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Iāve already written some thoughts on the apparel industry where it currently sits. Looking into the future, I see the potential for technologies starting with 3D printing that will enable people to create useful items locally and individually as needed. I think these early 3D printing devices are just the first step to something bigger. The technology will continuously get better and something new and currently unfathomable could even leapfrog adoption of current developments.
Weāre developing a greater demand for individualized products and services and while the modern economy has created massive corporations, many of these corporations are actually enabling more transactions between individuals. Look at EBay, Etsy, AirBnb and Uber for example. These are larger companies founded in order to connect a product or service with a buyer. Theyāre enabling a greater marketplace.
How does this all relate to apparel?
Technology is eroding our traditional apparel retail space. Older, larger and more established players are facing tremendous competition from new startups because these startups are being founded with the capabilities that older firms are being forced to adopt. I heard first hand, from an executive at a large but struggling retailer, a huffy lack of concern about these little players because theyāreĀ ātoo small to touch usā. I believe this is fool-hardy. If the digital space has taught us anything, itās that giants can be made in a relatively short time with fewer resources. You no longer need a thousand store fronts as one virtual storefront can reach the same number of people. The space is ever changing.
Apparel in the Future
We will, at some point, be able to make our own clothes more easily using technology (and no, I donāt mean using a sewing machine). Perhaps this is quite a way off, but itās certainly not just an idea for the sci-fi genre anymore. Someoneās body is scanned by a machine for sizing and out pops clothing that meets these exact specifications. Modern businesses are actively working on the technology that will eventually make this possible.
But will we ever want to make our own clothes? There is so much creativity involved in how we dress. Not everyone wants to be a designer. Then there are the curators, the taste makers, the trendsetters. And there are always those who care about appearance but are happy to go along with whatever comes along. Then there are those who donāt care about fashion at all.Ā
I can see technology such as this being great for designers, trendsetters, and those who donāt care about fashion. I envision a future marketplace for designers to share virtual patterns, trendsetters to share via social media (which Iām sure will have evolved far past where it sits today) and adopters choosing their items based on recommendations. Those who donāt care at all will just continue to make the same clothes over and over again as they wear out. In some ways, this is coming full circle to the days when departments stores stocked mostly fabric and patterns. It enables greater creativity in how we dress and trends will move differently.
As I said earlier, this grand future vision of re-enabling personalized apparel production is likely a long way off. However, steps in this direction are happening even now. Sizing and body modeling technologies are being developed. The online marketplace has enabled us to purchase unique products from all over the world. The potential for industry disruption for this is high but I believe that change will come over time. Weāll see continuous changes in the retail space enabled by technology. Iāve thrown my hat into the ring with Blue Stone Apparel, and Iām excited to see where we can take this both functional and creative industry in the future.
Back when I worked in the Supply Chain Strategy department at Gap, Inc, I was thinking constantly about the industry. I was smack dab in the middle of one of the largest apparel retailers in the world. But I didnāt feel good about it.
Why?
Gap is a great company founded with an ethical component. They employ over 100,000 people around the world. Their partnerships with factories result in even more jobs. Company-wide, there is an emphasis on community service and a certain number of work days are spent volunteering. They voluntarily raised the minimum wage for their employees. Though no company is perfect (the new skinny ads and some sourcing problems aside), I respect them and appreciated my time there.
However, there were industry-level problems that I noted and Gap was not immune. In order to compete, Glenn Murphy- the CEO at the time- would emphasize āWinningā and how we needed to keep driving to reduce seasonality and sell more clothes. I would look at my closet full of clothes- half of which didnāt fit- and thinkĀ āI donāt need more clothes, I need better clothesā.
I started thinking about the industry and where itās gone and should go. Prices have dropped. We now buy more for less money. But quality, which improved with technology during the industrial revolution, has also dropped significantly at all but the top price points. There is more innovation in fabric than ever. However, the race to the bottom to make something as cheaply as possible has caused so much harm- environmentally, financially and socially.
I believe that the industry will change out of necessity eventually and prices will go up because they have to. And the industry is in serious need of innovation! Why are we still operating on a glorified catalog model? Why do we have millions of articles of clothing for sale in this country and still canāt find anything to wear? Why isnāt clothing made to fit real people? Why do we have more options than ever and everyone pretty much looks the same?
