How to Create a Handbag Collection So you are a designer that feels the need to indulge women in their love of accessories, in particular handbags. Women love handbags and shoes, almost more than they love their boyfriends, husbands or children! The beauty of the handbag is you don't have to be the perfect size, in other words, no dieting required! Accessory collections provide some of the largest proportion of the fashion industries income. Hitting a home run with the perfect bag can mean creating a following with women all over the world.
What are the principles one needs to know to start your own handbag collection? Like any other fashion category one needs to have a great idea. Research is key, what is out there currently? Ask yourself, where would your handbags sit in your favorite department store? Would it be in the junior department or do you see them all done out in fine Italian leather and being a neighbor to Valentino, Chanel, and Gucci? When you determine where you will understand who and what your potential competitors are and what they are doing. You will also get a range of price. The price and the look are the keys to targeting who your customer will be.
Will she be a very young with a more limited budget, or will your customer have a large discretionary income. The look is going to be your calling card, sleek, modern, vintage, bohemian, lady like......you decide and make sure your every piece you design fits your target look and target audience. Once your concept is focused on a target audience. You could ask everyone you know who falls into that demographic what they need and like, talk to them and let them give you feedback on your design ideas. You could also ask the sales associates in the stores what they sell easily and what things that don't work in general. For more info visit: Birkin bag At this point, if you haven't done so already, you can start to sketch your ideas. An important thing to understand, the more details in your designs the more labor that is needed to make them. If you are in a moderate price point or you are gearing your accessories to a young market, competing with a major company will be a challenge. Remember large corporations have the funding necessary to make many handbags overseas before they go to market. Generally a new designer doesn't have the history nor the budget to make 10,000 handbags out the gate! A good rule of thumb for a new handbag designer with a limited budget means small run production, keeping a close eye on material costs, and setting aside funds to do marketing and sales after the handbag samples are made. Even new designers wanting to produce a luxury product will have the same requirements. It is at this point that many people get lost. They have wonderful creative ideas, and have put together a cohesive collection. How in the world do you make a handbag? Granted making a complex fitted jacket has its problems, but everyone can visualize sewing clothing.......(trust me, it is a bit more complex as well, but it does seem easier!) The first thing is to make sure your sketches have taken into account measurements. How long is the handle, how big is the large compartment, what kind of hardware would I like to use. How long are the zippers how many compartments are on the inside. Getting a bit more complicated and scary right? Don't fret.......find a bag that is close and use it as a reference. Having dimensions figured out is a necessity.