Fashion Adviser

[Diandra25]

i live in portugal,that is my home country.

i recently discovered my greatest passion,aside from writting.

Fashion Adviser it is...i even had some coincidences ocurring,that at the time i didnt payed attention,but now i see they were pointing me torwards this.

the thing is:

i have a degree in the science area.which has nothing to do with Arts.i knew that it wasnt really what my Soul wanted,but i was very young to decide the right path for me,the time i entered College.

Here i am finally with my passion identified.i have a goal to pursue and i deeply feel i am in my right direction.

However:

this is a new area developing here in my country.so it only exists one shcool teatching it - and it costs 4000€. the course begins next March 2010.

- i am currently looking for job to pay the course when the time comes.

but i remembered asking you guys this;

as this is an area that is fully implemented in other countries,do you think that to enter on the business,you need to take the course?or you can simply start from nowhere?

A person told me that the most sucessfull people in their jobs were the ones who started by their own creativity,being enterpreneur, and not dependable on degrees....but i dont know what to think about this?

is it better to try without a course for now?or focus on get any job and then take the course?

feel free to comment.

[BitterFlower]

I do believe that the most successful people start on their own, but if you lack (proof of) the skills and the connections, it's best to at least start schooling. Along the way, you can make connections with teachers and clients, and (most importantly) get an internship to get experience.

Once you finish the degree, you have (along with the internship) proof that you can be a fashion advisor and you should have enough connections by then to pursue your dream afterwards in whatever fashion you choose (job or starting your own business).

[Diandra25]

Thank you Flower

[Tanja]

Originally Posted by Diandra25

this is a new area developing here in my country.so it only exists one shcool teatching it - and it costs 4000€. the course begins next March 2010.

- i am currently looking for job to pay the course when the time comes.

but i remembered asking you guys this;

,do you think that to enter on the business,you need to take the course?or you can simply start from nowhere?

is it better to try without a course for now?or focus on get any job and then take the course?

If I were to hire a fashion adviser I wouldn't be interested in their degrees/courses but in their work, references, ''word of mouth'' thing. I didn't quite get whether you'd like to start a business on your own in that field or try to find a job (work for someone else) in the fashion field?
Either way, taking the course can't hurt.

Good luck to you !!!

One day we might need your services, hope we get a discount Kidding

[ssandra]

Wow... This is one of the business plans that I have thought out in my head...

I will not be able to do this myself, because I have no fashion sense what-so-ever, nor any interest in fashion.
But the idea is interesting.

You know all the shows about make-overs on tv? People like that.

You know celeberties who have their personal shopper? "normal" people like that.

My business idea was this: (everybody anywhere is free to use this btw):

You "rent" yourself out as Shopping budy!
The first appointment with the client is in their house where you go through their wardrope, seeing what looks good on them from what they have, and advising them on what to trow away.
Of course this also includes a profile of what type of person they are, how they want to be perceived, what do they need (work cloths, going out, fancy, normal etc). Do they wear heals or not, do they wear skirts or not etc. Don´t forget to ask for their budget so you know which stores you can take them to.

Second part of it is shopping. You take them for 1 part of the day to go out shopping. You walk with them in the stores, get them to try on stuff etc. They are responsable for making the decision ultimately if they buy it or not. They are also the persons who pay at the cash register.

You charge them for 1 part of the day (around 2 hours) of consultation + 1 day part of shopping 3 or 4 hours.

You could also offer just the day part of consultation, but I would not suggest it.

Take at least some time every week to go into the stores to see what is there, so you know where you can take your clients.

You can also make deals with the stores that you get a small discount for all your clients or even some commission.

In order to make some more money you can offer a slight discount and take the people shopping in small groups of 3 or 4.

Money wise... lets see.. if you would make 5000 euros bruto a month:

You work 5 days a week
That is 5 x 4 days a month = 20 days a month.

You will work 6 billable hours a day (+ 2 hours a day bookkeeping, research, marketing etc)? = 120 hours a month

Per client you will need (2 + 3) = 5 hours

Per month your will need (120 / 5) = 24 clients a month

5000 / 24 = 210 Euros per client.

Alternatively you can have mother/daughter consultations for something like 300 euros in the same time.

If you use more clients per shopping visit you can offer smaller prices.

Of course, you can also try to start with smaller prices and have a smaller salary until you have made a name for yourself. For example, if you can live of 2500 euros per month you only have to charge 105 euros.

