These are not my words and they weren’t said to me but hearing them still stung.
Moroti was a hard worker and she was super stylish too. She had been in the business of fashion for 2 years but this time she decided she was tired of Bespoke and would instead transition slowly and strategically to ready to wear. Her plan was to participate in a few runway shows for visibility, attend a few parties for networking and finally work the exhibition circuit for sales. Great idea right? Well let’s see….
Her first runway show earned her a standing Ovation. The audience was filled with her friends, family and clients so she didn’t let it get to her head. She got an interview from an international blogger asking for the inspiration behind the collection and where it was stocked….it felt good articulating her thoughts and her creative point of view. The parties came in quick succession. There was the 30th birthday party of an Instagram celebrity, the wedding reception of the daughter of popular business man and ofcourse the product launch of a foreign franchise. She got great pictures, and even more prospects. Finally it was time for her first exhibition. This was the point where all her efforts would translate to sales . She had spent 3 weeks in production. Her selection for the exhibition were based on feedback she got from the shows , the parties and comments on her IG posts . The stall was beautiful. The clothes were gorgeous and decently finished. This was where we met. I couldn’t get over how exquisite her pieces were. But I noticed something else, people came in to her stand, Ooooed and Aaaaed but left without buying. A few people tried on the jackets , even took selfies but didn’t buy. Finally her sister came in and uttered the three dreaded words “Your collection sucks” I thought that was harsh . The collection definitely didn’t suck but she had done a few things wrong. A few things that translated into her not selling anything at an exhibition that saw other brands smiling to the bank.
What do you think she did wrong?
Moroti did many things wrong . These cost her sales but worst still it cost her her vision. She decided to revert back to her Bespoke business, concluding like many that ready to wear doesn’t work in Nigeria. She was wrong again. The problem wasn’t with the business model, the problem was with her collection.
I see this happening often. A design gets applauded on the runway,compliments when worn, likes when posted but none of these convert to sales. A winning collection is a collection that sells. There is no other measure more important than this.
In my online course I dedicate an entire module to building a winning collection for your ready to wear brand. I took time making this one of the longest modules in the course because clothes that sell are what the business is all about. There are no text book theories here, I reveal strategies I still use at xclamations and they still work. I wish Moroti took the course before giving up. I wish you would take the course before creating your collection for summer or Christmas. Invest in this before you waste money on a collection that does all but sell.
Click the “Enroll button” on the site to start the course .
