Little by Little…Starting a Children’s Clothing Line

I incorporated Downtown Joey Inc. back in November 2005, but for some reason I didn’t file for my resale certificate (tax-exempt status) until last week.  Shame on me–my husband is a CPA and has done a hundred of these for his clients.  I asked him how to do it and he said I could file the resale certificate application online.  I received my approval last week in the mail…YIPPEE!!!

Just in case you thought I was slacking off, I’ve been hard at work.  I’ve been spending endless hours trying to find a great pattern maker and sewing factory in the NYC area.  I can’t tell you how many phone calls I’ve made…ugh!  In addition, I’ve been searching for the right textile manufacturers on the Internet…Google is a wonderful thing…LOL!

So far, I’m on track for my launch.  Here’s my updated list of what I need to do this year (not necessarily in this order) to launch my boys’ clothing line to the wholesale market this Summer:

Incorporate Business

Tax ID

Contact Ingrid to build http://downtownjoey.com web site

Resale Certificate

Apply for Made in NYC listing

  

Sign up for Liza D’s Fashion School workshop by January 11^th

Attend Liza D’s Fashion School workshop on January 19^th

Sign up for Liza D’s Fashion School workshop by May 1^st

Attend Liza D’s Fashion School workshop on May 17^th and 18^th

Write Business Plan (4/1 purchased Business Plan Template from Toronto Fashion Incubator)

Open Business Bank Account

Attend (walk) at least 2 Trade Shows

Figure out the Answers to the following from Fashion Incubator:

 A brief description of my boys’ line (uptown style with a downtown twist)

 My customer profile (mother who wants her son to look neatly dressed, but clothing that won’t get him beat up at the lunch table)

 My anticipated price points (wholesale $13 - $29, retail $29 - $68)

 The types of stores I’d like to sell to (Z-Baby, Sprout, Lester’s, Cantaloup)

 Who I aspire to hang with on the rack (Jackson Clay, Jean Bourget, IKKS, Mayoral)

(contacted 3/20) Utilize the Garment Industry Development Corp (assists NYC sewn product manufacturers in an effort to keep business here in NYC) to find:

• Pattern Maker (I think I’m going to use one I was referred to)
• Cutting Service
• Sewing Contractor (4/3 - waiting call back from Brooklyn factory) 
• Screen Printer (3/31 - awaiting pricing)
• Embroider (3/31 - need to visit in Manhattan, 4/7 rec’d estimates)
• Fabric and Trim Manufacturers (swatches received-I found the perfect denims and twills!  Will find knits when I visit LA 4/13 – 4/16)

Keychain Sourcing (3/29 - possible source)

  

Design 5 complete boys’ sets:  pants, snap down shirts and t-shirts plus 1 hat)

Order Sample Fabric, Trims and Keychains

Fabric Testing 

Have Graphic Designer do artwork for screen prints

Assign Style Numbers

Figure out Sizing for line I want to keep this as simple as possible so I’m going with 1T, 2T, 3T, 4T, 6, 8.

Have First Patterns made

Sew Samples

 Select and Sign up for ENK Children’s Club and send 6 samples to be juried.

Create database of children’s boutiques nationwide and web sites (4/4 have already collected more than 250 pages of listings to be used for marketing).

Prepare for Trade Show:

• Figure out Wholesale Pricing
• Purchase Footwear for Models
• Have Line Photographed by EMA Photography
• Order Posters of Line
• Order Sign for Booth
• Design Booth Display
• Create 10′ x 10′ Mock-Up Booth Display
• Design and print Business Cards 
• Design and mail postcards
• Design and Print Line Sheets
• Design and Print Look Book
• Design and Print Press Sheets
• Send out Press Sheets to media sources 
• Open American Express and Mastercard/Visa Accounts via PayPal
• Design and Order Hang Tags
• Order Garment Name Tags
• Order Size/Fiber Content Tags
• Ship Samples
• Hire Assistant (or beg one of my friends to help…LOL)

Do my 1st Trade Show

Take Orders from Wholesale Customers at Trade Show

Order Fabric based on Wholesale Sales

Have Final Patterns Graded based on Orders

Have Markers made

Make Cutter’s Must

Have Cutting done

Make Sewing Spec Sheets

Hire Sewing Contractor based on orders 

Ship Fabric and Trims to Sewing Contractor

Fulfill Orders to Wholesale Customers

Hire a Sales Rep for future Trade Shows

Continue learning from Kathleen, Amber and Debbie

Rinse, Repeat…LOL

Whew!  Back to work!

 

 

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Little Overcoat
• Kim Kardashian is starting a clothing line
• Liya Kebede launches Lemlem
• Ben Harper and David Arquette get Propr