T
hanks to the booming trend
of cooperation, the days of
a competitive industry in
fashion are all but long gone.
It seems the modern approach
has department stores, stylists and
fashion houses coming together as they
manufacture a revolution.
If you know anything about fashion, then
you understand the important role creativity
plays in such an irregular industry. You
should also have an idea of how quickly
brands can die – in the popular words of
Heidi Klum, “…one day you’re in and the
next day you’re out”.
It’s a cutthroat business where acclaim
for good designers hasn’t been translating
financially. This results in a need for these
fabric-savvy creatives to develop their
business acumen to ensure a sustainable
income without sacrificing production
quality.
Historically, aficionados would attend
fashion events/showcases while having no
idea where they could actually purchase
the stunning, Proudly South African gear.
Putting together these showcases is an
expensive undertaking and the industry’s
survival would not have been possible
without effective methods for promoting
products to consumers.
The Young Designers Emporium (YDE) can
be crowned pioneers when considering
effective collaboration in South Africa.
With their aim of “showcasing the latest
in SA design” – YDE has successfully been
the home of many designers. Khosi Nkosi,
South African Fashion Week designer,
is one of those many individuals whose
success can be attributed to this platform.
As things are, YDE reserves exclusive rights
to your brand once they agree to stock it.
This brilliant model has formed a means for
designers to create collaborative boutiques
with the advantage of not restricting retail
opportunities.
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