Monthly Archives: June 2012

DENYC Curriculum: Here’s What We Learned

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Our designers participated in 3 weekend intensives. That’s a total of 42 hours covering marketing, operations and financials. Oh, and they drank a lot of coffee too! Here’s more about the curriculum:

Weekend 1: Fashion Business Marketing

  • Market research: industry analysis/feasibility, market assessment/ target market, competitive analysis
  • Building a brand: creating a cohesive and saleable line; line sheets, look books and sales collateral; press and media relations; pricing; social media
  • Sales: selling to boutiques, selling to major retailers, showrooms, terms and conditions of sale, trade shows, selling online, sales reps

 Weekend 2: Fashion Business Operations

  • Production management: WebPDM, PLM, sourcing vendors, costing, shipping and distribution, purchase orders
  • Business expansion: licensing, partnerships, investors
  • Staffing: developing a management team, developing an advisory board, hiring personnel
  • Legal issues: form of business, intellectual property, contracts

Weekend 3: Fashion Business Financial Management

  • Funding a business: loans, credit, investors, factors, purchase order financing
  • Financial statements: income statement, balance sheet, investor expectations, tax planning

This will culminate in a pitch to a panel of industry professionals that will review a few selected business and marketing plans in September.

Here’s A Big Thank You to Our Instructors and Guest Speakers

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Mario Federici and Brian Moorstein

Design Entrepreneurs NYC would like to send out a special thank you to all of our instructors and guest speakers for taking the time out of their schedule to talk to the group (especially on the weekends). These sessions were invaluable and have helped guide our designers as they refine their business and marketing plans.

Our thanks go to: Jeanette Nostra, Andy Ward, Don McMicheal, Yolanda Wardowski, Eileen Shulock, Gaetane Joseph, Margo Moore, Robert Levy, Bill D’Arienzo, Gary Wassner, Mary Beth Budd, David Colby, Sandra Holtzman, Susan Power, Robert Mahan, Teri Agins, Brian Moorstein and Helen Lane.

A Couple of Fun Facts: Designer Tell Their Product Secrets

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Ever wonder what all goes in to making a product? Here are a couple of fun facts that will delight, and perhaps even surprise you. From product concept, to materials and equipment used, our designers took the time to share what it takes to make their product line.

Kelsy Zimba Dress

Gown by Kelsy Zimba of Zimba Collections

Zimba Collections is a custom label known for gowns, cocktail dresses and women’s made-to-measure suits that is expanding into ready to wear. For this gown, Kelsy Zimba  used 50 yards of fabric!

Kelsy Zimba Dress

Sarah Canner of Vespertine

Vespertine is a reflective collection of eco-chic, high-visibility reflective fashions that was created to stop traffic created by Sarah Canner. When developing the line, she worked closely with vendors to get the right Vespertine colors created. Sarah had ostrich feathers for her Road Hog vests dyed in Spain and The Eco Circle™ recycled-recyclable polyester manufacturers had never made recycled poly in Vespertine colors, but nailed it. Oh, and before starting her line, she was terrified to ride a bike in the city!

Look out for more fun facts from our designers!

Meet the Design Entrepreneurs NYC Class of 2012

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Jeanette Nostra, President Joyce F. Brown, Seth Pinsky and Dean Steven Frumkin

We’re proud to introduce the inaugural class of Design Entrepreneurs NYC. We’ve selected 35 New York based designers who have been in business for at least a year and are committed to growing their brand. We have a diverse group of designers in various product categories, price points and market segments. Some produce in New York and some internationally. We’ve got husband-and-wife partners, Project Runway finalists and even a milliner. Check out all of the Design Entrepreneurs NYC participants in our look book.