FashionEvolve – Top Excerpts From the Management of a Fashion Brand Session

Managing a fashion brand in this time and season may not be as easy as it seems. A lot of things have to be put into consideration, like the brand concept, brand perspective and so on, thus it might turn out to be an Herculean task.

Esther Bankyu, the founder and CEO of PreggyFashionNG, a fashion brand that caters to the clothing needs of pregnant women and nursing mothers, shared a few takeaways on Managing A Fashion Brand from the Mauvelli’s Fashion Evolve Conference that held this weekend. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Fashion Business at the International Fashion Academy, Paris.

Here are some of what her session covered at Fashion Evolve.

Managing A Fashion Brand

Have A Strong Brand Awareness: Brand awareness is the ability of a potential buyer to recognise or recall that a brand is a member of a particular product category. A fashion designer needs to be aware of the brand itself and the environment of the brand.

It could be an experience, style, silhouette, signature design or even aesthetics that potential customers associate with the fashion brand, and commit to memory.

“In order for a fashion brand to be seen as a strong brand, there should be some details of the brand that are specific and exclusive, such that when people see products from the fashion brand, they are certain it is from that fashion brand.”

Esther Bankyu

Detailed Research: In-depth and detailed research of international and local fashion brands that have made an impression in the global fashion scene helps you answer certain questions for your brand.

Questions like, “What to do?”, “When to do it?”, “How to do it?” are key questions that need answers.

“There is so much happening in the Nigerian fashion industry; too many fashion businesses, but only a few professionals”.

Esther Bankyu

Brand Essence: Designers have to be certain of why a brand was started in the first place because this is the essence of the brand. Answering these question will help you determine your brand will stand the test of time, and not wither away if something more captivating comes along.
Brand Concept: A brand concept is the overall idea of the fashion brand. It could be reflected in the brand name, origin country, story, brand logo and many more. A fashion brand concept needs to stand out in such a way that clients perceive something peculiar about the brand.

Unique Selling Proposition:  This refers to what will convince potential buyers to purchase products from your brand, not from competitors.To stand out from other competitors, these questions have to be answered, “What is my fashion brand offering potential clients?”, “What results will clients get?”, “What promises do I have for the potential clients?”
Knowing Target Customers: Top fashion brands initially started out with one niche, before diversifying into other niches, a good example is Ruff ‘N’ Tumbles. Fashion designers need to determine who their target market or customer is, as this would help to focus energy in one niche, so as to be very productive. In Bankyu’s YouTube video on Building A Person Brand As A Fashion Entrepreneur, she speaks more on the importance of knowing target customers.
Fashion Structure: In managing a fashion brand, there needs to be structures put in place to ensure that regardless of whether you are present or not, the fashion brand thrives nonetheless. In building a fashion structure, do you, as a fashion designer, want to build a fashion brand that will outlive you and pass the test of time, just like Hermès? Or do you just consider your fashion brand as a business you use just to survive?
Brand Perception: The impression clients have about a fashion brand helps a lot in managing a brand. Basically, how do clients view your brand? Does your fashion brand have outstanding and reliable features? Does your fashion brand deliver on promises made? Or do you give one excuse after the other? All these questions and more will help fashion designers determine their brand’s perception.

 These are excerpts, of course, and do not do justice to the scope of the session at Fashion Evolve. Connect with us on social media to ensure you do not miss out on any Mauvelli conferences!