will need to make an impact. Invest in the best

designers you can find if you are not a designer yourself. If you are a graphic designer who has

experience and a lot of work out there, a t-shirt line is a great way to get your name out there as you

may have a following already.

Prices for design services will cost different amounts depending on who you get, whether or not your

desired style or their style fits your brand, their portfolio and reputation. Most trained designers have

invested a lot of money and spend thousands of hours perfecting their craft. You need to learn to

respect that. The truth is having a laptop and access to the internet, with design programs, will not make

you an instant graphic designer. Downloading someone’s work and using it for your brand will get you

noticed for the wrong reasons. Customers are cleverer than you think and some are more exposed to

brands than even you are. Consumers do not like being lied to or conned. Do not project an image of

your brand that is not real.


The process is a marathon, not a sprint.

Expect to pay a lot more than you think for good design. The price ranges for design work, can start at

R350 per hour for a designer with about three to five years’ experience, from our research. Logo designs

can start from R1500 and go up to R8000. There are a lot more graphic designers than there were ten

years ago. You may meet many people who call themselves designers. Many have the potential, but

have not built a strong portfolio. You can find a lot of portfolios on the internet nowadays. Take the time

to find the right designer and designs for the brand. A great designer will teach you a lot about the

processes of design in your working relationship. Build a relationship with your designers and you will

see the benefits when sales come in.

Maybe one of your business partners needs to be a designer. Work with a talented, passionate,

hardworking designer, who is able to deliver on deadlines.

If there are design schools in your city, link up with final year students and look at their sketchbooks.

You can easily find them on the internet (even on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) look at their designs

and portfolios. Then you can begin a working relationship with them. They can help educate you on

what design is especially if you have no experience in it or do not know anyone who has studied it.

There is a lot more to design than what the general public know. Design students will learn a lot more

than just design itself. Listed below is a summary of subjects a design student learns at college:

Art History

How art forms and its various styles have developed.

Anatomy

How the human physical structure looks and works.

Drawing

Image making styles and techniques as well as the use of different media and materials.

Colour Theory

How different colours are created and how they work together.

Typography

How letters (fonts or typefaces) are created and should be used.

Illustration

How to create fonts, typefaces and drawn images to create pictures.


Layout

Putting images and text together for pages of books, magazines and websites.

Painting

Technical skills to create images.

Photography

How take and produce photographs for different needs.

Printmaking

Putting designs onto screens and different media like paper

And there are many more beyond the ones listed here. Talk to some design students to find out more.

Notes




Documents

Sample - How to Start a Street wear Brand South Africa 2zaxlonline.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/6/6/53668359/sample... · 2018-08-31 · wear startups. We have grown our ... Sample - How