Cal Poly Pomona Students Receive Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Scholarships

Students from the Apparel Merchandising and Management (AMM) department at Cal Poly Pomona won six of the eight Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Entrepreneurial Scholarships awarded annually through the Fashion Business Inc (FBI).

Sophomores Nicole Palumbo, Lynette Salgado, Samantha Gagne and Renee Roberts split an award of $1,000, awarded to students from a four year college who can present the best written business plan, and/ or the best thought through design concept for a line of apparel or accessories.  The Cal Poly team had developed a case analysis of Target’s women’s wear business, proposing a new business plan that would enhance bottom line profitability through improved merchandising and visual display strategies, centered on the concept of ‘My Brand’.

In addition, two other AMM seniors, Trish leBarge and Allie Poon, were honored with Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer scholarships for their outstanding work.  Each received associate membership of the FBI for one year plus $600.00 credit for any of the 80 plus seminars and classes presented at the FBI.  The awards were presented by Ethan Eller, Building Manager of the New Mart.

Other Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer scholarships were awarded to Diana Cha and Sara Caterinicchia.

The Apparel Merchandising & Management department at Cal Poly Pomona is a leading provider of Bachelor of Science graduates for the apparel industry in California, with specializations in apparel production and fashion retailing.  Fashion Business Inc. provides the industry with a range of training, education, consulting and other business services to support its growth and profitability

Speed to Market – Fast Turn – Rapid Response

What do these terms mean to the apparel industry in 2009? Good news and bad news!

New times = New methods of doing business = Rapid response to the demands of the retailer and consumer.

But, can the average apparel manufacturer respond rapidly? Well, for the small company who, due to their smaller orders are for the most part producing domestically it is good news. They can turn on a dime and produce faster than the larger companies who need a much longer lead time to produce their goods, usually in far off places. Smaller companies with small orders ship them to the retailer, then if the orders sell through they get reorders. This is the very best of new business news for new and smaller manufacturers. It is also good news for the retailer as they can plan for the demands of their customers, the weather, and the economy etc. This new type of selling and buying results in the manufacturer having a much better cash flow, as they will not be seeking funding for larger orders when selling through the traditional five seasons each year.

This tradition of selling at the four or five markets each year usually requires groups within each line that demands cash outlay for the expenses for patternmaking and sampling. Now, the manufacturer is constantly designing, which they really always have and then showing new products, and shipping weekly or monthly new merchandise. So now the manufacturer can get paid more often. They do not need to invest heavily in the five big lines a year as they are now producing and shipping new items to replenish sell through products. The retailer will also have less of a cash flow problem with this type of merchandise planning. The customer will see new items when ever they shop. A win win in a new economy! Well, we hope so.

So, it has at last been officially noted by many international economist that the small business owners are really the backbone of our economy, not only in the US but globally. The big branded companies are not fairing well and many have had to cut back or worse, close their doors. Small businesses can adjust and respond as they don’t have large overheads. For the most part they contract out all their work, including sewing, cutting, bookkeeping etc. and cut back on other expenses to respond to demands, or lack of demands of the economy.

Some for the negative results of this new economy is that bigger retailers are demanding, from branded manufacturers that they discount or allow markdown money. Additionally, major discount store, e.g. Marshals, TJ Maxx, Ross are producing more private label. This has resulted in much cheaper prices for the average clothing labels that are now being sold. The price of clothing today is the lowest we have seen in years. Due to the recession sewing factories around the world have all been forced to lay off workers. The ports in China and other locations are full of containers with cancelled orders. These goods may get discounted and sold or they will have to be destroyed.

However, much merchandise is still being produced domestically, especially in southern California where they produce premium denim, active sportswear and contemporary clothing. But sadly both the off shore and the domestic sewing contractors reluctantly have been forced to take cuts in their pricing so that they can keep their workers working. This rational is in the hopes that the economy will turn around and then the demand for new clothing will pick up. The alternative is to lay workers off and then when the economy turns around they will then need to reinvest time and money in finding good workers and training them.

