Recently I’ve become curious about what makes a brand a brand. Brands such as Adidas and Zara mostly had the same origin: one person becomes passionate about clothing and then they have their own clothing brand. So I got to wondering: how do you make a brand, and, what does it take to keep the dream alive?
Their Origins
My research starts on Wikipedia (Wait hear me out.) by reading the most successful brands’ origin stories. Founders of sneaker brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma dabbled in things they were interested in.
Nike, previously known as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), made track shoes for athletes. Meanwhile, Adidas experimented with canvas and rubber spiked bottoms for athletic use, and Puma, disbanded from its mother brand Adidas, made a football boot with screw in studs.
In general, begin with what you’re interested in and search for a market, or a set of customers, who are willing to purchase your hot commodity. Once you have an idea of who’s interested, then you can begin drafting your design.
Inspiration
First decide what you’re trying to put out in the world. Of course, there are pieces that are worn to make a statement or to evoke feelings. If you’re trying to make a statement, look around you and see what is the most controversial topic to touch upon. The roots of fashion starts with breaking the norm and experimenting. If your clothing makes people think and spreads a positive message, then more and more people will be willing to buy it.
Design Process
Your individual design process depends on your own personality and ability to express yourself creatively. Say you’re extremely fond of neon colors and a throwback 80s aesthetic, it would be smart to embrace that side instead of going monotonal and minimalistic. Assess your own aesthetic (clothing you like to wear day to day) and determine what your favorite pieces are. There are many aesthetics associated with clothing and the most common are:
- Androgynous- articles of clothing worn by either men or women.
- Boyfriend- distressed jeans, band tees, dress shirts, blazers and cardigans, hoodies.
- Casual- something comfy and warm usually hoodies, sweatpants, joggers, oversized tees.
- Dress Clothes- articles of clothing too nice to wear daily but too casual to wear at a formal event (I.e. button ups, dress socks, dress shoes.).
- Geeky/ Nerdy- suspenders, oversized glasses, highwater trousers.
Take Away
Besides needing to make a slogan, color coordination, font, and logo, all you really need is inspiration and a necessity in making a difference. Like the inspiring words of Ralph Lauren: “Fashion is about something that comes from within you.” If there’s a stirring in your being, a shudder in your soul, then by all means make your piece heard. If you’re upset about something, let your style speak it for you.