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Fashion Marketing: Define your Brand

Think of the fashion brands that you love. What do they have in common? Good branding. In order to get their clothing seen and into stores, fashion designers cannot focus solely on making awesome, unique items. Instead, they must also put serious thought and effort into creating and maintaining a cohesive brand. You are not just selling your designs, you're marketing a lifestyle. Here are some things to consider when developing your brand:

Color
One of the simplest ways to make your brand stick out involves your choice of colors. Everything from the banner on your Twitter page to the thumbnail of your logo requires careful consideration in terms of color. Once you choose a palette, stick to it. This will make your brand more recognizable. We recognize the products from major labels because of the logo or branding colors. Black and gold, for example, brings Chanel to mind. Louis Vuitton, on the other hand, is represented with tan and brown. These associations are helpful when you are marketing your products. You should also use them when creating an artist website to showcase your clothing designs. 

Cohesion between platforms
If you were to visit a website like Vogue's and the iconic lettering was different, you may take a step back. Your customers notice when things like a color scheme, logo or lettering change between platforms. Even the tone of product descriptions, photos and blog posts matters. That's why it's so important to have cohesion between all your Internet platforms. Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and even your email thumbnail should match. This way, when someone spots one of your profiles, they will easily know it is your brand. Chanel, for example, does this with their iconic C's. While you can undergo a rebranding every once in a while, make decisions like what font to use and the coloring of your logo as if they were permanent. They should not be frequently adjusted, as this can confuse your customers as well as retailers that sell your items.

Style
As a fashion designer, you have your own inherent style. You apply your preferences to what you create, and that makes your brand unique and personal. Little style choices (like what necklace to wear or if your photo should have rounded edges) should also be applied to your Internet presence. The style of your websites and profiles should match. If you use a particular filter on Instagram photos, also apply it to images of your products on your online shopping platform.

Voice
Your brand should also have a voice. Depending on who your customers are, it may be professional and put-together or low-key and conversational. You want your blog, photo captions and product descriptions to sound as if they are coming from someone who would wear your designs. Decide if the voice should be first-person or third, and keep that style throughout all communications. You may be surprised how much of a difference this can make in cultivating a brand following.