How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits

• How To Build Trust With Customers As a New Brand With Niche Fit with Neha Samdaria of AAM The Label

  We’ve all been burned by an online clothing purchase that didn’t live up to its promised fit and quality. It is no wonder that women who don’t fit standard-size charts are hesitant to purchase from a new brand online. This is the challenge that AAM The Label CEO and founder Neha Samdaria has overcome within her brand that designs for pear-shaped women with fuller hips and thighs. In episode 113, Neha shares exactly what she did to build trust with her customers and factory, keep return rates super low, get stocked in Nordstrom, and have Buzzfeed and Forbes editors writing raving reviews. Neha Samdaria is the founder of Aam The Label, a sustainable fashion brand for the ~25% of women with fuller hips and thighs than the standard size chart. Founded based on her own experience as a pear-shaped woman and bootstrapped entirely from her savings, the brand is now available at Nordstrom and has been featured in Forbes and Cosmopolitan. Neha holds an MBA from Stanford and a Bachelor's In Science from Caltech. This episode explores: Fitting the customer How Neha created her own unique size chart for AAM The Label that focuses on body shape more than size How Neha conducts fit testing to make sure she gets the best fit for her brand and not just the individual fit models How AAM The Label got placement in Nordstrom Fitting the lifestyle The exact things Neha did to build trust with customers online How AAM The Label had to adjust to make wholesale work Neha’s original goals and timeline for business success and how her goals are different now The pros and cons of retail and wholesale The biggest mistake Neha made starting out Fitting the values What AAM’s values of fit, quality, and sustainability & ethics look like in practice How Neha found her factory, patternmaker, designer, and sample makers People and resources mentioned in this episode: AAM The Label website AAM The Label Instagram AAM The Label email Neha’s LinkedIn AAM The Label on Faire - wholesale marketplace Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth book by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.

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• How Made In the USA Clothing Connects Craft and Community with Kristina Collins

  What if clothes not only reflected the beauty and personality of the wearer, but brought together the skills, people, and livelihoods of a whole community? This is why Kristina Collins is passionate about producing her brand of jackets and sweaters in the USA as locally as possible. In episode 112, hear how she has focused her creativity and her sourcing to connect the community around her. This priority brings challenges, but also many opportunities to her fashion business. Kristina shares her transparent philosophy as well as her tips for brands wanting to set up a local supply chain of their own. Kristina Collins clothing is women's jackets, blazers, and sweaters designed and made in the USA. Our mission is stand-out, high-quality garments that are sourced and made with our local community at heart. This episode explores: Fitting the customer Why made in the USA is important to Kristina and her brand Why Kristina narrowed her offerings to just jackets and sweaters The dilemma with pricing products as a small brand Fitting the lifestyle & business How Kristina Collins navigates the seasonality of a Fall/Winter focused brand How Kristina is adjusting her design and production schedules to accommodate wholesale in 2025 The production model that is working for Kristina Collins Why Kristina recommends working with individuals instead of a full-package factory or agency when developing your brands first products Fitting the values The challenges and benefits of fitting your values in your fashion business How to make local manufacturing and production connections The types of fabrics and fibers that are easy to source in the USA Whether sample sales or resale hurt a brand’s reputation People and resources mentioned in this episode: Kristina Collins website Kristina Collins Instagram Kristina Collins LinkedIn Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.

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• This Brand Has Strong Opinions About Style and Women’s Rights with Kimberly Becker of K. Becker

  More and more in today’s fashion industry, women are the ones in charge and designing for themselves instead of for some unrealistic societal ideal. Kimberly Becker is doing this and going a step further for women’s rights with her brand K. Becker. In episode 111, hear how politics, feminism, and sustainability guide her work and how she’s using fashion to give back to causes that support women across the globe. Kimberly started this journey as a Textile Major at RISD. After graduating, she worked in the garment district of Manhattan for about a decade off and on – beginning at Liz Claiborne, and then moving to upholstery fabric design, always focused on designing the fabrics. Kimberly’s time at Liz Claiborne gave her priceless experience, both about how the business was run and also in getting exposure to the suppliers and manufacturers from around the world. Fast forward 25 years and she is creating art focused on women's rights. Her House Dresses and Dolls for Change were both discussions about how women are still facing an uphill battle in the world. Someone asked her why she wasn't designing clothing. They loved the way the dolls Kimberly was making were dressed. It took about 6 months for Kimberly to find the courage to try. That decision was life-changing. She’s one year in and the brand is settling into the collection and message she feels fits what she was aiming for. K.Becker is a collection of sustainable pretty things that fit and flatters real women's bodies. Empowering women is vital. When we feel beautiful we are a force. All clothing is sewn in NYC, and knit in Brooklyn and the company is an all-women team. Kimberly donates 5% of all profits to women-focused causes. In this episode, you’ll learn: The two sides of feminism in fashion and where Kimberly sees both in the industry today How politics and women’s rights activism sparked the idea for K. Becker Why Kimberly moved away from describing her brand as petite The thing that Kimberly asks her focus groups of women to bring The balance between being too corporate and too personal as a brand The core message and values that guide K. Becker How Kimberly met her factory and patternmaker The importance of consistency Why Kimberly doesn’t like to use blended fiber materials How Kimberly’s background in textiles influences her fabric and apparel design decisions People and resources mentioned in this episode: K. Becker website (use code "Fitting20" for a 20% discount!) K. Becker Instagram Kimberly’s email Kimberly’s LinkedIn Jane Hamill - Fashion Brain Academy - fashion business coach Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.

