At the time, women’s fashion was much more complex and fitted than men’s clothing—including fitted waists, necklines, and sleeves—making ready-to-wear women’s clothing impractical during the era. However, the 1900s brought increased media attention surrounding ready-to-wear clothing in the US which, along with the economic hardship of the era, made ready-to-wear clothing more attractive and practical than bespoke clothing. By the late 1960s, the divide between ready-to-wear fashions and haute couture (the bespoke clothing made by major fashion houses like Chanel or Dior) closed when, in 1966, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent opened up his first store selling a ready-to-wear line. This paved the way for other designers to make ready-to-wear clothing in addition to their traditional haute couture lines. What Are the Differences Between Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture? Ready-to-wear clothing and haute couture are two different ways the fashion world approaches clothes making. Ready-to-wear is clothing sold “off the rack,” meaning that it is made in standardized sizes, is usually mass-produced, and is meant to be purchased and worn immediately, often without alteration. Haute couture refers to high-end, custom clothing made and tailored exclusively for the wearer. Almost all major fashion labels (like Gucci, Lacroix, Prada, or Dior) make and show prêt-à-porter or ready-to-wear collections, in addition to their haute couture lines. Other differences between ready-to-wear and haute couture include:
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Fashion styles are constantly evolving, but there are certain trends that appear over and over again on runways and in street style. Learn more about the different types of fashion styles that influence popular fashion trends, and find your own personal style. Fashion may be all about finding unique ways of dressing, but sometimes it helps to have a blueprint. Below are some of the broadest categories of fashion to help get you started. 1. Sporty: Sporty style, also known as athleisure, takes elements of athletic wear, like leggings, bike shorts, and oversize sweatshirts, out of the gym and onto the streets. 2. Bohemian: Also known as “boho” or “boho chic,” bohemian style borrows from the 1960’s hippie aesthetic and festival culture. The style incorporates earth tones, natural fabrics and dyes, and prints and accessories from around the world. The hallmarks of boho style are flowing maxi dresses, long skirts, bell-bottom pants, large brimmed hats, fringe, suede, and slouchy handbags. 3. Grunge: Inspired by grunge music and the subculture that originated in the ’80s and ’90s Seattle, grunge fashion features thrift-store finds like plaid flannel shirts, oversize knits, and feminine dresses styled in a subversive, disheveled way. Grunge looks often include ripped jeans or tights, unkempt hairstyles, and black boots. 4. Preppy: Preppy style is inspired by the clothing and uniforms traditionally worn at private East Coast prep schools and Ivy League colleges. Preppy style often takes inspiration from upper-class sports like polo, sailing, tennis, and horseback riding. Preps are known for wearing polo shirts, Oxford shirts, argyle sweaters and socks, cloth-wrapped headbands, boat shoes, blazers, pearls, cardigans, and khaki pants.
Punk: Punk fashion is inspired by the subversive punk rocker styles of the ’70s and ’80s and comprises many subcultures, each with its own specific style codes. Some overarching elements of punk style include leather jackets, deconstructed blazers, ripped fishnet stockings, skinny jeans, and chunky black boots. Provocative messaging, band logos, and customization with safety pins and patches are common themes in punk clothing. Punk grooming includes heavy black eyeliner, mohawks, dyed hair, and spiked hair. 6. Streetwear: Streetwear is a casual fashion style that first became popular in the 1990s. It incorporates comfortable yet trendy clothing such as logo T-shirts and crop tops, hoodies, baggy pants, and expensive sneakers. Streetwear takes inspiration from both hip-hop and skater style, with the added element of intentional product scarcity. Followers of the latest trends in streetwear are known as hypebeasts, and many go to great lengths to procure limited-edition designer baseball caps, hoodies, sneakers, and more. 7. Classic: Classic style is an umbrella term for a polished everyday style that incorporates elements of workwear, such as blazers, pencil skirts, and khakis. This more professional look is appropriate for the office and other settings where you want to look your best. 8. Casual: Casual style is what you might wear on the weekend. Think jeans, comfortable T-shirts, and sneakers or flat boots. Both streetwear and sporty style might be considered types of casual styles, but casual style can also lean preppy or hip.
