In The Jeans My clothing design is ready for the world. Now what?

By Paul and Sarah Edwards

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Entrepreneur magazine, October 1999

Question: I've drawn up sketches of blue jeans, and now I'm satisfied with one I think the public would rush to purchase. How do I proceed with manufacturing and finding a buyer? Name withheld

Answer: Some business experts might consider a solo novice designer going head-to-head in a highly competitive field of giants like Levi's and Lee a pipe dream. But we've seen too many people defy the odds to discourage you from proceeding--if you're sufficiently passionate, committed and determined.

The fledgling designers we've seen succeed have done so by carving out a niche, such as designing specialized clothing for Yoga devotees, orthodox Jewish professional women or those with physical disabilities. Or, if they have a mainstream item like jeans, they usually succeed by starting very small and building an avid following for a unique design that makes their line desirable to reps and retail stores.

So before leaping into mass production, we suggest offering your jeans directly to your target market by making several dozen prototypes and selling them yourself. You can do this at swap meets or sidewalk booths (like Ash Hudson did with his wildly popular Conart T-shirts) or by placing them in a few select boutiques (as Anna and Sarah Levinson did with their Ripe Inc. nail polishes). Once your jeans start attracting customers, you'll be ready to arrange for mass production and to contact buyers--if they haven't sought you out already.

You can contact reps through the Manufacturers' Agents National Association, P.O. Box 3467, Laguna Hills, CA 92654, (949) 859-4040, http://www.manaonline.org

Small-business experts Paul and Sarah Edwards recently released their second edition of Getting Business To Come To You ( Tarcher).

Wavy Line

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

'I Am Just Floored': Woman Discovers She Won $1 Million Lottery Prize While Checking Her Email at Work

Initially, she thought the email was a scam, but went to lottery headquarters and walked away with a six-figure check after taxes.

Business News

Amazon Might Soon Be Adding Ads to Prime Video

The company wants to generate more ad revenue for its streaming service.

Business News

'I've Got the Bug for Business': See All of Mark Wahlberg's Entrepreneurial Endeavors, From Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to Wahlburgers

Mark Wahlberg owns businesses in several categories, including entertainment production, apparel, fitness, and nutrition.

Marketing

5 Simple Tweaks for Better Email Deliverability

Email success starts in the inbox. Learn five easy ways to tweak your strategy so you can achieve better email deliverability.

Fundraising

'Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch' Is Back Open for Business!

Check out this preview of season nine of our hit show "Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch." Big ideas and big money are on the line!

Leadership

How Leveraging External Trainers Can Advance Your Companies Growth and Talent Optimization

Discover how your organization can use external trainers to build capabilities, lower training cost and create a sustainable workforce for the future, while still delivering high-quality training and lasting results.