11 Clothing Designing Business Success Stories [2024]
A clothing design business involves conceptualizing stylish clothing and accessory designs, selecting fabrics and materials, assembling prototypes and finished products, and determining production and distribution plans.
To launch a successful clothing line, you need to understand industry trends, choose a profitable niche like sportswear or business formalwear, use digital design tools for easy iterations and adjustments, implement lean manufacturing to control costs and market aggressively on social media and through influencer partnerships.
With keen business acumen and appealing designs, a clothing design business can stand out in a crowded apparel marketplace. Focus on building a clothing brand that resonates with consumers and enables growth year-over-year.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a clothing designing business:
1. Hawthorn ($600K/year)
Rob Williams and Tom Lovelace founded Hawthorn in 2014 after realizing the need for low quantity, fully custom clothing manufacturing for start-up brands. They started by tailoring their own muscle fit tee-shirts and expanded to producing clothing for other brands after facing challenges finding manufacturers in the UK. Through their perseverance, they gained industry experience and contacts, leading them to start Hawthorn as a full-time business.
How much they make: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5.5K
Current team size: 0
This case study follows the journey of Hawthorn, a UK-based custom clothing manufacturer that designs clothes for start-up brands, and offers the lowest minimum order quantity in the industry, producing bespoke orders for as little as 50pcs per design.
2. KAHINDO ($60K/year)
Kahindo Mateene, Founder and Chief Creative Director of KAHINDO, came up with the idea for her luxury sustainable fashion brand after launching a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014. She repurposed fabric scraps into clutches made by women in her hometown of Goma, Congo. Inspired by her Pan-African upbringing and desire to create positive change through fashion, she rebranded in 2017 and now incorporates original prints and African stories into her designs.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
Current team size: 1
KAHINDO is a sustainable women's luxury fashion brand that celebrates African fashion and promotes ethical work practices, with annual sales of $60k and wholesale clients like Rent The Runway.
So... can you actually make money with a clothing designing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Everlane ($120M/year)
At just 25 years old, Michael Preysman had a vision to create a direct-to-consumer clothing brand that would not only stand out from the competition, but also have a minimal impact on the environment. His vision became a reality as Everlane's value skyrocketed from $0 to over $100 million in just six years. Learn more about their journey to success on pixelphant.com.
How much they make: $120M/year
Current team size: 333
In this case study, Michael shares:
- Idea: Champion transparency showing exactly how much it costs to produce each product
- Early traction: A referral invite list that went viral and hit 60K subscribers in 5 days
- Funding: Raised $1.1M in seed funding and earned $50M in revenue that same year
4. Nasty Gal ($55.9M/year)
How much they make: $55.9M/year
Current team size: 217
Nasty Gal, founded by Sophia Amoruso in 2006, experienced a revenue increase from $250k to $30m; Amoruso published the hashtagged book "#GIRLBOSS" and the TV program "Girlboss" was distributed to 100 million households.
So... can you actually make money with a clothing designing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. TwirlyGirl ($1.09M/year)
How much they make: $1.09M/year
Current team size: 5
TwirlyGirl, a Los Angeles-based children's wear brand, has sold tens of thousands of dresses and is available in over 100 children's boutiques worldwide, while valuing one unique item of clothing over a wardrobe of rarely worn outfits, and goes the extra mile by offering excellent customer service.
6. Sleeping Baby ($4.92M/year)
Stephanie and Brett Parker's journey from a $500 website and $200 for materials to building a multi-million dollar baby product line, Sleeping Baby, is a true example of entrepreneurial success. Their best-selling product, the Zipadee-Zip, has gained popularity among new parents, catching the attention of investors on ABC's Shark Tank. This inspiring story showcases their problem-solving skills and passion for parenting.
How much they make: $4.92M/year
How much did it cost to start: $700
Current team size:
Business Insider-style synopsis: Aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from Stephanie and Brett Parker, who turned $700 into a multi-million dollar baby product empire with Sleeping Baby, founded in 2013, thanks to problem-solving skills and their best-selling baby swaddle Zipadee-Zip.
So... can you actually make money with a clothing designing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Tommy John ($22.6M/year)
Erin Fujimoto and Tom Patterson founded Tommy John in 2008, introducing the world's first patented undershirt with a stay-tucked guarantee. Recognizing the opportunity to improve the quality and customer experience in the underwear market, they later expanded their product line to include underwear, socks, casual wear, and activewear. By 2014, Tommy John's revenue had grown fivefold, and the brand has gained recognition in major publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Esquire, GQ, and Golf Digest. Today, their products can be found in over 1000 retail locations across the USA, and they have recently sold their 5 millionth pair of underwear.
How much they make: $22.6M/year
Current team size: 162
Tommy John, the vertically integrated consumer brand in the underwear market, has grown to selling over 5 million pairs of underwear across 1000 retail locations with a focus on direct-to-consumer relationships since 2012 that has seen the company's revenue grow five times since 2014.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings