How To Start A Clothing Line Business In Nigeria

Do you wish to go into the fashion industry? Love to start your own clothing line? If that’s the case, I’ve got what you need to know in this post.

The fashion industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Nigeria. Today,  lot of young people are interested in starting their own fashion line. I created this post specifically to help with the procedures to follow in starting a clothing line.

In Nigeria, many people have become fashionistas. Everyone is deeply concerned about what they wear. In fact, everyone likes to look good and smell nice. Hence, the lucrativeness of the fashion business.

However, the clothing line niche of the fashion industry is the biggest, yet Nigerians, and in fact, Africans as a whole, are still lagging behind in the business.

Only a few popular indigenous brands have existed or are still in existence. An example is the popular Ashluxe cloth brand. On the other hand, when it comes to foreign brands, the list is long ; Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Luis Vuitton, Ralp Lauren, Prada, Gucci, to mention but a few.

All these brands are very popular and widely sold in the fashion world. Since most of them are foreign, it shows that Nigerians are yet to tap much of this business. So it’s a wonderful thing that you’ve chosen to start your own.

On a honest note, I advise you to learn about what these popular brands are doing that Nigerian brands are not doing correctly. That way, you can grow your new line faster.

Here are some of the procedures involved in starting a clothing line in Nigeria.

Starting A Clothing Line In Nigeria

1. Learn About The Business

Just like you are doing right here, you need to learn the nitty gritty of any business if you want to prosper in it. Ignorance of this has caused many new businesses to fall in just a short period.

It is advisable that you conduct in-depth research about the ins and outs of the fashion business. Attend related seminars, webinars, and workshops; take courses on Udemy or Coursera; and most importantly, learn from people already in the game.

2. Create A Business Plan

For every flourishing business, there’s always a good business plan. There is a need for you to create a solid plan which you will build on.

After learning about the clothing line business, creating your business plan should be your next agenda. In order to create an effective plan, there are certain things to consider.

First, you need to understand what the market demands, and what types of clothes are much desired by many people. That way, you can get some business plan ideas.

Then, you need to be innovative and draw out strategies that will help promote your brand and make it known.

3. Choose A Name For Your Brand

Next is choosing a name which your clothing line will be called.

The name you pick also has a way of influencing your business, so it’s necessary to sit down and analyze it. Both Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren used their own names.You can do that too if you want, but you can use styling.

Let’s assume you have the name “Ijeoma,” you can style it to become “ijay” to make it easier to pronounce and remember. Don’t pick a name that’s too stiff or doesn’t sound  brandy.

4. Funding

This is the major determinant of your new clothing line. Here, you need to gather your capital and put the different necessary equipment and raw materials in place.

First, you should get a good place that will serve as both your office and factory. Then buy the needed design and sewing equipment.

5. Licensing and Registration

To operate as a licensed and certified clothing brand, you should get a proper government registration, including registering your new business name with the corporate affairs commission.

6. Employment Of Workers

I believe there’s no need to explain this further. You can’t do it alone, even if you have all the design and sewing skills. You need people both skilled and unskilled.

7. Start Production

After you must have employed your workers and given them the necessary training and information on the type of brand you hope to build.

You can start designing and start sewing. As a newbie, you can copy the designs of other brands and refine them into your own style. There’s no crime in that, in as much as the end result is not the same. As time goes on, you can draw out your own unique designs.

8. Marketing

Your purpose in starting a new business is to make money while doing what you like to do. To make that possible, people need to buy from you. And for people to buy from you, you need to let them know about you. So in this regard, marketing and advertising your clothes line come in.

One interesting thing about the fashion business is that it’s one of the easiest to market. As long as you have good designs, colors, and correct pricing, your brand will definitely break the market. I’m quite sure you don’t want your new business to fall on deaf ears.

Hence, the need for you to use the appropriate channels for your marketing and advertising. Social media, TV ads, newspapers, and other media are there for you to leverage. In addition, you can make use of models to market your new designs.

And lastly, you need to build networks by meeting different people in the retailing and wholesaling of clothes. Build and create plenty of supply networks across the country.

Bottom Line

What you need to build a popular clothing line is good designs, enough capital, and also the right marketing strategies. It’s very easy to promote fashion items.

With an efficient strategy, you can break the market and become the next “Gucci” in Nigeria or even Africa as a whole. Plus, consistency and innovation are big stepping stones to achieving this.