Naming Your Fashion Brand
For many designers, the creativity required to start a fashion brand comes easily, but learning how to start a company from a business perspective takes more work. For creative people, branding is one of the most fun parts of learning how to start a company, since it takes full advantage of all those design skills. Branding, of course, begins with a great company name. Here’s some advice for navigating branding and naming in the fashion world.
The Importance of Branding in Fashion
Fashion is a fairly crowded marketplace, and though a lot of creativity goes into the look and feel of designs, on some functional level, a shirt is just a shirt. For this reason, branding is a huge part of how a fashion company can sustain itself. In any industry, branding is a way for companies to differentiate themselves from the competition and attract consumers, but it is particularly significant in the fashion world. Some experts estimate that more than half of any fashion business’s actual value belongs to its brand. It’s clear that without a well-defined image and brand strategy, a new fashion brand will not be able to succeed.
Creating Consumer Value Through Fashion Branding
To give your fashion brand consumer value, there’s a lot you need to consider. Fashion brands tend to have very strong lifestyle associations, because clothing plays a huge part in creating the external image that people share with the world. A successful fashion brand demonstrates an understanding of consumer needs and bolsters the image of a lifestyle that reflects those needs. Think about the relationship you want your business to have with consumers, and build your brand from there. Creating differentiation, identification, and relevance should be your main goals.
Choosing a Name for a Fashion Brand
When you’re learning how to start a company, it quickly becomes apparent that the company’s name is the single most important touch point that you have for connecting with customers. It creates a first impression and sends the customer a clear signal about your brand’s philosophy and personality. In the fashion industry, designer names have traditionally been associated with luxury (think Chanel or Christian Dior), and many mid-range fashion brands have followed suit. However, this isn’t necessarily the best way to go because it’s so typical. Many newer luxury brands have eschewed using design names in favor of evocative, punchy names. A good example of this would be Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s clothing line, The Row. If you’re going for classic, a designer name might be the way to go, but if you’re looking to attract an edgy, modern audience, you might want to be more creative.
If you’re starting a fashion company and need help coming up with the perfect name and brand strategy, you should reach out to A Hundred Monkeys and say hello. We have years of experience helping people learn how to start a company and how to create a brand that lasts.
