5 Tips to start a Kids’ Fashion or Beauty Brand

As part of this month’s theme, we are going to focus on how to build a fashion or beauty brand as a young creator. Here are 5 tips for parents to help your kid get started. We have 4 young guests came to our show to share their stories and experience on Spark Creators, if you want to listen to this series with your kids, don’t hesitate to tune in!

Choose Something Your Kid Loves

This is a general rule for most young entrepreneurs. Since young creators are not in the business to pursue money or fame at this age, of course they want to do something they really enjoy.

A fashion or beauty brand doesn’t fit for everyone though. Really figure out whether or not if your kid has an eye for fashion and a heart for style.

Just remember, either fashion or beauty brand, it has a lot to do with style. Does your kid likes unique style for their hair, outfit or accessories? If they do, they must have a lot of opinions on what to wear and how to dress. In fact, that’s definitely a plus for them if they want to create something in the fashion field.

Make Improvements on Existing Products

There are a lot of things you can do with your kids. For example, if you have girls, ask your kids to think about hair accessories, jewelry, make-up, dresses, nail polish, bags, socks and shoes etc. If you have boys, you can brainstorm around hat, belt, shirt, suit, shoes, socks, bowties and neck ties etc.

Also try to find all the existing products related to fashion that you have already bought. Can you guys change simply material or style to make it better? Would people also think it’s better and willing to get yours instead of the common ones they can find in the market?

A good example we have is from our Spark Creators podcast - #40 and #41 Emma Shelton’s story of how she and her mom simply change the metal post into plastic on earrings. That simple change on material solve a problem for sensitive ears. Just remember, you can also do the same with another other products you already own.

Think About Quality or Quantity?

Now if you guys know what you want to improve or make, you have to think about the next question. Do you want to focus on quality or quantity?

This also has to do with your kids’ interests and personality. Do they like to make very detailed and sophisticated things or do they like to finish things fast? If they were to design or make things, do they like to serve other people’s needs or do they want to make a bunch and allow people to choose from their items?

Good examples we have is Ashlyn So - Founder of Pin2Gether and Emma Shelton - Found of Earrings by Emma. Ashlyn focuses on making very detailed clothes with unique design so she can attend fashion show with her clothes. She also makes custom gown for girls and women. On the other hand for Emma, she and her mom makes thousands pieces of earrings and sell them at events or stores. Ashlyn is going for quality and Emma is going for quantity.

Think about which one your kid would like and decide together which direction to go.

Find a Mentor From the Specific Industry

Why finding mentors for your kid is important? Mentors can give your kid suggestions and connections with people from the field. As a parent, you may think your kid doesn’t listen to you as well because you spend everyday together, but they were to introduce to someone they admire, they will listen to every word the mentor has to say.

But how can you get a mentor from the fashion industry? First you have to get your kids familiar with them. Watch TV shows or read magazines about them so your kids know whom they want to connect with.

If you happen to live in the same city with the potential mentor, find a way to email him/her for a coffee chat. Prepare some questions with your kids and ask about the potential mentor’s success story. If you guys met or talked on the phone, make a follow up email to see if they are open to chat for more questions in the future. Most people would say yes if they enjoyed the first chat with you. If they agree to answer more questions you have in the future, you literally have a mentor! Nobody has to be officially stamped to be a mentor, as long as you have a mentor and mentee connection, that’s good enough.

Be Part of Big Events or Fashion Shows

No matter if you guys decide to go with quality or quantity route, you need to build a brand and expose it to the public. Make a name and creating a logo is no doubt, but you guys also have to be out there to share your stories!

If people don’t know your name, then you are not building a brand. Always think of ways you guys can go out there to attend events, fairs or competition with your products or services.

Great examples also came from Ashlyn So and Emma Shelton. Ashlyn attended New York Fashion Week as the only kid designer when she was 11 years old; Emma went to the state fair with her mom and sold almost 2000 pairs of earrings over a weekend. Both of them enhanced their own brand by showing people what they have, and they keep doing this every year!

So, decide and design a good product to sell and show it to people. Once your kid think they are ready, help them get in touch with different events and shows. Let them appear in front of the public, make mistakes and find ways to improve. With all these ideas in mind, I hope your kids’ business and brand can only gets better!