Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which core services do you offer?
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We offer apparel product development and business consulting for emerging and established fashion and apparel brands. You can review our full service offering HERE.
How do you determine project pricing?
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After an initial inquiry call where we get to know the needs of the client, we calculate fees based on scope, complexity, and projected resources. Then, we then present a custom estimate and service agreement that reflects the value of the project.
For those starting their first apparel business, please note that product development is a significant investment, and many times the cash outlay can come months before the client is able to start generating revenue from the corresponding collection. Successful clients come to the table with a dedicated development budget and have done some initial business planning.
All projects require an upfront deposit to go toward total project balance before any work is initiated. This shows that you are serious about working together, and allows us to begin scheduling work. Additional payments will be paid in installments until the project fees are fully paid. We aim to provide a realistic timeline that suits everyone involved.
What is the typical project timeline?
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Project timelines vary widely depending on the product and client goals. For completely new brands, it is wise to allow a longer lead time, as start-up milestones, including carefully vetting additional vendors (materials, factories, etc.) may prolong development time. Additionally, buffer time must be accounted for the rounds of prototyping and fine-tuning that may be required for complex or highly fitted garments.
Generally speaking, we ask that new brands releasing multiple styles allow at least 6-8 months to be on the safe side, however, many projects can be completed much faster. Established brands or new brands with an experienced designer-led founder may expect a shorter average timeline of 2-4 months for development. A custom estimate and timeline will be developed for each project.
Do you use AI in your design process?
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We actively avoid using AI for any creative or design work. In some cases, we use AI as a general research or proofreading tool.
We would encourage our clients to always check the accuracy of anything that AI creates, and not use or rely on AI for creative work or work meant to be done by professionals. We are always keeping an eye on new technologies and love to learn and expand our horizons, but guess what else we love? Exercising our brain, designing with soul, using our unique creativity, building on our hard-earned skills, and supporting artists and craftsmanship.
Yes, upon request, we are happy to sign a standard NDA that we provide that outlines our confidentiality and terms of engagement prior to the prospective client sharing any proprietary information (for example, prior to an inquiry call or hourly strategy session). That said, we will issue a much more extensive service agreement along with the estimate that will more thoroughly address all terms of our working arrangement (including confidentiality) after the initial inquiry call.
Please note, there is no obligation to share personal or protected information during the initial inquiry call. The purpose of the call is to gather only enough information to prepare an estimate as well as to answer any questions the prospective client may have about working together.
Yes, we can assist you with factory and material sourcing and also manage the sample making process. There are several ways to go about this, and every brand will have different needs. Some clients will need only 3D Samples to communicate their idea prior to turning over materials to the factory, some will need a combination of 3D and physical samples during development, and some will do only physical samples during development.
Our preferred method of working is to start with a 3D sample developed in CLO 3D for the first round, and move into US-sewn physical samples for any subsequent rounds of prototyping, before doing a final sample with the factory of choice. During the sample development phase, we manage the sample making process, though physical samples are almost always subcontracted to our preferred partners locally, in Chicago, or NYC. We can be flexible to the needs of each client, with the goal of getting an accurate sample in your hands in as few rounds as possible.