Business model

Hi friends

I have been thinking about business models alot mostly what there is ( I am no expert) and what would work for me. I have asked for some input from a company and not heard back maybe its a secret or maybe its a question they get often.  I asked them about their beginnings and how it worked for them using FB as their engine etc, with some explanation about why I was asking them, I have been looking at what they do and how they did it and the success they have achieved and I want to find my niche and I need some input from other places.

You know that place the internet OMG it is full of information but it can be overwhelming. I mean every other piece of information you look at seems like some business model being sold or a scam or make money quick hell who doesn't want to make money quick right.  Well what I really want is real world answers to how people did it how did you start your business and don't just say to me oh I just opened up and viola.  Ok the real world isn't magic, you had money and your idea I assume.  I am lacking in one avenue money and I know they say you need money to make it. Very true, but I have supplies and I can make more product but the product I make isn't moving. People tell me on etsy that its because I don't have enough or that I don't have great pictures ok I can deal with that but when you put a million it feels hours into something with zero results more time without a strategy seems fruitless.

I hear alot don't loose faith really this is not an easy thing to do.  I love my idea I love being creative and designing and I want to be successful.  So I must not give up I talk about this alot and I have given up many times currently I am working on a cheerleading outfit for my neice not necessarily part of the business plan but I sort of needed to put the plan aside for a moment and refocus and decide if my avenue was the right avenue for me.  This is yet to be decided but I do know that as soon as the cheerleader outfit is finished I will show it on my page it could be offered I have had loads of fun and had creative freedom with it well inside the colors for her favorite football team the Iowa Hawkeyes.  We have also decided on a wonderfully cute outfit we will be creating and offering asap, but this will all be happening together I wonder if a change is a great idea given the time of year perhaps I am going to miss out on an opportunity by having questions of my model at this moment.  This is something I need to consider perhaps I need to consider keeping one avenue and trying another we shall see.

I also want to say I have no idea if anyone will read this or find a business model speach about a fashion designer interesting, But to anyone who does read this Please if you have insight or if dare I say it were one of my business major friends in school please feel free to chim in.  Please keep in mind we aren't talking brick mortar I am no were near ready for such a thing but rather being successful with your a product online or channels online. I have already done a needs assesment and I do not have the numbers handy but fashion designers for children around the world overwhelming a very vast business fashion designers that also have the knowledge and know how to create a guarment for a child with special physical needs very scant. This is what I have discovered, I know about creating therapy clinics and how to run them and how to do assessments and benchmarks. What I do not know and can not find is how to make it successful on the internet. One thing I know I am missing is PR I need to be able to market my product as both fashion design for all children. SO HELP if you can :) any input is good input

Ideas!

Today I had a brain storm as I was sitting waiting for a ride.  I was thinking about our etsy store  http://www.etsy.com/shop/FabuleuxFashions, I was thinking about the ease of access.  Then I thought I bet finding our specific items might be difficult.  So I had an idea why don't I create a hash tag that is simple and to the point so friends of our page can find our items easily.  So I decided on #FFF designs I hope that isn't to many letters if it is I will add an addendum.  I am pretty excited I think another thing I will add to all our items is #Fab Fashions. I think this will make it easier to share with people how to get to our site.

Feedback please! I think it will be helpful.  I will share this on our FB page and I will see if I can share it on pinterest hopefully that is possible. Share with your friends pass it on and any other groups you belong to.  We need to expand our bass and add ourselves to various groups.  I think this will spread the word.  So friends if you belong to circles on blogger+ make sure to include us if you like us.

Also what do you think about adding some art to our store.  I know that my art isn't fashion.  So I ponder should the store feature only clothing or should it also have art options.  Just an aside thought I wonder if it is appropriate.  I have pondered creating a new site but really running an extra site would alot of work and even though I am not against work it would be very consuming running a fashion store and an art store.

An update on my progress, my tutu needed some revision so I am starting from the beginning sort of.  I think that unless it is great I do not want to offer you anything I must be happy with my work. But I have a good feeling on the revisions so I promise a finished tutu very soon, and it will be adorable.  Our Teen shirt had fabric issues (I wanted a nice fabric that would be stretchy for comfort and would be nice and fitting but the fabric kept stretching, this was so disappointing) and I took apart my design and am redoing the teen shirt with different fabric my niece picked out a wonderful deep purple with some stretch but not to much it will be fabulous ( I really did not know that my niece did not really like pink I thought I knew her I guess you always have alot to learn and teens apparently change their minds many times :) ).  Thankfully I had other choices for her I was hoping for a muted neon green but she picked purple I would like to add accents of green to her purple I love those colors together but I will have to get the ok for a little green, even though the design is mine she will be the model and comfort is important if she will be at her best modeling.

I have been pondering adding some cute vintage inspired dresses for teens and I really had a big urge to create a plus size fashion, how do you feel about these option. Vintage will be a challenge but I love the little details that vintage inspires and I wonder if people love this as well.  Here are some different vintage clothing I could see updated to be a wonderful modern look.

Keep in mind these are just some ideas, I could even do small versions updated to work for our store.  

To leave you today I feature a lovely fashion available in our store.

