Style By Geraldine wrote:
...building good relationships with designers...

Geraldine I'm not familiar with your market thus can only reflect on mine... I have no difficulties collaborating with designers, albeit I always provide my credit card as collateral, and typically have the garments professionally cleaned after the shoot also provide imagery with their logo/branding (not mine) (example) 

Additionally I invest the time to understand the visual statement of each designer I collaborate with, the type of fabric texture they prefer to work in... i.e. what fabric stories they like to create... the color palette/harmonies of their current collection...  whether they prefer a tight line or silhouette as apposed to a loose draped fit narrative... This list goes around the block, know/understand/appreciate what is involved in the creation of a collection...

Additionally I research a designer's formal training, which institutions they studied in and what credential they have garnered... complimenting their previous successes and query as to future exasperation...

Most importantly I meet with them at their studio, learn their collection roll-out schedules... assure them I'm on the same page as to aesthetics and discuss how best to showcase their creations to meet/exceed their marketing objectives... It's about meeting THEIR needs not yours...

Style By Geraldine wrote:
...there are some designers who are only willing to loan only if its for a legit magazine shoot...

Experience is a brutal teacher, having a "Pull Letter" goes a long ways to mitigating this issue...

Style By Geraldine wrote:
...I can get them on average 20K (this is a very conservative estimate) views on various social media platforms...

Treating them to Starbucks might be a better choice here...  views on social media lack merit other than questionable perceived worth/value...

Bottom Line? Fashion designers need to differentiate themselves from background noise in a competitive marketplace. They rely on practices involve lifestyle branding which is derived from a unified look in how their collections are showcased. Successful designers produce style narratives that create genuine value for customers.

The sooner you comprehend/appreciate the aforementioned the easier your tenure within the industry will be...

All the best on your journey...

Style By Geraldine wrote:
Hello does anyone here have any tips on building good relationships with designers for loaning outfits besides obviously not destroying their clothes LOL.

I'm asking this because sometimes I would like to loan outfits for a particular shoot but the designer with the clothes suitable for the shoot refuses to loan. I'm talking in terms of test shoots. Most designers are more then happy to loan as I work with a reliable team of photographers who churn high quality photos with great concepts, but there are some designers who are only willing to loan only if its for a legit magazine shoot.

I have tried telling these designers that although the credit for their clothes will not be in a magazine I can get them on average 20K (this is a very conservative estimate) views on various social media platforms.

So any other way to work around this dilemma?

Most of the time designers do not want to lend clothes for test shots because it may not benefit them(the designer).My advice would be to utilize Model Mayhem and network with designers that will loan you clothes.
also check out these links there's a lot of tips for wardrobe stylist here especially the school of style blog:
http://www.theschoolofstyle.com/blog/
http://searchingforstyle.com/2012/11/as … .com/blog/

Here is a website that lets stylist post borrowing request:
http://pret-a-portel.com/

Style By Geraldine wrote:
Hello does anyone here have any tips on building good relationships with designers for loaning outfits besides obviously not destroying their clothes LOL.

I'm asking this because sometimes I would like to loan outfits for a particular shoot but the designer with the clothes suitable for the shoot refuses to loan. I'm talking in terms of test shoots. Most designers are more then happy to loan as I work with a reliable team of photographers who churn high quality photos with great concepts, but there are some designers who are only willing to loan only if its for a legit magazine shoot.

I have tried telling these designers that although the credit for their clothes will not be in a magazine I can get them on average 20K (this is a very conservative estimate) views on various social media platforms.

So any other way to work around this dilemma?

Heh, I've only done a few shoots so far, but usually the deciding factor of whether or not I will work with a team is the photographer and model.

Nowadays I think I could handle loaning out clothes without being present at the shoot, but in the beginning trusting someone else with the clothes would have given me lots of anxiety too. Maybe if they were present for your first shoot with their clothes so that they could build their trust in you?

Or even just meeting with them for a chat helps. I've been approached online by a stylist/photographer team and then we met and talked/exchanged ideas.

Alannah J wrote:

Most of the time designers do not want to lend clothes for test shots because it may not benefit them(the designer).My advice would be to utilize Model Mayhem and network with designers that will loan you clothes.
also check out these links there's a lot of tips for wardrobe stylist here especially the school of style blog:
http://www.theschoolofstyle.com/blog/
http://searchingforstyle.com/2012/11/as … .com/blog/

Here is a website that lets stylist post borrowing request:
http://pret-a-portel.com/

Hello Alannah

Thank you for your response, yes I do understand that most designers don't like or won't loan for test shoots. Aside from good old fashion networking I am at wits end about this conundrum. Even when presented with a very experienced photographer and model its still not a big enough bargaining chip. I know it doesn't necessarily translate to dollars if the designer loans out for a test shoot but it sure beats letting the garment sit in the store or worst in the wardrobe to collect dust.

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By the way I fail to mention this earlier, the designers I wish to loan from are pretty much unknowns or students but I believe in their works and I personally feel that a good conceptual shoot would benefit everyone but a lot of them come with this thinking that if it ain't a magazine I ain't loaning. Also most of the time these test shoots do end up for submissions in legitimate fashion magazines but they usually start out as tests first and then my photographer will decide which magazine would like to pick up the photos for publication.

And of course I CREDIT lol.

Tiffany_B wrote:
Patience is key, as is the ability and willingness to be flexible about the vision ESPECIALLY when it's a TF* shoot. Consider that for me personally the promise of social media views is useless and I imagine that there are a great deal of designers who feel the same way since there's no guarantee that those views will turn into sales and while magazine shoots don't necessarily equate to sales either there are tearsheets and the chance to be seen by an audience that is more likely to have a higher percentage of viewers in the market looking to make purchases. With all of that said you may need to change you view of "suitable" to fit what actually is available to you especially since no matter how amazing the final images are no one is making any money off of them. Beyond that it may benefit you to 1) build up a core network of designers who you know are interested in shooting TF 2) Work out less standard barter arrangements e.g. they'll loan you a piece or two for a shoot if you style their lookbook collection or another shoot for them and/or 3) Embrace the art of the DIY when all else fails.

Good luck!

Hi Tiffany

Thank you for your insight!

1) Yuppp am still building unfortunately Singapore is really really tiny so the percentage of designers willing to loan is small haha but I gotta keep chugging anyhow.

2) Yeah I actually tried that one out already, works well for me with certain designers.

3) Yup ALL THE TIME hahaha.

Actually you know what I should be asking, how to be a better friend with designers LOL

Krystell Barraza wrote:

Heh, I've only done a few shoots so far, but usually the deciding factor of whether or not I will work with a team is the photographer and model.

Nowadays I think I could handle loaning out clothes without being present at the shoot, but in the beginning trusting someone else with the clothes would have given me lots of anxiety too. Maybe if they were present for your first shoot with their clothes so that they could build their trust in you?

Or even just meeting with them for a chat helps. I've been approached online by a stylist/photographer team and then we met and talked/exchanged ideas.

Hi Krystell

Awww yiss, a designers POV. Anyhoo presenting the designer with the concept, the photographer and model is usually how I go about it. I reckon after reading the comments it still goes back down to old fashion networking and good communication with the designers.

Style By Geraldine wrote:

Hi Krystell

Awww yiss, a designers POV. Anyhoo presenting the designer with the concept, the photographer and model is usually how I go about it. I reckon after reading the comments it still goes back down to old fashion networking and good communication with the designers.

Yup! ^.^