The Most Important Colours From SS24 Catwalks.

Fashion trendsetters, get ready to dive headfirst into the enchanting world of Spring/Summer 2024! The SS24 runway catwalks were nothing short of a kaleidoscope of innovation, and as the fashion world eagerly awaits the next big thing, it's time to talk about the colours that stole the show. SS24 offers a rich tapestry of colours that will dominate our wardrobes in the coming season, from pastel hues that soothe the soul to vibrant shades that scream confidence. In this blog post, we'll explore the most important colours from the SS24 runway and ask "which ones will you include in your collection?"

Lime green.

Bordering on neon, this mouth-watering pop was seen at Gucci and Byblos in statement tailoring, Giambattista in floor-length chiffons and pleats, Roberto Cavalli in plain and tropical printed silks and satins as well as shimmering sequins and feathers, and Tod's teamed with khakis and muted greens.

Cherry Red.

Simmering down the bright reds we saw last season SS24 gives us a sophisticated, moody red. Gucci and Rick Owens showed how good this colour looks on leather whereas Prada took a softer approach with floaty chiffons. This red is a perfect partner to the acid green as we saw at Gucci.

Lilac.

This calming hue lends itself to soft silhouettes and floaty fabrics such as chiffon and lace as seen at Caroline Herrera. Givenchy's perfect satin duster jacket showed the colour off with neutral tones while Marc Jacobs 70's trench coat in buttery soft suede was a vision of prettiness.

Royal Blue.

One of my personal favourite colours Royal Blue is a move on from some of the blues we have seen over the past few seasons. Royal blue screams confidence and I adored the head-to-toe silks in Armani's show as well as the pleated fabrics at Burberry, Isabel Marant and Balmain.

I'd love to know which colours are your favourite and if you will be including them in your designs.

Looking for trends for other seasons? Did you know I can create a bespoke trend analysis for your brand based on the season and market sector you're designing for? If that sounds like something you need then book a free chat here to talk about what you are looking for.

See you in the front row, Michelle.

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How To Get back On Track With Your Fashion Brand.

We've all been there...that feeling when we lack the motivation to drive forward with something that's important to us. When we have taken a break from something like our business it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. We often feel a whole mix of emotions like guilt, doubt and laziness which leads us to ask ourselves are we really cut out for this?

The good news is this is completely normal and to be expected. The even better news is you can turn these thoughts around to get past this roadblock and here I share my top tips to move you forward.

Accept Perfect Doesn't Exist

So many fashion startups are waiting for that "perfect time" when things will be quieter, you'll be richer, the kids will be older, your 9-5 is less hectic and you've lost that extra stone (OK maybe that one is just me!). But guess what? That perfect time just doesn't exist because there will always be something new to come along and fill that time gap, to spend your money on, eat your attention etc. The best fashion startups I have seen flourish are the ones run by parents with full-time jobs because they get shit done. They accept it's full-on and hectic but they do it anyway and make it work. So if you're sitting there waiting ask yourself this - how will you feel in 6 months time if someone else launches your idea? Gutted right? Accept this won't be easy but it will be worth it.

Remember Your "Why"

It can be hard to stay motivated 24/7 so in times you're feeling a bit "meh" remember why you started this. Imagine it's a year from now and you've launched, how will you feel? What will life look like to have brought that amazing idea to market? How will you feel seeing people wearing your collection? How many lives will you improve by bringing your innovative idea to life? How will building a legacy for your future make you and your family feel?

Remembering the bigger picture really helps put the day to day tribulations in perspective and refocus your attention on the reasons you are pursuing this. If you need some further help thinking bout your why then I recommend you read "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek https://simonsinek.com/product/start-with-why/

Go Easy On Yourself

It's so easy to forget that life happens and can often get in the way of our best-laid plans. Acknowledge that sometimes you need to take some time out from your business. That may be due to illness, perhaps your family needs you, maybe your job is super busy or maybe you're just exhausted and need to take some time off. This is OK and it's important to give yourself permission. The main thing is to put a time limit on it and understand you'll get back on it by a specific date.

Make A Commitment

Have you heard the saying "what get's measured gets done"? If you make a commitment to yourself and write down goals which you then regularly review, you're far more likely to achieve them than if you're really vague about your plans. Think about your week and decide if there is any regular time slot where you can carve out some time to work on your business. Be vocal about this activity with friends or family so they know you have something important to do during that time slot and try to stick to it.