Decide on your niche Starting a clothing business is a very personal journey. You’re probably a creative person, with something different to offer in a fast-moving industry. It’s likely that you’ve spotted a gap in the market, or have a unique design in mind for a specific customer group. Whatever your inspiration for starting up, it’s important to define your niche from the out-set. Are you looking for information on how to start a fitness clothing brand or a sports clothing line, for example? Maybe you’re planning to build a fanbase for one specific item, like the world-famous Fred Perry shirt. Or it could be a particular style that you have in mind for your clothing line – like the pared back, design-focused children’s products sold by lifestyle brand Scandiborn, or menswear that nods to your own unique heritage? It could also be a clothing business that’s born out of a particular need or ethos, from cruelty-free clothing to premature baby accessories. Know your niche, and bear it in mind. Even if you branch out and introduce lots of other designs as time goes by, your original idea gives you heritage, a guiding principle, and a reason to be remembered. 2. Build your budget or business plan If this is really just a shoestring idea, and you’re testing your designs on a small scale, you might not need a full-on business plan to get started. Watch out though, if your idea takes off you’ll want to scale pretty quickly, so it makes sense to keep even a rough plan in the background.
A common question is 'how much does it cost to start a clothing line?', and while it may be possible to do it on just a few hundred pounds, it's far more likely to cost thousands. According to Make it British, 50 per cent of startups spent over £15,000 launching their UK-made brands. Bear in mind, the fashion industry is notoriously difficult to predict. Plans will need to be flexible and there are no guarantees, so you’ll need to be up for the challenge. Creating a budget… For the first few months at least, it pays to keep things simple. Starting with one design which you love, know how to manufacture (or buy) and have had great feedback on may be much easier than launching with a lengthy product catalogue. It helps to have a fixed figure in mind, and decide how you’re going to spend your funding, along with what you want to achieve. Try to allow room for flexibility – you may not know the price of specific materials yet, for example, or manufacturing costs – but having that original budget in mind will help you make the decisions that drive your first sales.
Sneakers To BuyYour budget will also depend on whether you plan to design and make the clothes yourself (or with a manufacturer), or buy clothes from designers at wholesale price. Either way, start small. Invest in smaller designers and/or basic equipment to start off with and as demand grows, you can review your key outgoings. Read our guide on how to budget and download a free budget template. … and/or a clothing line business plan If you need a business plan – perhaps to secure funding or other support – start off by nailing the basics. You’ll need to give an overview of your business, including an executive summary, and a clear outline of how your clothing line is going to start, grow and prepare to scale. You’ll also need to include the analysis you’ve done, to understand your target market and any competitors. Remember, this does need to be data-oriented, concrete and preferably something you’ve done with external sources. It can’t just be your personal view of what’s wrong with the current market options (although there’s a place for this too!). Your plan should also outline who’s involved in your business and what they do, whether it’s just you, or you’re working with anyone else. You’ll need to leave room for the product(s), of course, and talk about any plans you have for branding, sales and marketing, as well as operations.
Finally, whoever’s reading your plan will be most concerned with one thing, and that’s the money. You’ll need to finish off with a solid section clearly outlining your business’ current financial position (even if this is very initial), priorities for growth, and how their investment will help things to fly. 3. Organise your business Even if you’re not writing a full-on business plan, the same principles apply when organising your startup. You may be planning just to buy a sewing machine and get straight to work, but even this is a time and resource commitment. If you’re investing effort and have goals for the future, put down in writing how your business will take shape, including plans and ideas for: Your location(s) Are you working from your bedroom but aiming to move into a small studio? Remember, certain rules apply for online businesses, or market stall traders.
How it works Is it going to be you selling pieces on a stall for now? Or are you going to be an online retailer? Could Facebook Marketplace or Instagram be a good place to start? If so, check out our guide on how to sell on Facebook Marketplace and how to sell on Instagram before you get started. Read more about online retailer insurance. Maybe you’re even planning to open a bricks and mortar shop. Whatever option you go for, most businesses will need to get set up with HMRC for tax purposes, and factor in time to sort out any licenses or permits (especially if you’re planning to trade on the street or at a market). You'll also need to research the rules you must follow before selling clothes online, buying from or selling abroad, or storing personal details from your customers, fanbase or even your suppliers.
Who’s running things? Even if it’s just you managing the business, are there any other key people involved who you’re going to rely on? For example, a designer, accountant, people to help you with setting up a stall, storage etc? Your product catalogue This might just be one hero product, or you could have a long list of items. Be aware of your product list and think about how you plan to manufacture, stock and store pieces, along with particular packaging needs. Sales and marketing We’ll cover this in more detail below, but it’s a good idea to think through your marketing plans and how you’re going to create some buzz around your clothes and designs.
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