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Anyone in business understands that there is no such thing as an overnight success. While certain products, such as Gucci bags and Nike sneakers, may seem like instant hits that have been around for decades, nothing could be further from the truth. Successful products, especially those that elevate fashion brands to major status, often require years of development, particularly for many luxury fashion brands that invest years in building their brand history.
Once the products are created, there is also the matter of marketing and public relations, how to sell the products at retail, identifying their customers, and creating a demand or even culture around their product. These days, social media also plays a huge role in building brand awareness and relevance. Although there is no one-size-fits-all formula to creating a household name fashion brand, there are key aspects to building one.
One of the most important things is capital. While a designer can have an immense talent with a huge array of skill and acumen, the reality of launching a fashion brand and becoming a household name is expensive. As the age-old phrase goes, you have to spend money to make money. Initial production costs for samples and development can be at least $40,000, and many of those costs are upfront. However, all hope isn’t lost for designers who don’t have cash to burn.
Michael Kors began designing and selling clothes out of his parents’ basement before he went on to study at FIT, and it wasn’t until after years of working at the now-defunct department store Lothar’s, climbing the ranks from sales associate to designer, that he was able to launch his eponymous line. His fellow famed American designer Ralph Lauren was a former U.S. army soldier before he became a tie salesman at Beau Brummell, where he convinced the brand to let him start his own line of ties.
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Looking at more contemporary designers and brands who have emerged in the past few years and have become household names, like Telfar and Jacquemus, one of the key things they had going for them was creating a must-have item at an affordable luxury price point. When consumers hear the name Telfar, one of the first things they think of is the Telfar Shopping Tote.
The bag, which comes in small, medium, and large sizes, ranges in price from $150 to $350. While it is at a higher price point than a bag at a fast-fashion brand, like Zara or H&M, it is still more accessible to consumers than bags from Chanel or Dior, which come with four and up to five-figure price tags.
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The Telfar shopping tote has become known as the “Brooklyn Birkin.” Walking around New York City and getting on the subway, The Telfar shopping tote is easily spotted. The bag became such a hot ticket item in its early years that it would sell out in minutes of new styles dropping or restocking. Eventually, Telfar had to launch the bag security program to guarantee customers who ordered the bag would get it within six months, rather than constantly selling out with every restock.
Jacquemus’ Le Chiquito bag ranges in price from $720 to $1150, and while a prettier penny than Telfar, it is still more accessibly priced than more longstanding household luxury brands names. The Chiquito bag began making waves when musician Lizzo wore an extra small one to the 2019 American Music Awards, and it became an Internet meme for its super petite size.
American fashion is heavily driven by celebrity culture. In the past several decades, many brands become household names because of the celebrity demand for them. Lizzo wearing Jacquemus’ Chiquito bag is just one example of how celebrities can help drive fashion brands.
One of New York’s most burgeoning designers, LaQuan Smith, has been gravitating toward household name status over the past several years due to his alignment with celebrities like Zendaya and Camilla Cabello. His front rows have also featured A-listers such as Julia Fox, Mary J. Blige, and Busta Rhymes.
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One good celebrity moment is even capable of helping a designer make an entire news cycle. In 2009, at President Barack Obama‘s presidential inauguration, First Lady Michelle Obama wore a white gown by then-unknown designer Jason Wu. Within 24 hours of the inauguration, Jason Wu was one of the most searched designers on Google, and while opinions on the dress varied, Michelle Obama helped transform the young designer’s career. Wu would go on to serve as artistic director of Boss’ women’s collections from 2013 to 2018, in addition to operating his eponymous line. He is still considered one of the hottest tickets at New York Fashion Week.
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Michelle Obama regularly wore young American designers, helping drive their social profile. Throughout her tenure as First Lady, she wore Altuzarra, Monique Lhuillier, Jonathan Simkhai, Narciso Rodriguez, Charles Harbison, and Brandon Maxwell, to name a few. Many of the dresses she wore from these designers would sell out within 24 hours. At the 2020 inauguration of President Joe Biden, Michelle Obama opted for a burgundy Sergio Hudson coat and suit. This led to the designer’s website crashing with orders, proving the former First Lady’s ability to move garments even after her time in the White House ended.
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Above all else, when it comes to creating a household name brand, designers must create a brand identity that has a story behind it. Ralph Lauren is often credited as selling the old money country, country club aesthetic. Under Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel was seen as the brand that changed the way rich women dressed. Known for their tweed suits and quilted handbags created under their namesake founder, Coco Chanel, and constantly reimagined by Lagerfeld season over season. Rick Owens became known for his boundary-pushing designs using minimalist colors and materials like silk, leather, and fur. The aesthetic of these brands alone is so recognizable that people immediately associate things, like the preppy look with Ralph Lauren and tweed with Chanel.
Although creating a household name brand is no easy feat, with the right must-have product, the right celebrities wearing your clothes, and the capital behind your brand, it is possible to achieve that coveted household name status. Good luck, young designers, and gird your loins.
Kristopher Fraser
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