N17 Creative Callings – How to Manufacture Your Garments Part 1

On Wednesday 20^th May we had 76 individuals signed up to our N17 Creative Callings online seminar on Manufacturing Part 1 Sampling & Small Run Production.

If you have just started or are looking to grow a business in the Tottenham CEZ area, then please get in touch and we will advise on how N17 Creative Callings, supported by the Mayor of London and the European Social Fund, can help you and your business. Contact Esme: esme@fashion-enter.com

Interest was high on the topic of small run production and getting launch collections ready to sell and this online seminar was the best yet! It was with great anticipation that speakers Fashion-Enter CEO Jenny Holloway and Production Director Caroline Ash were at the ready to answer a wide variety of questions already sent in before the event took place.

This Zoom seminar was also the most cosmopolitan with participants engaging from Los Angeles, Australia, Nigeria, Netherlands and New York all waiting to learn about the sampling and small run process and ensuring production goes according to plan. 

The 3-hour agenda included:

• Overview of N17 Creative Callings Employer Engagement Programme
• Understanding the mind-set of sampling and short run studios/manufacturers
• What you need to do before your visit
• The sealing process – three seals – what are they?
• Paperwork – cover yourself!
• What can go wrong and how to avoid the pitfalls
• Lead times and critical paths – buffer!
• Moving from MTO to short run production
• Samples v showman sampling
• Next steps – slow to ethical fast
• Q&A

Jenny Holloway commented: “This was certainly most the interactive session to date and we are definitely creating a community of our own for N17Creative Callings. The questions were far ranging from how to stop issues with poor communication with suppliers to legal issues regarding ownership and IP of patterns and grades.

“One thing is for sure however that these are the most dramatic uncertain times we have ever experienced or likely to experience. The consumer landscape is changing and there are lots of terms that are now emerging such as equitable resilience within a desynchronised society, which basically means that we are all doing our jobs separately at home but all at different times and in different ways so communication becomes protracted and difficult. This in turn leads to more anxiety and stress along with financial uncertainty. This is why we are trying our best! We are trying to be as supportive as we can but then there is no point in being radical in your optimism. We are just kidding ourselves otherwise. So step-by-step we all just need to be fluid and responsive to whatever is coming our way! I’m looking forward to the next seminar on the 27^th on How to Manufacture Your Garments Part 2 regarding Bulk Production and Lean Manufacturing.”

Feedback from attendees included:

“I found the overall topic, the depths to which it was discussed and the Q & A at the end very useful.”

“I found the honesty of the speakers Caroline and Jenny, who obviously have loads of experience, really helpful. The speakers were genuine and trying to help.”

“The slide show with discussion and Q & A were really useful for me.”

“The session was great for the contact information, the terminology to use in factory settings and how to deal with it.”

“I’ve learned so much about the fashion industry through this seminar, lots of invaluable information that would usually be really hard to extract elsewhere. Passionate and brilliant speakers who are happy to go into detail and elaborate on very specific points. I’m so grateful I could attend and come away with so much.”

Book now for the next seminar How to Manufacture Your Garments Part 2 on the 27th May 2020.