This lovely dress is a part of our current sale.  It is a steal at the moment.  It is a summer inspired dress but would be great paired with a legging for fall.  The neon seersucker and the flower and fruit print are time less. There is a nod to summer in that print but pairing it with a wonderful pant or legging will create a wonderful spring/winter outfit.  It will remain on our summer sale as it was originally listed as a summer dress.  So feel free to snatch up the beauty.

Inspiration is random it hits us when we least expect it. Don't ignore you inner inspiration!

Life Happens!

Hi again friends of our store! I wanted to update you on the progress for our store. As title indicates life happens, we have had some life isues happen that have made it difficult to make progress toward our goal. We should be back on track now and things should get back to how they need to be. I think we have a great plan to make sure our store gets stocked for winter.

So far our ideas include a variation on the current tutu I have made same idea of an underskirt and a lowered waist to make sure the tutu can be worn for any occasion.  But my new plan is so cute I doubt anyone will be able to resist (look for this addition soon). We will also be offering a cheerleader outfit or maybe just a skirt we are not completely sure yet, we will offer these in your choice of colors no logos as we do not want to break copy right laws, but I can put words on your guarment.  Of course we plan on including our teen shirt option and expanding on these ideas. We also have a few variations of what I like to call a butterfly dress or it can be a shirt these will be awesome and any child will love them, the variations will include a lovely lined dress with a hem line longer than the outfit of course we will use some awesome colors.  The next version of the dress will include a shirred front a bow on the front.  We will also include a shirred top dress I love this technique and have learned how to complete this technique and I am so excited to share this.  We will also include complete outfits (I credit this idea to my mom because she is in love with the style) that will have a basic shirt with a few variations, and a shash to sinch in the waist, then a pant with ruffled legs on the bottom and a nice tie option on the top of the ruffle of course with small variations we will offer.  Our new bonus fashions will include some wonderful items to include hair bows or headbands and a new variation on the scarf that will be perfect for the kid or even adult who doesn't want to strggle with a scarf that is long and bulky. I like to think of these new ideas as stocking stuffers and as I come up with more I will update you. 

Here is a schedule so you can antipate our plans:

Week 1: teen shirt, butterfly dresses, modified tutu this will flow over into week 2

Week 2: Shirred dress, and stocking stuffers

Week 3: Cheerleader shirts with possible matching shirts, and matching outfits at least the beginning

Keep in mind life happens.  But these are our goals to get our shop full and to help you get ready for the holidays!

Back to the Drawing Board!

For all of you just waiting for the new teen design, I am sorry but you will have to wait a bit longer.  I had the shirt practically finished and decided I hated the material.  So I am going back to the drawing board and redoing it this time in a better fabric I hope and a different color, altough it is more of a fall color but my niece picked it out so hopefully she loves it.  I think the new piece will work out time will only tell. I think that it will be beautiful.

What do people think about the addition of cheerleader skirts or outfits in professional team colors, or school colors?  I am making my niece a cheerleader outfit for Halloween and I had the idea that this might translate to a pretty kewl idea for out site.  Just a thought let me know how you feel about this.  I will obviously have a model up soon as my niece will need hers soon.  I also have costumes I can make but have been thinking about some cute outfts that would be great for the holidays instead but let me know how you all feel.

Well I was going to add a kewl picture but I can't find it on my laptop so until next time have a great day!

We Have a Winner!

The official winner of our Giveaway is!


Lisa Waugh Hammargren

Congratulations!

Look Forward to further giveaways I think maybe a holiday giveaway may be in order!

Cheers!

COUPON CODE! Just for the blog.

Check it out Just for our fans who keep up with our store we have created a coupon code just for you.  Remember only our blogger fans have access to this.   The coupon code is blogger1!  Also remember we have a Thank you code that will automatically be sent following every purchase through Thanksgiving so buy early!

Also don't forget the giveaway if you are wanting to participate you have today until midnight to get your name in!

Isn't this shirt just adorable this is the prize for the giveaway, So don't forget to put in your name :)

Finally a design for an older girl that pays homage to the younger girl dress/shirt with a ruffled or bustled backH

TODAY! I finally figured out how I could create a design for the older girl in the theme of the open back dress/shirt with a bustle in the back.

So imagine a nice fitted top with some rouching in the front, and a sleeve either a ruffle sleeve or a gathered short sleeve, and then a back with cascading falls of soft materials in complimentary colors! I can't wait to finish this look it is going to be a smash (and we have a perfect model my niece hayley, She is the perfect young teen to sport the look).

I have always made costumes for my nieces and nephews in the past for Halloween and such. Are costumes something that people want specially made for them or do people really just want to go to the store and get something off the rack. I wanted to add costumes to our line b/c they always turn out so cute but I need your opinion will they look wonderful and draw people in or is it not really a big deal.  I ask because it is a lot of work to make them and I am not going to make costumes and not have them be popular that would be sad.  So leave me a comment yes to costumes or no.  

I will be adding more dresses to our line I have some wonderful dresses I am going to call butterfly dresses that will be up a bit after the bustled back shirt and I also have some visions for lovely soft flowy dresses. 

Let me leave you with some artistic inspiration from my paintings!

This painting feels so serene to me, it makes me feel like the place in the picture is a safe place a creative place where your thoughts can bloom every which way and in whatever form they take.  It feels like you could sit there for hours and have creative inspiration. I can almost hear the water (there is something about water that makes me more creative)