Well, I see that you’re looking for a career change.
Unfortunately, running a successful clothing line requires a lot more than just having a few interesting designs and an overseas manufacturing facility. There are many factors to consider besides those you mentioned in your post. Fashion is a cutthroat business with many talented designers struggling because they can’t compete with the big guns and more established labels.
Furthermore, your timing couldn’t be worse. Since the U.S. economy is now officially in a recession and, apparently has been for almost a year, it will be hard for you to tap into vital sales channels, as discretionary spending is on an all-time low and thus many retailers are scaling back inventory levels.
So, unless you’re Mark Ecco, P Diddy, or Beyonce’s mother, you might want to try to get some exposure for your line before even thinking about going in front of investors. Find a way to scrape together whatever is needed to have a small booth at New York City’s fashion show and make the rounds.
If you are serious, create a small but well-made website to get some exposure for your line, connect with people, and perhaps even sell on a small-scale level. If you’re appealing to hipsters, go on Facebook and see if you can get the message out that way.
Perhaps most importantly, put your vision on paper and develop a viable business plan. Your proposition to generate 25% ROI over 3 years isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on unless you have a supporting document that will help people understand how you got to that number.
The same goes for your capital requirements. $50,000 will get you nowhere. The costs associated with creating a line are usually twice that. Also, keep in mind that fashion is seasonable, so you will need to come up with something for Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer.
I hope this helps.
Mark
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Jackson Steiner
http://www.JacksonSteiner.com
Advanced Document Design for entrepreneurs, intermediaries, and the financial services industry.
http://www.Publications.FastVentures.com
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