{"id":2914,"date":"2022-08-15T12:29:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T16:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skypointfcu.com\/wph\/workarea\/?p=2914"},"modified":"2022-08-15T12:29:21","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T16:29:21","slug":"business-inspiration-selling-direct-to-consumer-custom-fashion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skypointfcu.com\/wph\/workarea\/blog\/business-inspiration-selling-direct-to-consumer-custom-fashion\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Inspiration: Selling Direct-to-Consumer Custom Fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you see one of Ramon Smothers\u2019 custom-made suits, there\u2019s no mistaking it for an off-the-rack design. As the owner of Legacy Lapels, he\u2019s made a business out of making people look good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based in Houston, the company lets customers design suits for a fraction of the cost of traditional bespoke tailoring, and the inspiration behind the concept was simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really love how I feel when I wear suits,\u201d says Smothers. \u201cIf I can make people feel how I feel when I put on a suit, I\u2019m content.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Legacy Lapels\u2019 audience shifted after just a year in business, and the company found a new market where its lower prices and personalization brought in unexpected customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving customers a choice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I started the brand, I wanted to be unique in the things that are offered,\u201d says Smothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smothers sells the standard options, but he built his business around atypical fabrics with eye-catching hues, including emerald, plum, burgundy, soft yellow and powder blue. Giving customers freedom to design their own styles was something Legacy Lapels aimed to do from its inception, and it\u2019s paying off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve noticed that people come to me for that,\u201d says Smothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while Legacy Lapels retains its emphasis on suits, the company has expanded its offerings to include tuxedos, dinner jackets and custom-made shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ramon Smothers wears one of his designer suits. (Photo courtesy of Legacy Lapels)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Falling into the wedding market<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smothers initially expected his ideal client<\/a> to be \u201cfashion forward\u201d and looking for business-focused statement pieces, but he soon recognized that his customers were trending toward engaged couples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s nontraditional designs have attracted a variety of newlyweds, such as LGBTQ+ individuals searching for fashion that reflects their identity, including suits that are strongly gendered or loosely fitting on the gender spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGender norms have shifted considerably,\u201d Shelley Brown \u2014 senior fashion and beauty editor with The Knot Worldwide, a media company that specializes in wedding planning \u2014 said by email. \u201cThis is often a great option for nonbinary people looking for suiting without traditional masculine or feminine fits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now several years on, Smothers is partnering with wedding planners to reach more couples and regularly updates his Instagram with photos of clients\u2019 nuptial outfits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saving customers cash while building relationships<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a direct-to-consumer business model<\/a> that cuts out the go-between, Legacy Lapels provides fashion without the traditional markup. Sidestepping a brick-and-mortar storefront, the company avoids passing along overhead costs<\/a> like storage for premade suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smothers also works closely with vendors to ensure customers get the quality they want. \u201cI work directly with the people who actually tailor and cut and make my suits. And I\u2019m in communication with these people daily for every client,\u201d says Smothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He meets with clients in person to understand their ideas, take measurements and discuss fabrics \u2014 a tactic that is difficult for many companies to replicate. This investment in bringing customers\u2019 ideas to life has led to strong customer relationships and builds trust, says Smothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What other businesses can learn from Legacy Lapels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be clear about what you\u2019re offering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key to niche businesses is to fill a need in a marketplace and differentiate yourself from your competition, says Lori Martinek, owner of the marketing and public relations firm ED\/c Partners and a mentor with SCORE, a nonprofit offering small-businesses mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t stop at the obvious. Market how your products make customers feel as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn this case, Ramon is offering choice. He\u2019s offering custom. He\u2019s offering fashion,\u201d says Martinek. \u201cAnd as he would probably tell you, empowerment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offering variety within a niche can help small businesses compete against big-box stores. Legacy Lapels accomplishes this through a range of color and fabric options, giving customers something that larger competitors can\u2019t offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the audience that values your product<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smothers advises small businesses to find those who value your product and follow through with persistence. He works to keep his product in front of his target audience on Instagram, to remind them of the value it adds to their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not everyone will value your product. According to Martinek, if you know your product is very niche, then \u201cyou better know how to find that niche customer who wants and is willing to pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Word gets around town and can bring in new customers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of my business comes from word of mouth,\u201d says Smothers. \u201cAnd that\u2019s priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all of his customers know they\u2019re in the market for a custom suit until they hear about the company from one of his customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martinek says that satisfied and repeat customers are more profitable, and that \u201coften those people will become your best ambassadors and salespeople\u201d to bring in new customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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