Starting a Baby Boutique & Clothing Line

Identifying the Project Milestones for the Spring Fashion Season

May 4th, 2007

Since we’re now in the sprint to Spring ‘08 sales, the designing must begin. This means we have to have the major milestones (deadlines) figured out. Each season, there are things that need to be done on the design side of your project, and things that need to be done to prepare for the sale of your collection. Manufacturing happens after you go to market, so we’ll start tackling that project schedule mid-design-season.

The following design deadlines need to be defined and met in order to have a successful season:

• Select Fabrics
• Create Technical Sketches
• Order sample fabrics
• First, Second, and Third Pattern drafts
• First, Second, and Third Style Prototypes
• Sample fabrics and spec sheets dropped for manufacturing
• Salesman samples complete

The following sales deadlines need to be defined:

• Product photography
• Catalog (either updated from previous season or recreated)
• Price Sheets
• Line Sheets
• Season Launch Press Release
• Create your Terms & Agreements form if you don’t have one already

If you can start with the above major milestones, and map out a deadline by which each of them MUST happen, you’ll be in good shape for a good season. It’s a good idea to set your market date a week earlier than it really is  - to see if your season schedule is realistic. Remember, work backwards from your market (start of sales) date!!

And keep in mind that your deadlines should be realistic based on the number of styles you are creating for the season. This is one of the main development decisions you will make, and everything in your project will be based on how many styles you decide to design. If this is your first season, I highly recommend that you stick to just a few designs. Highly, highly, highly recommend it.

Our project schedules should be complete by Monday. I will share mine on Monday. I have already been requesting swatches from suppliers and sketching out designs. I’m hoping, that by tracking where I’m at in the season, it will A) hold me more accountable to my own deadlines and B) prevent others from making some of the costly start-up mistakes I made in the past.

Spring ‘08, here we come!!!

Entry Filed under: Design Project Schedules, Planning beyond the collection