Sobering wake up call's are necessary now and then

After the holidays, I decided to take a much needed respite from the business of business and immersed myself in just creating for the past couple of weeks. But the brain is a stubborn organ and sneaks in little jolts of guilt mixed with reflections on how I can make this business work. Happily, I managed to get some new designs completed and figure out my next strategic move while doing it.I took the harnesses to a contractor in the garment district, no world traveling needed to cut costs right there. His name was Igor and he reminded me of a cartoon about a bee that I loved as a child. He was round, jolly, smiling, spoke with a thick European accent (not the bee) all the while flitting about answering employee's questions, overseeing the work room and signing for deliveries. He was quick with suggestions about how to do the harnesses correctly, coupled with long explanations to verify his points. I was grateful for that. He talked about his bulldog and how he would never wear clothing but praised the styling of the harnesses and even loved the sweaters, asking questions about them. We ended our meeting with him saying, why don't you take these sweaters to Bloomingdales?? I explained that they're too expensive to be sold wholesale, that I've been selling them on line and at vendor shows, to which he replied, "People who buy expensive items like this, go to stores. They don't shop on line". There is some truth in that (a lot in fact) The people who had purchased my sweaters at the shows, felt them and examined the details. It's the feel of the alpaca, it's softness and warmth, the uniqueness of them that can't be totally appreciated on a web page.

I wrote to Patricia in Peru telling her I was rethinking my strategy and that if we continue doing business we have to figure out a way to cut the cost considerably so I can offer new styles to wholesale venues. She’s working on it and will send me new materials to consider. Either way, I won't go into production until I get the orders to back it up.


A second blizzard halted my plans to go to the Indigo print show this week to do some color and trend research, but I did manage one day at Printsource before the deluge.  Because it's for Sp/Su.2012, there were no knit swatches and the same type of prints were shown, booth after booth. The kid's stuff was outstanding but the rest was just more of the same. 
Next step, I'll give Igor my specs and pattern information and he'll make up a set of samples for me that I can present them at the trade shows as well as figure the yield of the harnesses. I’m guessing 6 to 8 per yard. It’s on to the Texworld show next week to find suitable fabrics and vendors willing to sell me closeout couture fabrics at cheap prices.

Meanwhile, Lollypups sweaters are now being offered at Bark and Meow, a small pet boutique in Tarrytown, NY.  All these snowfalls may prompt a few local shoppers into purchasing a sweater or two for their shivering fur babies!