Whilst we all love to design, buy, merchandise and sell great products – the no 1 cost you will have in your business is inventory, yet many small and medium businesses do not invest in the right systems and processes to manage it or maximise its earning capacity. Guest Author Deborah Donehue Any financial or business advisor will tell you that 9 out of 10 businesses do not fail through lack of sales, rather they lack cash flow.  Why? In the instance of retail, it is because their cash is tied up in in-efficient stock and they haven’t allowed for the cost of new stock requirements ..read more

  "Maximizing Your Potential: How a Fashion Business Consultant Can Help You Succeed" By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   Working with a fashion business consultant and strategist can be highly beneficial for your business. The magic happens when a business owner decides to Invest in working ON the business as well as IN the business. In the ever-evolving world of the business of fashion, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry. As a fashion business owner, it's essential to stay ahead of the game and have a clear plan to achieve ..read more

  No matter how beautiful a garment is, if the fabric isn’t deemed acceptable by the customer, it’s likely it’ll end up on the sale rack! By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   Sourcing fabric is an exciting part of designing a fashion range, but it’s also a complicated and sometimes daunting process that can leave fashion business owners feeling like they’re navigating in the dark. We’ve compiled some fundamental information to help you decide which fabric is right, and handy tips to keep in mind before you invest. Fabric is such a vital part of a brand’s appeal – from soft luxur ..read more

  Starting your own fashion business can be filled with unexpected technical complexities and curve-balls. By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   This ‘technical’ side of fashion often causes challenges for brands when they’re staring out – and we’re here to help you avoid as much of this as possible! Things like sampling and manufacturing have no room for ‘winging it’ and need to be done correctly from the very start. When it comes to the technical side of your label, it’s crucial to either upskill or work with a professional to ensure you are thoroughly prepared and ‘source read ..read more

  Jeremy Meltzer lived in Havana, Cuba in his early 20s. During that time, he was exposed to the prevalent and normalised violence against women. To find out why this was happening, he began visiting NGOs and learnt about the complex work they do trying to shift the community’s long-standing, ingrained beliefs that enabled this behaviour. By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   “Women suffer because of ideas of masculinity” “The structures under which we are operating only exist because enough people believe in them” He knew he still wanted to try to make an impact despite how comp ..read more

  With Graeme Lewsey After graduating from his Bachelor of Arts Degree at RMIT University and briefly designing for his own fashion label, Graeme was awarded Australian Young Designer of The Year by The Woolmark Company which was then followed by over a decade of working with leading fashion brands, retailers and marketing agencies in Europe. By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   If there’s one person to know in the Melbourne fashion scene, it’s CEO of Melbourne Fashion Festival, Graeme Lewsey! MAARA Collective at Melbourne Fashion Festival 2023 Not only that, but when Graeme ret ..read more

  With Charlotte Hicks Charlotte Hicks is the founder of ESSE and has over 10 years’ experience designing for leading global fashion brands, such as Zimmermann and sass & bide. ESSE was born out of frustration for the sheer excess and waste that is evident in the fashion industry. By Elizabeth Formosa, Fashion Equipped   Charlotte wants to encourage and nurture a slower more sustainable message, return to the ESSEnce of dressing, the craft and quality. She wants people to take the time to understand what goes into each piece and encourage you to invest in timeless piece ..read more

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