Fashion Slow Lane!

FREE. What Will It Cost You? The True Cost of Offering Something of Value for Free The word FREE has been used in advertising since the dawn of time.  We have all heard the old adage, buy one get one free.  Free gift with purchase.  In fact, I worked for a company in Venice Beach that built their entire business around the free gift with purchase model. The company did millions of dollars in sales of those cheap cosmetic bags that you get when you spend $35 or more at the makeup counter in Macy's. (p.s. They cost like 50 cents to make) When is FREE  not good for your business? How do you know when FREE is actually costing you too much time and money?  After over 15 years in the fashion industry, I have had my experiences with free. As a female entrepreneur, I have attended several seminars for women-owned business.  They tell you to give away something for free to attract new customers. For example, a free consultation, a few free hours of ...

I recently interviewed David Larson, from www.negotiatingsalary.com .   Daivd is a professional negotiator who focuses on women in the workplace.   I reached out to him for an interview because women’s topics have always interested me.    When I first started negotiating with factories in China over 10 years ago I would change my name to Thomas Sauvage in order to get the respect and timely replies I required for the brands I represented. More recently my interest in women and discrimination in the workplace peaked due to recent interview in which my marital and family status was scrutinized and then I was offered a part time job for a few dollars above minimum wage!    Wait! That’s not all… to top it off…the hiring manager said the reason he wanted me to leave by 2 pm was so that I could get home in time to make dinner!   Really?   Yes, really.   (See my blog post here .) The part of my conversations with David  that w...

Have you thought about bringing your Contemporary brand to Asia?  I am working closely with a well connected successful Chinese-American entrepreneur who has successfully launched American brands in handbags, belts, accessories and apparel in high end Chinese department stores and high end Japanese stores.  I recently met up with her in Beijing and Tianjin to visit some of the stores has launched American brands in. (The smog in Beijing/Tianjin was horrific but that is another blog post)   The American brands are successfully selling more per square foot in China than in USA department stores. China is an incredible emerging luxury market.  If you follow any fashion news such as businessoffashion or WWD I am sure you have read about this trend in the past few years. “One of the most exciting findings is that by 2018, in the next five years, based on our predictions and based on how fast the region is growing, Asia Pacific will be the biggest region in the wor...

So You Want to Start Your Own Handbag Line?  7 Important Points To Consider Before Starting A Handbag Line. By Tara Sauvage www.tarasauvage.com  1.  Do you know how to draw?   Can you sketch your designs and do a tech pack?   If so, fantastic!   If not, how will you be able to translate your fabulous design ideas so a pattern maker can make a technical pattern for production?    To help bridge that gap you may want to consider hiring a handbag designer to help turn your design vision into a functional bag. 2.   Price Point Will Determine Materials.     It is important to figure out your retail price point before starting a collection, as this will determine the materials you can use.   Many new aspiring handbag designers want to make a luxury leather bag collection that retails for under $100.    They will go as far as writing this into their business plan before they do their homework...

We have a new shop in shop in one of the best department stores in Tianjin, a metro city of 15 million people not far from Beijing.   This store has several luxury brands such as St. John, Coach, Prada, Gucci, and many others.   We are able to get emerging American brands on the same floor in the same mall as these luxury brands. Here is some recent photos of a small American brand in one of our Chinese luxury department stores. (click on each image to enlarge) To find out how more about how we can help your emerging American brand expand to Asia please contact roccodante@gmail.com Thank you, Tara

Greetings from Thailand.  From a creative viewpoint Thailand has brilliant colors and textures that are amazing for design inspiration!  I love red and orange together which is seen in many temples around Thailand.   To learn more about my design and consulting services go to www.tarasauvage.com or email me at roccodante@gmail.com A few snapshots from my recent trip to Thailand! (Click photo to enlarge) Photos by Tara Sauvage copyright 2014 Sauvage Private Label LLC Golden Buddha-Wat Po 150 feet long Gnome on River in Ayuttaya-Thai girl. Monk Sweeping Around the Temple Grounds, North Thailand.  Love This. Roosters at a Temple in North Thailand..not sure why? Ayutthaya, Thailand ruins of temple Family at Ayutthaya, Thailand Wat Po, Bangkok Rural Wat in North East Thailand Dried Fish at Night Market Ayutthaya, Thailand Kop Khun Ka! Hua Hin Beach Ayutthaya Ayutthaya Baby Elephant in Hua Hin, ...

Private Label and Fashion Business Consulting Sauvage Private Label Design and Consulting specializes in the fashion and consumer goods industry.  Below is a list of some of the services that we offer.   Initial Creative Consultation: Before we get started, we need to learn a little more about you and your business! We have prepared a thorough creative brief questionnaire that asks poignant questions like “What differentiates you from your competitors?” & “What appeals to your target market?” We will discuss your company history, goals, and marketing strategies in detail. Let’s figure out what’s working and what needs improving. Let’s find the right private label manufacturer to make your handbag, fashion accessories or consumer goods product successful!  Our initial phone call consultation is free to see if our services are the right fit for your product line.   Quote & Agreement: You will get a detailed quote, within a few of days afte...