Another change in business methods are that some of the higher end retailers are asking the smaller manufactures to sell on consignment and this is not a good idea. It was bad enough that traditionally the manufacturer has taken all the risks with development and production costs then have to wait to get paid. Now they are expected to take ALL the risk and maybe then get paid!

Talk about getting screwed!  - Consignment selling will be one of my next blog topics.

But, now onto a very different topic. It is the season to be merry! And I need to take a deep breath and keep my mouth shut when I see all those ugly heavy knitted sweaters decorated with Christmas trees adorned with lights and holly. Or, equally as offensive fashion trend, those cheaply mass produced red jackets lovely dragged out annually of the closets. Where, in my very opinionated opinion they should really remain for posterity. J

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES. I HAVE MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN MY LIFE AND ALTHOUGH CLOTHING IS MY BUSINESS IT IS NOT MY LIFE.

As a relative newcomer to the world of blogging, I didn’t realize how much fun, or how difficult blogging can be. It’s fun, because I can write just about anything I want – which is also what makes it so difficult - narrowing down my ideas into one somewhat coherent stream of thought. Which is why I’m getting back to the business of fashion. Because that’s what we do here at Fashion Business, Incorporated.

And speaking of here, did you know we now have an FBI location in San Francisco? That’s right – We now have a chapter serving the San Francisco Bay Area, offering classes in multiple locations including through our partnership with the Small Business Administration. Janet Lees is directing all FBI programs in the Bay Area as well as fund raising for the SF FBI office. A native of UK, Janet has been involved with the Bay Area fashion and design industries for 16 years and is especially proud of the programs she’s developed to support entrepreneurs in fashion and the arts. In addition, she is an experienced small business owner and an active partner in her husband’s modern furniture company, Jason Lees Design, located in Oakland, where she is responsible for Public Relations and has secured ink in local, national and international press. We are so fortunate to have Janet on board and are very excited to be able to present many new and popular seminars to our Bay Area members. Check out our list of upcoming events in Northern and Southern California, Atlanta and Phoenix – open to members and non-members alike.

When most people think of fashion they think of runways filled with glamorous models, fashion magazines full of glossy advertisements, celebrities at movie premiers or awards show or maybe even “Project Runway.” At FBI we know that the finished product, what the consumer sees, is the end result of many months of design, planning, manufacturing, logistics and more. There are so many pieces to the puzzle of successful fashion businesses that it’s no wonder so many companies can’t make it in today’s economic climate. No, not just because people aren’t buying clothing, accessories or shoes. They are, just take a look at the latest retail numbers to see sales have improved greatly. It’s because business is changing. Wholesale, retail, ecommerce – it’s all changing. As a fashion business, you need to have the skills to stay on top of new retail buying and selling trends, new credit and financing issues that are affecting us all, new business and technology skills and even new ways of doing business with your vendors. That’s where the FBI comes in. Why not take full advantage of your FBI membership? Or, if you’re not currently a member, become one. Memberships start at $200 per year, but the knowledge you gain is priceless. We’re here to service the fashion communities in California as well as seminars in Atlanta, Phoenix and New York. Can’t be here in person? We have a number of classes and seminars online at very affordable prices. Contact Jacquelyn@fashionbizinc.org for more information or just stop by our offices or website. We look forward to seeing you.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

I recently conducted a “Networking 101″ seminar here at FBI. The idea of the seminar was to teach people why networking is so important and to give them the basic tools to start networking on their own. Networking is a skill and an art form. It’s relatively easy to explain the skill of networking – the tools you need, the types of questions to ask, how to introduce yourself and more. Explaining how networking is an art form is much more difficult. You really need to see good networkers in action in order to understand.

Technology is a great way to stay in touch with your personal and professional networks. On-line professional networks such as LinkedIn or social networks like Facebook or Twitter are a great way to connect with people from your past, present and possible future. I’m a big proponent of networking in person, too. For me, I like making a personal connection to someone else. I like being able to interact with someone in a professional or social setting. I get a sense of the other person’s personality, likes, dislikes, maybe even their favorite sports team. I make sure to follow up our conversation with an email or phone call and a reminder of where or how we met and what we might have discussed. If the situation is appropriate, I may add them to my LinkedIn network.

