Summary

This brand has been around for over 10 years. It is well known and available online on various different sites.

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Fully describe the business's activities?

A range is done 2 – 3 times per year. At the start of range I meet with fabric suppliers to view the seasons fabrics. Sampling fabric is ordered and bulk fabric is reserved. I then draft the patterns, purchase sampling trims and collect the sampling fabric from the supplier. The samples are taken to the cmt factories to be made up. Once all samples are made up and the range is confirmed, the samples are photographed at a studio by a professional photographer, models and make up artist are sourced by me. Once images are received from the photographer, the catalogue is put together by me on Photoshop, the garments costings are worked out (number of trims and price, rating per garment based on fabric width and pattern, cost per meter of fabric, cmt cost, swingtags etc) and then I work out the prices of the styles and draft an order sheet on excel. The catalogue and order sheet is emailed to my direct customers as well as my two agents who email their customers (they take a comssion of sales). I then meet with any customers who wish to view the samples. Selling of the range takes about 1.5/2 weeks. Once all orders are sent to me, I invoice the customer and they pay a deposit. I also compile the orders and do a bulk fabric and trims order. Any fabrics that require pre-shrinking are washed. I print and fill out a cut-sheet for each style, and the cut-sheets, patterns and samples are sent to the graders to have markers printed. Once the markers are ready, the markers, patterns, samples, fabrics and trims are delivered to the factories. Production takes about 6 weeks. I collect each style as it is ready, check, fold, tag and pack in a box per customer. Some customers like several drops of their order, others like to wait for the entire order to be ready before delivering. Once all stock is delivered the customer is invoiced and they pay the balance of their invoice including the courier fee.

How does the business operate on a daily basis?

Every day is different. Some days there is no work at all some days are very busy, it depends on what stage in production I am at.

What competition exists?

Other local designers, but we don’t feel the effects of competition, agents do not take on brands that are too similar.

How could the profitability of the business be improved?

Marketing and advertising, larger range, online platforms such as Zando and Superbalist.

Give a breakdown of staff/ functions/ length of service?

I have a temp that comes during the 6 week period when factories are busy manufacturing the garments, she does quality control, folds the garments and puts swingtags on.