Mark Dodds

Fabric Technician

Mark Dodds graduated from the University of Leeds in 2001 with a BA in textile management. Since then Mark has worked for various suppliers to the British fashion industry in technical and sourcing roles, travelling the world to source fabrics and working with garment making factories to make products sold to the British and US high street retailers.

In 2010 Mark partnered with Christopher Waller to set up a luxury womenswear fashion label. In doing this he gained experience working with small UK manufacturers, fabric suppliers, PR and sales agents and as a result knows first hand what it’s like to be a fashion start up and the challenges that they face. In 2012 Christopher Waller joined Fashion Scout and presented the collection during London Fashion week.

Mark now works as a consultant and has contracts working for ASOS.com, Charlotte Tilbury and Oliver Spencer, retaining Christopher Waller as a design consultancy business.

Fabric Sourcing:

• What are the good fabric shows to go to?
• Where can you look for small quantities other than Berwick St?
• What to ask fabric mills
• Care label requirements and what the law says you need to display
• Making sure your fabric is fit for purpose

PR, press and sales:

• How to source a good PR agency
• What you might expect to pay for PR and how to make the most of it
• The value of good PR
• Ways in which you might generate your own PR
• The value of affiliation and collaborations
• What your PR may ask of you
• Sales agents and what to look for
• What trade shows would be valuable to you and how you might approach them
• What funding is available to help you with a trade show and where you may obtain this
• What a buyer will look for in your brand in order to take you on
• The pitfalls of selling to trade – payment terms, discounts and “sale or return”

Visit ‘Masterclasses‘ to view the next installment from Mark.