Networking in person or online is crucial to almost everyone. You never know who you’ll meet. You never know who you may be able to help and you never know who may be able to help you. By establishing connections throughout your personal and professional life, you build an organic network of people. Through those people, you continue to grow your network. Perhaps you’ve seen a job posting at a specific company. You’ve emailed your resume, but haven’t heard back. Using LinkedIn you search for people who work at that company. Just your luck, someone in your network worked there recently. You contact them directly and ask them to put you in touch with the HR person in charge of hiring for this position. The rest is up to you, but the fact that you have a network of people to connect you to that HR person gives you an advantage few other people may have.

So let’s get back to why networking is so important and what tools do you need to be successful at it. On-line networking is a very important component to building your network. I check my LinkedIn account every day. I participate in a number of discussions, am active in a number of LinkedIn groups and I post updates to my profile whenever there’s something interesting to post – FBI activities, tradeshows I’m attending, etc. because I know my network will see my latest updates. I also have a link to the FBI Blog so anyone visiting my profile can see what I’m blogging about. Friends, colleagues, former co-workers can see what I’m doing career-wise and, through my LinkedIn connections, can also expand their networks.

As far as networking tools: I never leave home without a pen, a small notepad, business cards and, hopefully, a good attitude. Whenever I’m interacting with someone socially or professionally, I want to be able to write down something they may have brought up in conversation. I may want to exchange business cards. Sometimes I may just want to write something down for the other person. I just take one of my cards and write down whatever book title, article, author, etc. and hand it to the other person. What I don’t want to do is hand them a scrap of paper from my purse, an old grocery list or bank receipt. As I said previously, you never know who you’ll meet, so be prepared!

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

When I say “Job Creation” I’m referring to new jobs or positions created in our industry, not the act of filling an existing position. For example, several years ago, it became a necessity for many companies to have an on-line presence. Whether it was a web site devoted to the company or brand or an actual on-line marketplace would be determined later. What most companies lacked was an existing employee with the knowledge and skills to create and maintain a website. There were a rash of jobs created specifically to support websites and ecommerce positions. Now these jobs exist or are outsourced at most apparel manufacturers. So I’m wondering what the next set of necessary jobs skills will be.

Many companies have moved away from internal or domestic production in favor of outsourced or full-package production. With the economy the way it’s been, retailers demanding lower stock levels and quick turnaround, are we headed back to a domestic cut and sew production model? If so, we’ll need to be able to ramp up domestic production. Sewing and cutting contractors, dye houses, trim and fabric suppliers may start filling long empty spaces in and around downtown. Production managers and assistants would be required to manage cut and sew operations. Marking, grading and patternmaking skills would be in demand. Wouldn’t that be nice? Instead of losing more jobs to off-shore manufacturing, we’d start creating new jobs to be able to support the retailers’ need for speed-to-market.

FBI is working hard to help create new jobs in the apparel, footwear and fashion industries in general. Specifically, we work with new and existing companies to help them grow by providing the resources and training they need to survive and thrive. Where else in Los Angeles or San Francisco can a designer with a great idea for a new product go to get help finding a qualified contractor, a respected accountant or business advice to create a profitable company? Where else can a business go to find seminars, classes, even certification programs on industry specific software and skills? I can’t think of any other place than the FBI. And yet, most fashion companies aren’t aware of the benefits of an FBI membership. At a starting price of just $200 per year it’s the best investment a company can make.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

Fashion Business, Inc. is asking for your input to help us conduct a study of the apparel, footwear, textile and accessory industries. Specifically, how the recession has affected job opportunities within these industries over the past 12 months.

We’d like to know a few things about your business. This study is anonymous – any information you include about your business will be kept confidential and only used for data gathering purposes. We will be happy to provide you with the results of the study, should you so desire. Please indicate this on your response, along with your email address.

1: What is your sales volume today (in dollars)?

2: Over the past 12 months what percentage of your sales volume has increased or decreased?

3: In the past 12 months, have you had any layoffs or reductions in staff? If so, how many people or percentage of your work force.