Using a planner can be a great way to do this and keep track of goals. I personally love the planner from Carrie & Co. https://carrie.co/product/perfectly-planned-2022/

Be Realistic

We only have 24 hours in the day so work out when you can realistically work on your business. Setting goals is great but if we constantly strive for perfection then this can feel really demotivating. Instead, look at your time and plan what you can realistically achieve in the day or week. Be the tortoise, not the hare and chip away at things one task at a time. Break larger tasks into smaller bite-sized chunks that you can work on when you have a spare hour. In a few weeks, you will have achieved far more than trying to tackle impossible large tasks.

Hopefully you can use these tips to stay motivated with your fashion brand. If you ned any further help then why not book in for a power hour to discuss your fashion brand and get help with anything you may be struggling with. You can see more about this here https://www.thefashionexpert.com/product-page/tailored-consultation-1-hour

Michelle Ramsay - The Fashion Expert®

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What is a tech pack and why do you need one?

Let's explore what start-ups need to prepare to get their collections manufactured.

A lot of fashion start-ups make the mistake of approaching a factory with a rough sketch or photograph and expect the supplier to quote a price and produce a garment from this limited information. Unfortunately, this approach is very unrealistic and can be frustrating to factories that don’t have time to coach you through what is involved in product development and manufacture. A factory needs to know exactly what your design entails, and the way to convey this information correctly is to prepare a tech pack for each style.

What is a tech pack?

Sometimes referred to as factory packs or style packs, a tech pack is like a blueprint for any garment you want to produce. It creates a plan and good foundation upon which great collections can be made. It should contain 3 main elements, although this can vary depending on the complexity of the style.

1. The colour cad

This is a digital fashion flat drawing of the garment. It is in colour with accompanying textile Pantone codes and shows both front and back views. It also details fabrics to be used.

2. The tech sheets

These are black and white drawings of the garment and drill down further into the design details so the factory can understand how to construct the garment. The tech sheets communicate which techniques you want to use on things like prints and embellishments, and specifies information on any branded elements like zip pulls, badges and labels. Seams, stitching and buttons are referenced along with design details such as pockets, collars, cuffs, openings and fastenings.

3. Size specification chart

Often referred to as a “spec”, this size chart documents all the points of measure a factory will need to create a pattern, make your garment to the correct sizes, and calculate important information such as fabric consumption and an accurate price. Each point of measure is an industry-standard point on the garment such as chest, armhole, waist and length. It also covers some measurements you may not be familiar with such as front neck drop, back neck width and collar point.

A size spec is not the same as a size guide that is often displayed on retailer’s websites. These size guides are very generic guides on body sizes only, whereas a size spec concentrates on garment sizes and is tailored to each individual style.

A size spec is usually prepared in your desired sample size such as medium or large for initial sampling, then graded once you are ready to go to production.

All 3 elements are combined into one PDF document for each style.

What can go wrong without a tech pack? Trying to create a garment without a tech pack leads to many problems and can waste a lot of time and money for both the factory and the start-up brand. If you don’t tell the factory exactly what you want, they may have to potentially fill in the blanks for you. It’s best to be in control of those decisions from the get-go and avoid miscommunication or a very lengthy sampling process. Often factories just don’t have the time to devote to holding your hand throughout the process because that is the job of a fashion designer. Usually, start-ups neglect the correct design process as they are either unaware of what they need to create or trying to save money. But the money you invest in decent tech packs, in the beginning, will save you a lot of time and money in the long term. It will also show to prospective suppliers that you are serious and committed to your brand, and increase your chances of forging good relationships with them from the beginning. Get ahead of the competition by adopting the approach the fashion professionals follow for manufacturing their products and make sure you prepare detailed tech packs for your fashion brand.

If you have any questions, comments or feel you need help with tech packs for your collection or any aspect of launching your fashion brand then get in touch and we can discuss your requirements - info@thefashionexpert.co.uk or Book a free discovery call by clicking here.

Michelle Ramsay - The Fashion Expert®

#freelance #fashiondesigner #thefashionexpert #thefashionexpertuk #michelleramsaydesign #fashionbusiness #fashionconsultant #fashiondesign #startupfashion #thatsfashiondarling #startupconsultant #fashionpreneur #fashionstartup #startupspecialist #launchyourbrand #clothingline #fashionmentor #businessoffashion #fashionbusinesscoach #techpackdesigner #fashioncads #techpacks #businessadvice #emergingfashion #sustainablefashion #startafashionbrand #launchaclothingline