How to start a Clothing Brand
How to Start a Clothing Brand Online: Step-by-Step Guide to Building and Launching a Profitable Fashion Business
Let me guess....
You’ve typed “how to start a clothing brand” into Google, opened a dozen tabs, and you’re drowning in generic advice: “pick a logo, make some designs, open a Shopify store…”
Sounds simple, right? Until you actually try it. Then you realise:
No one told you how to find a manufacturer (who doesn’t ghost you).
No one explained why most clothing brand launches flop within the first 60 days.
And no one gave you a system to make your first profitable clothing business online.
So if you’re tired of the fluff, pay attention. Because I’m going to show you step-by-step how to start a clothing brand online and actually make it successful.
"I don't claim to be the smartest clothing brand owner in the world, I'm just the guy who spent a lot of money on things that you don't have to." Lets dive in -
Step 1: Build a Brand, Not Just Clothes. (YOU DON'T NEED AN IN-HOUSE FASHION AGENCY)
Most people fail here before they even begin.
They think “starting a clothing line” means picking a cool name and slapping a design on a hoodie. But successful founders know: you’re not selling clothes, you’re selling identity.
Its too easy to find some fashion house that claims to "do it all"....They don't and they charge too much!
Ask yourself the deeper questions first:
Who is my clothing brand for? (Streetwear kids? Yoga mums? Dragon-ball-z GYMBRO's?
What do they value—status, comfort, sustainability, exclusivity?
Why would they choose YOUR line over Asos, Nike, Urban Outfitters?
Build a range board before you even need to contact ANYONE. (no one does this for you). This is something we do teach, if you are interested. click here.
Pro tip: Create a brand book that covers your story, values, visuals, and customer. This becomes your north star. If you want to learn how, click here.
Step 2: Design Smart — The “Hero Product” Principle
Don’t create a lot of products, create the right product.
For clothing brands, that means focusing on your hero product—the single piece people can’t stop talking about.
Gymshark had their leggings.
UGG had their boots.
Supreme had their box logo tee.
Your job is to find your “one thing.”
How?
Sketch your concept (no artistic talent required).
Create a simple tech pack - (I have a template example here)
Start with 1–3 designs max.
Pro tip: Keep it lean, Don't buy an embroidery machine! Want to save cash when starting your brand?
Click here to find out how we do it.
Step 3: Find the Right Manufacturer
Here’s where most beginners panic.
They wire money overseas, only to get back products that look nothing like their mock-ups—or worse, nothing at all.
Avoid the nightmare by:
Vetting at least 3–5 manufacturers.
Always ordering a pre-production sample before bulk.
Negotiating minimum order quantities (MOQ) so you don’t drown in stock.
Pro tip: Watch my (find your own manufacturer clip here)
Step 4: Build Your Store the Right Way
Your online store is your brand’s home. If it’s clunky, slow, or confusing, you’ll lose sales! simple as that.
That’s why I recommend Shopify.
Plug-and-play apps.
Clean, mobile-friendly themes.
Built for scaling brands (not hobby projects).
Your essentials:
High-quality product photos.
A brand story page (people buy stories, not just shirts).
Easy, fast checkout.
Pro tip: Don't hire a web developer! Develop a skill instead.
Step 5: Launch Like It’s an Event
This is where 90% of new brands fail. They do the dreaded “store’s open, come buy!” post… and then no one comes to the party. (reminds me of my 8 yr old Hawaiian shirt party)
Instead, treat your launch like a real event
Pre-sell hype: Teasers, countdowns, influencer seeding.
Build a waitlist: Collect emails, DMs, and SMS subscribers. (drive traffic to your form)
Drop strategy: Limited stock, time-sensitive discounts, or bundles.
Your goal isn’t just sales on day one—it’s momentum.
Step 6: Grow Into a Successful Clothing Brand
Starting is one thing. Growing is another.
Here’s how to turn your launch into long-term profit:
Run paid ads: Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and TikTok are where your buyers live.
Create content: Reels, TikToks, email campaigns.
Build community: Loyalty programs, ambassadors
And here’s the kicker: your brand doesn’t need millions of followers. You just need a loyal 1,000 who buy every new drop.
Pro tip: My favourite book for this is 12 months to $1 million - Ryan Daniel Moran
Want help with setting this up? Click here to find out how we help!
The Big Mistake Most Founders Make
They think “more products” will save them.
It won’t.
The truth:
More designs = more complexity.
More SKUs = more risk.
More stock = more cash tied up.
The real path? One hero product, one clear launch, one system. Then scale.
That’s how you start a clothing brand from scratch and actually win.
Your Next Step
If you’ve made it this far, you’re serious.
Reading books only took me so far, Execution took me to a 90k week in sales.
That’s why I created the Clothing Brand Playbooks—step-by-step strategies to:
Build your brand identity.
Find manufacturers without wasting money.
Launch your clothing line with confidence.
Gain confidence without paying $50k to some "In house fashion agency" OR a "Done for you Manufacturing Service."