These questions are why I started Blue Stone Apparel. We need to rethink how weāre running the business of clothing. There are others starting out with the same ideals, and I believe that together we can make a real dent in how we buy clothing.
Where do ideas for startups com from? To some they come easily flowing like water. To others theyāre more like a spout that drips then gushes. And yet to others, ideas are few. Or at least the recognition of ideas are few. Some people just donāt know to take their thoughts and feelings to the next step.
I tend to be of the drip then gush variety with periods of extreme productivity and creativity. However, at any given point in my creative cycle, I know that what always leads to my best ideas is listening to other entrepreneurs or business leaders talk about their experiences. To be honest, I zone out a little at these talks. But to me, thatās a good thing because I ultimately end up with aĀ āWouldnāt it be great if...ā thought.
So, If you donāt have those ideas flowing, consider surrounding yourself with inspiring people and letting your mind wander. Hereās how it works... I listen to a speaker:
āWe identified a problem with selling online in that women had trouble with sizes and returns. Busy professionals donāt want to deal with that, so we decided to come to them, blah blah blahā...
The blah blah blah parts were times when my mind kept going on what the speaker had just said generally tuning out the new stuff. Hereās a sample train of thought:
āThatās interesting that they decided to go back to direct sales rather than the online route. If only there were a better way to make sizing online work for women. Iām surprised this technology doesnāt exist yet for regular use. Wouldnāt it be great if we could more accurately gauge sizes using camera technology?ā
This example occurred several years back during a womenās business conference when founders of a womenās business apparel startup presented to the group. I had neither the resources or know-how to pursue this type of idea back then, but I noticed as time went on that there were several emerging startups working on the same idea. No one has perfected it yet, or if they have, it hasnāt made its way onto the market.
This brings me to another important point... it is nearly impossible to have an idea that no one else has ever considered. What sets successful entrepreneurs apart from dreamers is the ability to execute on their idea and turn it into something beautiful.
This is my ultimate goal and really, the biggest challenge of my life.
As I go through this experience, I was trying to decide whether or not to jump to social media to share all my highs, lows and exciting steps forward. Once I had a name and solidified a concept, I did what anyone starting a venture should do and secured the website and social media. If youāre curious:
http://www.bluestoneapparel.com
But how should I use social media at this point? I donāt have a product yet... just an idea (I will get to this in upcoming posts). But I think there are a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs out there who could learn from what I learn as I go; Learn from the mistakes I make and by watching the process of turning my vision into something real.
I think too many entrepreneurs are afraid to share anything in the fear that any sign of weakness could be detrimental to business reputation and the ability to secure precious funding. Maybe there is some truth to it, but Iām determined to show what it is about my ideas that has me so excited to get started! This blog is for me, and itās my chance to share this crazy process with whomever wants to listen. If no one wants to listen, Iām sure it will be therapeutic.
Where? Where to begin? This is the first thing I asked myself after making the jump out of my job and into my first real go as an entrepreneur.
A few months back, I was working for Gap Inc in Supply Chain Strategy. The position had highs and lows. Team morale was pretty bad, but I had a great boss and worked with some great people. I was proud of the work that I was doing on a team pushing out whatās basically an A/B testing solution for product in stores. But I was feeling unfulfilled largely due to the delay in my goal of entrepreneurship.
I finished business school a few years earlier and decided I needed some corporate work experience. And I really did. I took a job as a consultant out of MBA and worked in several different corporate environments before taking the position at Gap. I learned so much.
So, when it came down to making the decision to jump out and do my own thing, I did what any good MBA and part-time techie would do, and I white-boarded pros and cons:
Bad handwriting aside, I knew this was a serious decision. But several days and some additional thinking time later (this was over the holiday), and I realized a few things:
The most important realization I had is that the Cons were mostly excuses I was making because frankly, doing a startup (I mean really doing it... leaving your job, comfort zone, etc) is SCARY! I mean, it might fail. It really might. All I can do is be smart about my decisions, take calculated risks and just put myself out there.
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