I’m writing this article just because lately I’ve been seeing a lot of resentment towards Fashion Buyers in the industry. For some reason designers and even people in charge of promoting designers seem to think that fashion buyers have some kind of obligation to give struggling designers a chance to get going. First of all as a buyer you not only have your reputation on the line, but also your job. This is real money we’re dealing with people! If anything, the editorial sector of fashion has more of an obligation to at least expose the public to new designers. They wouldn’t have to spend a dime; just request the images from the designers promotional photo shoots and then the editor would place it creatively, attractively, and in unison with what the magazine is all about. Simple! In order for a Fashion Buyer to “give a designers a chance” they would have to buy a couple of units and feature it in their stores, then pray that it sells enough to keep the stores head above water. Yes, once a buyer takes a designer off of consignment, the designers gets their money and also free exposure due to being features in a trending boutique, then the buyer gets to sit and sweat! It’s all on that buyer. What I’ve been seeing is designers resenting buyers for not traveling to where they are to view their product, and keeping them on consignment for more than three seasons. If a designers is on consignment, that means they are on a test run to see how their products do. They still get a percentage of sales, and exposure regardless of whether or not the buyer wants to commit. Whats wrong with that? Really, in this day and age you need to do well as a designers for at least 4 or 5 seasons to prove your brand has longevity, demand, and consistency. It’s not the buyers problem if as a designers you have to scrape up money to keep your collection going, and it’s really non of their beeswax! The struggle for a fashion designer is the right of passage for success, meaning the struggle is what drives you along side the passion. That’s apart of the business; it’s not supposed to be a cake walk. A fashion designer is an artist and as a creative individual, you are always going to have to crawl before you walk. If it’s meant to be you will find a way. My point is this; buyers are the heart of the business aspect of fashion, don’t just assume because a collection looks good that it’s gonna do well. There are many other factors that go into a successful collection, and as a fashion designer, you need to be just as interested in the business side. Buyers are getting a lot of unfair flack from frustrated fashion designers, and even publishing mediums for not purchasing in a hurry or “giving designers a chance”. Absolute nonsense! And then the issue of traveling to see prospective designers. That’s why there are trade shows and fashion weeks. Also creativity plays it’s part too. By presenting the collection attractively and in HD format, the Buyer can still get an idea of the texture and accurate color palette. The Buyers are the last ones who need to give charity to anyone because the cost essentially falls on them. Whats surprising to me is how people who are heads of various sectors of the industry are trying to put pressure on buyers to take designers off of consignment when it would probably be less of a risk to them (the publisher who owns the magazines) to feature the up and coming to the public. I don’t get how the editors in charge of featuring fashion in their magazines expect Buyers to invest in designers, but yet THEY won’t even feature them. If they don’t feature certain designers for various reasons, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t any good. Why is it them that Fashion Buyers get put down for doing the same thing? Watch the video on YouTube called Fashion Buyers Where Art Thou. This video is posted by the Fashion Forward channel on YouTube; it’s the channel promoting Dubai Fashion week. Susan Sabet is the editor at large for Passion Magazine really went in on the Buyers talking about how they should take designers off of consignment after three seasons or “Don’t you Think”. Now, this is after she just finished saying on HER panel with the other fashion editors that if a designer doesn’t have what it takes then she won’t feature them no matter who they are even if they are Arabic. But yet she wants to get at the buyers? At least the buyers give fashion designers a chance through consignment for a trial run, where they get a percentage of sales. The Editorial sector wont even feature them in their magazines so designers get nothing from them. Without saying too much more, I encourage Designers to have a right mind set for the business of fashion. A business makes money, that’s what makes them a business. Understand that in order for you to turn your passion into a business, you must invest equal amounts of time and energy learning business as much as fashion. You definitely can do it; be featured at fashion week, have seasonal collections, and a great demand for your item, But you have to first take ownership for every aspect of your brand. Whether you do well or not in fashion depends solely on you so don’t act like anyone “owes” you a chance. Let your fashions speak for it’s self. And as for the Fashion Buyers… I got your back! lol!