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• Orchestrating Change in Concert Attire For Classical Musicians with Mercedes Smith of Blackstrad

  Classical music is rooted in rich history, formality, and tradition - but does the musicians’ concert attire still have to be? Blackstrad founder and professional flutist Mercedes Smith thinks it is time for a change of pace in performance wardrobes. In episode 110, hear how she is designing new concert black attire that resonates with the individuality of modern musicians while keeping the harmony of a unified ensemble. Mercedes Smith has served as the Principal Flutist of the Utah Symphony since 2012, having previously held the same position with the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras. She has performed in Carnegie Hall, throughout Europe and Asia, and at renowned music festivals including the Grand Teton Music Festival, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and Marlboro. Never one to idle, Mercedes turned the pandemic into an opportunity, obtaining a real estate license and earning an M.B.A. from the University of Utah. Her latest endeavor is the creation of Blackstrad, a line of concert attire designed for the modern musician. She resides in Salt Lake City with her husband and three very silly dogs. In this episode, you’ll learn: The role fashion plays in music performance The challenges musicians face in finding concert attire The gender inequality of concert dress codes (it's not what you think) How Mercedes got started on her brand How to know when a design is done and get over perfectionism What surprised Mercedes by how difficult it was  Why Mercedes wishes she had trusted her patternmaker more Why Mercedes doesn’t like the term “sustainability” The unique business model of Blackstrad Mercedes’ plans for Blackstrad and her own future People and resources mentioned in this episode: Blackstrad website Blackstrad Instagram Blackstrad email Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.

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• Questions To Ask Your Fabric Supplier To Ensure Quality & Consistency with Thomas Oviedo of Carr Textile

  Sourcing fabrics that fit their design, values, and budget is one of the biggest challenges designers face in making their designs a reality. It is such a relief when you can find a fabric supplier you can count on to grow your business. In episode 109, meet Thomas Oviedo, the Sales Manager at Carr Textile. In our conversation, he breaks down Carr’s fabric offerings, printing services, and rigorous quality testing process. Thomas also shares a list of questions to ask fabric suppliers to determine which fabric is the right fit for your project. Whether you are looking for 1yd or upwards of 10,000yds, Carr is here to help. Thomas Oviedo is the Sales Manager at Carr Textile Corporation, a leading name in stock fabric programs, digital printing on all fibers, and cap component manufacturing. With over 23 years of extensive experience in the textile industry across various sectors, Thomas has developed a deep understanding of market dynamics and customer needs. With a remarkable 51 years in business, Carr Textile has established itself as a one-stop shop, offering an extensive range of fabric options and services to meet the diverse needs of the industry. Carr Textile boasts a current stock inventory exceeding 6 million yards, all available with no minimum order requirements, making it a go-to resource for customers. Recently, Carr Textile acquired Philips-Boyne, a fine woven shirting company based in New York. This strategic acquisition positions Carr Textile to better serve various segments of the apparel industry, further enhancing its market reach. In this episode, you’ll learn: The innovative printing services Carr Textile offers within their TexTerra division The pros, cons, and costs of different printing methods What types of fabrics Carr Textile offers and specializes in Where Carr produces and stocks their fabrics The extensive fabric testing Carr Textile does in-house to ensure quality and consistency The ways Carr Textile supports brands from start-up to large corporate Good questions to ask your fabric supplier Thomas’ outlook on the effects of potential tariff increases The eco-friendly fabric lines and printing processes Carr offers People and resources mentioned in this episode: Carr Textile website Carr Textile Instagram Thomas’ email Thomas’ LinkedIn Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.

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