Apple Accolades { STYLE TOOLS } BLOG
Advanced Search
CATEGORIES

At Shabby Apple, we value both artistry in design and the artists who create designs. We understand that many designers want to design and develop beautiful and unique clothing but don't want to hire employees, pay taxes, manage shipments to customers, manage marketing campaigns, manage customer service, manage returns or manage many of the other aspects of a business. Thus, in order to support start-up fashion designers and the fashion design community, we have developed our Emerging Designer Program.

Applicants who are accepted into our program will have their designs featured on the Shabby Apple website and will received 40% of the revenue from the sales of their designs. Emerging Designers will be in charge of designing, funding and manufacturing of all of their own designs. If the designer has never manufactured before, Shabby Apple will provide assistance with this process.

(NOTE: If you are an accessories vendor and would like to dropship with our site, please contact kweed@shabbyapple.com.)

To Apply:

  1. Create at least six designs. Consider fabric, cut, colors and shape. Designs must always have a sleeve, a hemline that hits no higher than the knee and also must show no cleavage at the neckline.
  2. Document designs. Designs can be submitted as sketches, CAD drawings, or physical samples.
  3. Name your line and explain your inspiration.
  4. Submit designs and information to:

    emergingdesigners@shabbyapple.com
    or
    Shabby Apple Emerging Designer Program
    250 W 75th Street #1C
    New York, NY 10023

    Once received, your designs will be submitted to the Shabby Apple Design Committee for review. You will be contacted within two weeks of Shabby Apple's receiving your designs.
Shabby Apple will be contacting you via email and will inform you of:
  1. Whether or not you are approved as a Shabby Apple Emerging Designer
  2. Which designs, if any, are approved
  3. What changes need to be made
Shabby Apple will not produce any of your designs without your consent. If you are approved, Shabby Apple will mentor you to help you produce your own line of clothing.

Role of Emerging Designer

  1. Designer must submit and have approved a minimum of 6 clothing designs per line. (Shabby Apple reserves the right to veto any design.)
    1. Designs must be original designs and must be congruent with the Shabby Apple Brand.
    2. Designs can consist of any article of clothing or accessory
    3. Designs must retail between $40 and $450 USD
  1. Designer must finance the manufacturing of all garments in his or her line
    1. A minimum of 400 units per style and colorway is required

Role of Shabby Apple

Shabby Apple will:
  1. Mentor the designer through the manufacturing process
  2. Market the designer's line
  3. Provide warehouse/shipping/returns and customer service for the designer's line
Manufacturing:

Shabby Apple will mentor the designer through the entire manufacturing process. Our production team will assist the designer in:
  1. Finding and using pattern-makers
  2. Sourcing fabrics and trims
  3. Grading patterns
  4. Getting and approving samples
  5. Finding an appropriate manufacturer (designers will also have free access to our customs broker and prepaid bond, allowing him or her to more easily manufacture abroad)
Marketing:

Shabby Apple will market the designer's line in the following ways:
  1. Photoshoots - Shabby Apple will organize and pay for all photoshoots for the designer's line, including hiring models, make-up artists, stylists, art directors and photo assistants and paying for all travel expenses and other expenses for the photoshoot.
  2. Website-Products will be featured on the Shabby Apple website. Shabby Apple website receives 230,000 hits per month and is growing.
  3. Email campaigns: Shabby Apple sends several emails a month to over 50,000 subscribers.
  4. T.V. ads: Shabby Apple just received an "Addy" the major television advertising award, for one of its television ads
  5. Discounts: Shabby Apple covers all fees included in discounts (sales excluded). These include, free shipping, 15% off etc.
  6. Blog Placements: Shabby Apple currently has a team of 20 working on placing Shabby Apple products on major blogs. Shabby Apple has been featured on thousands of blogs so far.
  7. 5% donation to Women's Charity NGO: Shabby Apple currently donates 5%of profit to women's charity. Although the designer is not responsible for donating, the designer's brand will be included in this donation and all of the advertising (facebook ads etc) done around the charity campaign.
  8. Search Engine Optimization: Shabby Apple has its own SEO team. Currently, if "women's dresses" is googled, Shabby Apple appears on the first page.
  9. Public Relations: Shabby Apple currently employs five public relations firms. These firms have helped Shabby Apple to be featured in, Lucky Magazine, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, Self, Fitness, Redbook, iVillage , Woman's World, Daily Candy, Wondertime, and the Today Show among others.
  10. Affiliates: Shabby Apple currently runs two affiliate marketing programs and has nearly 4,000 affiliates.
  11. Employee: Each designer receives a personal marketing employee exclusively dedicated to marketing his or her line.
  12. Facebook/Twiiter/Social Media: Shabby Apple has its own dedicated Facebook/Twitter employee whose sole responsibility is market Shabby Apple on these two sites
  13. Mobile SMS campaigns: Shabby Apple has both its own mobile website and an employee exclusively dedicated to Mobile marketing campaigns.
Shabby Apple will provide the following business services:
  1. Warehouse organizing and storage
  2. Shipping
  3. Labor
  4. Returns
  5. Exchanges
  6. Customer Service
  7. Accounting
  8. Monthly sales reports
  9. Sales taxes
  10. Wholesale relations

Shabby Apple splits the revenue of the designer's line 60/40 (60% Shabby Apple, 40% Designer). Payments are submitted monthly along with a statement of monthly sales.

Examples of Emerging Designers:

Manhattan Line: Rebekah McKinney
Jazz Line: Elizabeth Findlay
Carousel Line: Sarah Hansen
Shabby Baby: Alisa Clawson and Katie Erwin
Queensland: Elizabeth Findlay
Boysenberry Pie: Sarah Hansen
Skyscraper Line: Rebekah McKinney
Blossom Line: Elizabeth Findlay
Silk Road: Sarah Brasher
Mama Apple: Jaimie Stringer