Marketing:

Have before and after pictures on your website as well as recomandations.

Use family and friends as test subjects.

I know that this is not really what you asked for, but it was just what I was thinking about a few days ago Hope it helps

[Tanja]

Originally Posted by ssandra

I know that this is not really what you asked for, but it was just what I was thinking about a few days ago Hope it helps

Wow ssandra, can you get me a business plan, if my own plan falls through?

*lazy chick*

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Tanja

Wow ssandra, can you get me a business plan, if my own plan falls through?

*lazy chick*

Actually, sure! Thinking out business plans is sort of a hobby of mine

What do you want to do??

[Tanja]

Should this happen

Originally Posted by Tanja

if my own plan falls through?

then I'll contact you

Originally Posted by ssandra

What do you want to do??

I'm open to anything.
I like: working with people, having independence and hence more responsibility, organizing things (people), not being 'tied' to an office, researching things..blala
If the business is successful I'll put you on the supervisory boar, and Diandra25 will take care of our fashion style

Diandra25, I apologize for being off topic here..won't do it again
Thanks ssandra!

[Diandra25]

OMG!

THANK YOU!!!that is quite extraordinary! i can do that! i dont have the degree,but while im here i can do that,totally!i am already very good at fashion adivising my friends and family,so why not try it?

and my bf is a web designer,i can ask for him to do a website for me

i can make it cheap cause i am 26 and live with my parents still...so i just need the money to pay the course itself!!!

im having butterflies in my stomack already...

it is incredible,why were you thinking about this days ago? seems to be a coincidence...how odd.

i dont know how to thank you for your ideas really.those are wonderful and i hope you have some of those for yourself too! you are quite a creative person

Tanja

say whatever you want - this thread is for everyone

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Diandra25

OMG!

THANK YOU!!!that is quite extraordinary! i can do that! i dont have the degree,but while im here i can do that,totally!i am already very good at fashion adivising my friends and family,so why not try it?

and my bf is a web designer,i can ask for him to do a website for me

i can make it cheap cause i am 26 and live with my parents still...so i just need the money to pay the course itself!!!

im having butterflies in my stomack already...

You´re welcome!

Don´t make it too cheap. You gain some reputation if you make it a bit more expensive. I guess I would start with 40 euros p.p. for a group of 4, 50 euros for a "couple" (2 persons) and 75 per person for 1 person.

And, Yes you can do it! You will be very succesful with it.

Try and get a few clothing stores to join you. You can get them to advertise your service (it is not that expensive to get some flyers done that you can put there) and in return you go there as one of the first stores when you go shopping.

Originally Posted by Diandra25

it is incredible,why were you thinking about this days ago? seems to be a coincidence...how odd.

i dont know how to thank you for your ideas really.those are wonderful and i hope you have some of those for yourself too! you are quite a creative person

Like I said, thinking about business ideas is a hobby of mine. I do this when I cannot sleep, when I am on an airplane etc. I have an entire book filled with ideas worked out in this degree. So, no market research, but some brainstroming.

I wish this was a profession... profesional brainstormer and out-of-the-box-thinker. I am good at that. I suck at follow-up.
Once I win the lottery i will start all my business, where I can have other people doing the "real work" and I just have to manage and come up with ideas That would be my second dream job.
(first would be to read for a living)

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Tanja

Should this happen
then I'll contact you I'm open to anything.
I like: working with people, having independence and hence more responsibility, organizing things (people), not being 'tied' to an office, researching things..blala

Don´t contact me when your current plans fail (because they won´t) but contact me when they succeed so well that you are ready for your next challange!

It sounds to me that you would be good as an event organizer or wedding planner.

As an out of the box idea...: Be a surprise party planner. People can hire you if they want a party planned (in their house, or at a location) as a surprise for somebody. That can be your speciality.

You can deliver any level of service. Just getting everybody there and everybody knowing what to do (homemade food, event in a garden somewhere, everybody knowing when to be where, being the go-to person) to the complete event, including arranging catering and location.

Very low investment, working with people, organizing, being outside checking out locations

It is also a lot of work on the phone and possibly working on saturday and sundays.. but the good part of it is that you can choose your own working hours..

You could charge on the type of party. Devide them into levels and number of people invited.

