Kre8ivly Twysted wrote:
How do independent designers get paid when stylists want to pull items for their shoot?

When they sell an item as a result of the exposure afforded to them by the images from the shoot.




Just my $0.02

Ciao
Stefano
www.stefanobrunesci.com

-B-R-U-N-E-S-C-I- wrote:

When they sell an item as a result of the exposure afforded to them by the images from the shoot.




Just my $0.02

Ciao
Stefano
www.stefanobrunesci.com

Or as a result of their rocking new image for the item.

Kre8ivly Twysted wrote:
Hi! I'm just getting my name out there in LA with my clothing and jewelry line but I had one question. How do independent designers get paid when stylists want to pull items for their shoot, or do they get paid at all? For the most part I've been just letting stylists pull but everyone has bills to pay, so I was wondering how that works and if they do get paid, how much do they usually get paid?

right now you should be so happy anyone is willing to pull your pieces and give you images. Once you have invested in a professional website, have a coherent look book, etc... is when you can worry about starting pull fees.

My stylist pulls from top designers and never pays them a fee for editorial pulls.

Too much of the time people want to get paid before they are able to handle the commitments of accepting money for their services.

Paul Tirado Photography wrote:
As much as I hate the dreaded "E" word used on me as a photographer, I would think the main goal in lending you pieces to stylists is to lend them to stylists who can give you true "exposure".

Not to say that there are not designers getting paid out there to lend pieces - I have seen some quote prices on here but I will let them speak on that - but the hope is that lending them out to credible stylists will get them seen. True exposure by the way mean things like published editorials in print mags.  Lending them out so the stylist can have something her friend can where on a test shoot....not so much.

Thanks for the advice. I am just starting out so I was just wondering how that worked from my angle. I didn't know if I was supposed to be getting paid for the pieces I lend out or not.

Star wrote:
right now you should be so happy anyone is willing to pull your pieces and give you images. Once you have invested in a professional website, have a coherent look book, etc... is when you can worry about starting pull fees.

My stylist pulls from top designers and never pays them a fee for editorial pulls.

Too much of the time people want to get paid before they are able to handle the commitments of accepting money for their services.

I am happy that credible celebrity stylists want my pieces, don't get me wrong. Even without a professional website, or a coherent look book my pieces both in clothing and jewelry have been a hot commodity among stylists. I was just asking because I am just starting to work with different stylists and from working as an intern with other celebrity stylists & style houses I've heard the term pull fee, so I was wondering when the pull fee was applicable and if it was to me. That's all

sweetcheekscouture wrote:
Most designers don't get paid by for pulls. You should be happy if you can get your designs featured in an editorial. I shot an editorial and someone called and bought a one of a kind couture caftan and every piece of jewelry that the model was wearing.

The only time I ever had anyone think they were going to get paid they were just starting out.

I laughed and pulled jewelry from a major designer instead.

(I should clarify that the images were for publication -- not a test).

Thanks! I am just starting out so I didn't want to ask for a pull fee and that's not applicable to me...or the stylist look at me like I'm stupid and not want to work with me anymore. So now I get how it works. Thanks again

Kre8ivly Twysted wrote:
Hi! I'm just getting my name out there in LA with my clothing and jewelry line but I had one question. How do independent designers get paid when stylists want to pull items for their shoot, or do they get paid at all? For the most part I've been just letting stylists pull but everyone has bills to pay, so I was wondering how that works and if they do get paid, how much do they usually get paid?

Most stylists aren't going to pay to pull items for a shoot, at least not anyone who's even somewhat established and has resources in terms of access to other indie designers and or showrooms and I can speak from personal experience in saying that the only garments I've ever purchased are those that I altered for a shoot and as such they weren't pieces I spent a great deal of money on in the first place.

With that said if you're looking to get paid for your pieces then sell your pieces, it sounds simplistic because it really is that simple and moreover there are numerous avenues available to you to do this including but not limited to the following:

1) Host seasonal sample sales. You can do this 2-4 times a year and if you're not looking to have a physical sale you can do it digitally on your website.

2) Check out sites like StoreEnvy or USTrendy or CraftandCuture which are specifically geared towards more indie designers selling their wares as a means of moving your pieces. You can also be listed in http://www.indiedesignerlabels.com/ for FREE which might draw clients to you.

3) Look into an arrangement with a boutique that works like a co-op where you're not paying rent but you are helping out at the store in exchange for your pieces being in stock.

The bottom line: Don't look towards stylists to pay your bills instead look towards actual commerce-based opportunities.

Good luck

Ebony White wrote:
Interesting there are no responses from actual designers on this post.  The fee that I charge any unknown stylist I've never worked with before covers the cost of the garments and is refundable, maybe minus a cleaning fee.  Unless I am able to attend the shoot and care for the garments, which depends on my availibiltiy.  I tend to not trust my garments out to random people I don't know.  I am very picky. Most often, stylists I work with are usually solicited by my publicist or I've worked with them before OR know their work.  As an independent designer my samples are far more expensive than samples of a big fashion house, and much harder for me to replace.  Everyone thinks they are doing you a favor by wearing your clothes, but you really only benefit from certain people wearing your clothes.  For us small designers clothing (materials, patterns, sizing, working with factories/sample makers/sewers, duplicates, transporting, shipping, cleaning, beyond and not to mention your own skills and creative contribution) can be very very expensive to make (far more than most people who don't have to do think it is) and EXTREMELY time consuming. Most samples are worth more than going to buy something out of H&M.  Make sure you put yourself in a position to cover your garments, cleaning and damage, or that the exposure you get is worth the cost of the garment you are sending out in case you never get it back.  Hope that helps!

Of course like anything else the law of supply and demand applies but someone wearing your clothes and pulling clothes for publication in an editorial is a little different.

Though I would think having something of yours worn on the red carpet by a major celebrity would be the kind of publicity you can't buy as a small independent designer.

In the case of the editorial I shot where everything the model had on sold ( a woman called and said I want everything the model has on) the caftan was somewhere in the neighborhood of $800 - $1000 and the jewelry was all custom pieces from an atelier on Worth Avenue probably all the pieces together in the 5 to 6 K range.

So of course it depends . . .  you have to be able to determine whether or not the pull is of value to you.

I also know a pricey equestrian boutique out here in Wellington who trots pretty girls out to polo in clothes and accessories from his store.

He sells a lot of merchandise that way.