4: In the past 12 months, have you hired staff for any existing positions?

5: In the past 12 months, have you hired staff for any newly created positions?

Thank you very much for your time today. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Jill Mazur

Independent Apparel and Business Consultant

Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

There’s a great article in September’s edition of Vogue entitled “What Price Fashion” by Teri Agins. Sorry, no hyperlink available. In summary, the recession has caused some of today’s biggest designers to get even MORE creative in the way they develop styles and bring products to market. The article goes on to discuss how designer Philip Lim merchandises and designs his line simultaneously. He only produces enough product to fill his orders and even then, only about 50% of his line consists of new styles. “Of the 240 pieces he created for Fall 2009, he wound up manufacturing them all – a perfect batting average…” How many of us can say the same?

What is it about Philip Lim’s process that would allow such a fantastic feat to happen? Produce ALL the styles he designed and ONLY enough to fill his orders? Think about how little waste that is. No excess inventory? No excessive sampling? No excessive design or merchandising staff? He knows what we all need to remember, too many samples or iterations of samples and too much production eat away at the precious bottom line.

As I was reading this article, I kept thinking “I wonder if he’s using a PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) system, and if so – which one?” I’m sure that was the first thought that crossed you mind, as well. Why does PLM cross my mind while reading Vogue? Well, precisely for this reason – how do you improve the creative process? How do you streamline product development? How do you save money when developing design samples? How do you track or calendar the important events and due dates in the design, merchandising and sales process? How do you create the best possible presentation of styles or samples to your buyers with the least amount of stress? How do you know which vendor to partner with when developing new styles? Even more important, how do you track the actual cost of developing new styles and samples?

If you’re not using a PLM system, you may want to think long and hard about making this investment in your business. Let me say first, PLM is not for every company, especially small businesses or businesses with very few new styles per season. However, as your business and/or product line grows you need to incorporate tools to allow your company and capacity to grow as well. Using collaborative PLM tools to track costs, due dates, product development and more, in one place, helps keep your business on track. The benefits of PLM are innumerable: increased speed to market, decreased product development costs, collaborative planning and workflow tools, visibility to the design, patternmaking, sampling and merchandising process and more.

These days, consumers are willing to spend on luxury items if they are of true quality and value. Are manufacturers willing to spend on software if it is of true quality and value to their business? 

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

What sets you apart from all of the other people out there searching for jobs?  Is it who you know?  Is it your winning personality?  Is it your past experience?  The answer is “Yes” to all of the above.  But you already knew that.  What else can you do to set yourself apart?  I’d say it’s “What You Know,” at least as far as it relates to software.  Yes, software.  “But I’m a DESIGNER!” Or “MERCHANDISER!” Or “SALES REP!” Or “Fill in the Blank.”  “What do I need to know about software?”  As much as you can.  A talented designer should always be able to sketch.  But can you scan the sketch into Adobe Illustrator© or a similar tool – add colorways, create an inspiration board or portfolio?  Merchandisers, can you create a line sheet or look book to knock a buyer’s socks off?   Sales reps, how are you analyzing your business these days?  Are you able to look up your customer’s information and create your own reports and queries from your manufacturing system or reporting tools or are you relying on some else to do the heavy lifting?  Skills like these that set you apart from your peers and open up new doors. 

These days it’s not enough to know basic Microsoft Office© tools like Outlook©, Word© and Excel©.  Keep adding to your repertoire.  It never hurts to list the software applications you’ve used on your resume.  Employers may have resume scanning software that looks for key words such as Illustrator©, PLM, Excel© or more, since those are the skills they require.  If you don’t have those skills listed, your resume might get passed over even though you’re highly qualified for the job. Think about the tools you currently (or previously) used at work.  Think about how you can improve your knowledge, and then do it.  Does your company offer system training or tuition re-imbursement? Are there classes you can take at night or on the weekends?  Is there a “Super user” in your department who’s willing to give you some extra training sessions during lunch?  Is your company installing a new software application?  Can you volunteer to work on the project?  Update your resume with your technical skills and don’t be surprised if more companies start showing interest in YOU.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org