For example:
Level 1: Home made party (at somebodies house, home made food)
up to 25 people: 50 euros
25 - 50 people: 75 euros
50 and up: 100 euros
Included: getting everybody invited, arranging who makes which food, making a shopping list, keep track of who is coming etc.

Level 2: Home made parte deluxe (somebodies house, catering)
up to 25 people: 75 euros
etc. etc.

You get the idea

Yes, I just came up with this. You can use it (or anybody else who is reading this thread) if you want to

[Tanja]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Once I win the lottery i will start all my business, where I can have other people doing the "real work" and I just have to manage and come up with ideas

Have you considered the so-called ''business'' angels? If the idea is good they provide the capital...I'm not sure how specifically the whole process works.

Originally Posted by ssandra

Don´t contact me when your current plans fail (because they won´t) but contact me when they succeed so well that you are ready for your next challange!

Will do!

Originally Posted by ssandra

It sounds to me that you would be good as an event organizer or a surprise party planner

Haha...actually, I believe I'd be pretty good at this I already just email my friends where and when to show up and what we're doing that day

And this business plan sounds very doable, you have a knack for this I hope with one of your ideas you strike it rich!!!

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Tanja

Have you considered the so-called ''business'' angels? If the idea is good they provide the capital...I'm not sure how specifically the whole process works.

I am very good at the ideas and at finding way to acomplish them... but I really lack follow-up and interest in long term follow up.

Maybe I should start a "brainstorm-think-out-of-the-box" business... I wonder if anybody would like to pay for that...

[Tanja]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Maybe I should start a "brainstorm-think-out-of-the-box" business... I wonder if anybody would like to pay for that...

I trust you will come up with an idea how to make someone pay for that

[Brutha]

Don´t make it too cheap. You gain some reputation if you make it a bit more expensive. I guess I would start with 40 euros p.p. for a group of 4, 50 euros for a "couple" (2 persons) and 75 per person for 1 person.

Exactly. The kind of person who pays someone for fashion advice probably doesn't want to hire someone for 10$/hr.

Free demo + payed service that costs a higher hourly rate is probably much better than 10$ per hour.

When it comes to the question whether to take a course:
Do you think that you have the skills that you need to be a good fashion advicer at the moment?

Have you considered the so-called ''business'' angels? If the idea is good they provide the capital...I'm not sure how specifically the whole process works.

No that not the concept of a business investment.
If the there a team that will have success with their idea a business angel gives money.
Someone who doesn't want to get things done will have a hard time getting money from a business angel.

Maybe I should start a "brainstorm-think-out-of-the-box" business... I wonder if anybody would like to pay for that...

That business model is called consulting. McKinsey makes it's money that way.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Brutha

That business model is called consulting. McKinsey makes it's money that way.

hmm more or less, but not exactly.

Consulting as I see it (my husband works for a consulting firm and is a business consultant) is about bringing something to the table that the company itself does not have. Usually it is a specific skillset.
This can be operational, time management, strategy etc. You need a pretty well rounded education and experience in order to be taken seriously. Large companies will not pay for someone just out of college to overturn their entire strategy

My idea is more to just deliver ideas. If people have a problem (with anything) I can give them ideas in the right direction.

If people want to start their own company but are not sure what to do, I can help (like I did for Diana25 and Tanja.

I actually just thought of a business model that could work.. and would be very interesting.
I can make the payments in the style as "pay me what you think it was worth, when you think it was worth it".
I love giving advice, for free or paid. So, as long as I do this as a side job I will just let people decide how much they think it is worth it. Nothing, 1 euro, 20 euros.. 3000 euros... whatever.

Hmmmm.... now I need to make a website, put a paypal button on it and have a way to have them sent me emails.

I can do that

Thanks Brutha

[selma]

Fashion Consulting is lucrative especially if you live in a big city...

Whatever you do, trust me, you do not need schooling, you just need really good taste and people who totally are in love with your clothes and style overall....

Do people tell you how well dressed you are? How great you look?? What great taste you have??

If so, thats all you need.

First thing, I would get a website up showcasing your amazing style... A good way to get a bunch of people following your amazing stye is to sign up on a site like StyleDiary ...

You can also get a pretty good following just participating on fashion forums and helping girls out with their questions...

Start a website, like:
CHIC IN PARIS
The Sartorialist

If you can somehow get featured in sartorialist, you are soooo good to go!

Good luck and let me know how it all turns out, if you need any help... pm me.