Starting a clothing brand in India can be super fun, but it’s important to plan things out properly.
While the journey will be full of ups and downs, with a well-thought-out plan and a passion for fashion, you can certainly make your mark in the vibrant world of Indian clothing brands.
So let’s get started:
Consider the following before Starting a Clothing Brand in India
- It requires a good amount of investment and a lot of time and effort.
- If you don’t have any degree or experience in fashion then, I would suggest gaining some experience, this will make your entrepreneurship journey smooth.
- There is immense competition in clothing lines in India, which is why it is important to have a strong USP. For e.g., You can offer personalized and customized options, or you can design sexy clothes that look good for plus-size women, or you can offer high-quality, premium clothing at relatively affordable prices, which can appeal to Gen Z and Millenials.
Steps to Start a Clothing Brand in India
The goal of these steps is to find what the people in India need, then find out what is the market gap, and based on this start your brand and design clothes with your unique style.
1. Do Your Research
While researching it is important to know your target audience. To do this the best way is to approach tailors, fabric sellers, salesmen for big brands, and shopkeepers. You can begin by asking them the following questions:
Tailors
- What are the most popular clothing styles that customers request?
- What do they complain about the most?
- Which age groups ask for what kind of styles?
Shopkeepers
- What types of clothing sell the most in your store?
- Do customers prefer affordable clothing or are they willing to spend more for quality?
- Which clothing brands do customers ask for the most?
- Are there any particular fashion trends that customers are currently interested in?
- What factors influence customers’ decisions to make a purchase?
- What colors do the customers prefer more?
- What sizes sell the most?
Fabric Sellers
- What are the most popular fabrics among customers?
- Are there any specific fabrics that are preferred for different occasions?
- How do customers decide between synthetic and natural fabrics?
- Do customers ask for any specific fabric patterns or designs?
- What factors do customers consider when choosing fabrics for specific purposes?
Salespersons for Big Brands
- What are the best-selling clothing items from your brand?
- Are there any specific features or designs that customers often inquire about?
- How do customers respond to new collections or limited edition items?
- What are the most common customer questions or concerns related to your brand’s clothing?
Combine all this research and come up with what needs of people are not met and how you can fulfill them.
Once you figure out the pain points of the customers, this will be your USP. Which means Unique Selling Preposition.
E.g., Alia Bhatt figured out that there was no eco-friendly brand for kids in the Indian market, so she started her brand Ed-a-Mamma, which uses sustainable practices and does not use any plastic in buttons or even packaging.
2. Choose Your Brand Name
Your brand name should be aligned with your target customers.
E.g., if your brand is kids’ wear, your brand name has to be relatable for kids, because your customers will be the parents of kids. Like Tiny Trendsetters, Mini Muse Apparel, or KidKraft Fashion.
Or if you are targeting Gen Z then the name could be GenZ Garb, Trend Tribe Threads, or something along those lines.
3. Finalize Your Designs
Analyze the information that you collected from your research, what things people usually ask for, and use it to come up with creative designs.
If you have design skills and you know how to stitch, then stitch a few samples. If you are satisfied with your samples, then give those samples to a tailor, this will give them a better idea of what you want them to make, rather than explaining them through sketches. Ask them to make more pieces just like the sample you provided.
In case, you don’t have any knowledge of manufacturing or designing clothes, you will have to outsource this step or collaborate with someone.
Depending upon your budget there are 2 ways to collaborate.
- Work with Agencies that can help you design your clothes, if you have a big budget.
- If your budget is less, then you can work with Interns, who have a fashion designing background, just sit with them and give them a brief about what you have in mind.
Quick Tip
Watch the episodes of Project Runway, it’s a US-based reality TV show for fashion designers. This will give you great ideas for designs.
You will find our blog on Akshay Kumar’s clothing brand quite helpful.
4. Find A Supplier
You can find suppliers for your fabrics, or even get your clothes stitched in bulk from small factories from online markets like Facebook groups or Indiamart.
While hunting for the perfect supplier that meets your needs, it is important to check whether the supplier is reliable or not.
This checklist can help determine if you should work with a particular supplier.
- Conduct background research on their history, reputation, and customer feedback.
- Verify their physical address and contact details.
- Ask for fabric samples to assess their quality, texture, durability, and color consistency.
- Additionally, evaluate their communication style and responsiveness to ensure they promptly address your inquiries and provide transparent information about their products and services.
5. Get Your Pricing Right
- Analyze all costs, including production, labor, and shipping.
- Conduct market research to understand competitors’ pricing.
- Consider your target audience’s purchasing power and preferences.
- Determine a reasonable profit margin for sustainability.
- Assess the unique value your brand offers to justify pricing.
- Plan promotions and discounts to attract customers.
Consider all the above factors to fix the right price for your clothes.
6. Market Your Business On Social Media
If you have the budget then you can consider hiring a digital marketing agency.
If you lack funds, you can put your time and effort into coming up with creative social media marketing ideas.
Push out content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube shorts so that your brand name and awareness in the market increase.
You can also approach small influencers to promote your clothes on their channel.
Note– A very important thing many people think is that to start a clothing brand you will have to start a website from day 1.
This is not needed, just with a good Instagram marketing strategy, a WhatsApp number, and Instagram direct messages you can connect with the customers and reach out to them.
For an Initial 100 or 200 orders, you can fulfill them by direct messages on Instagram, WhatsApp, or Facebook. Have one-to-one conversions with customers, coordinate, get orders, and deliver them.
After your first 100 to 200 orders, you can Formalize your business.
For more clarity check out our blog on How To Start A Clothing Brand With No Experience
7. Formalizing Business
There are 3 different types of businesses.
- private limited companies,
- partnership companies,
- Proprietorship companies
If you are starting an individual business then going with proprietorship is the best option, Don’t go with pvt. Ltd. or partnership companies. Because there are a lot of steps involved in this compliance.
When your business becomes big and when you want to take funding, or you want to sell your shares, or give your shares to your team members, then you will need pvt. Ltd. company, but for an initial 1 year, you should be fine with a proprietorship company.
8. Set Up Your Store
Decide whether to sell your clothing online or offline or you can also put up your stall in exhibitions and trade fairs (this is the best way to increase your brand awareness)
If you don’t have much time and budget you can start selling online. Just create your website on