Ask a fashion buyer The Stanza founder Nadine Choe's interview series discussing the business of emerging brands

Starting a fashion brand has never been more accessible and difficult at the same time. Google “how to start a fashion brand”, and you’ll find several resources that tell you how to get started. At the same time, anyone can go viral or build a community online. However, the dichotomy is that because the barriers to entry have never been lower, the competition has never been greater. Emerging brands must compete for attention and convert attention into sales to survive and scale. Therefore, being discovered by an established multi-brand retailer not only helps with visibility, but also signals to the market a certain kind of validation that’s almost necessary in today’s competitive landscape. I interviewed head buyers at three of Italy’s top multi-brand retailers about their perspectives on emerging brands and the broader world of fashion buying.

Manuel Marelli, Head Buyer at Macondo

There are two key takeaways for emerging fashion entrepreneurs. Firstly, buyers are ultimately searching for brands and pieces that will sell when they launch in stores several months later. Secondly, these multi-brand retailers are brands themselves, and therefore they’re looking for pieces that tell a story to their target customers. Having a consistent and strong creative direction can mean being different and unique, but also can mean that a collection evokes an emotional reaction. Does the brand have a unique perspective anchored by tradition (Rier’s use of the traditional flower of the Dolomites) or culture (Junya Watanabe’s punk tartan skirt for men)? Or does the brand produce easy-to-style wardrobe capsules with a unique twist (Interior)? It’s clear that buyers are prioritizing how customers interact with their brand selection and how they feel when they wear the clothes, and emerging brand founders that want to be carried at these multi-brand retailers should also prioritize how to balance a unique and strong creative vision, with commercial success.