I figured it has been so long since I wrote anything, that maybe I should update and write a bit of what I've been up to. Needless to say, the fashion blog was a bust. It is just way over saturated and it's too late in the game to get in there and actually get seen and read. I also don't have the budget to purchase and showcase exciting designer items like others do. This doesn't mean I have been sitting around doing nothing though! For one, we had a baby in June, so that has kept me VERY busy. On top of that I have turned my Etsy sewing hobby into a full on business. As of June, I am Isalina Swimwear. So that has kept me extra busy. I have been doing a ton of research and reading up on business ownership, and specifically swimwear business. Although there are a few vague things I have found, there aren't many specific things to go off of and so I thought it would interesting to write down and document my experience here, and maybe that will help someone in the future!
So, to start, I decided to trademark my name. I came up with a unique name idea which is my 2 daughters names shortened and put together; Isalina. Little did I know, the trademark process actually takes around 9 months. Crazy, right? I thought I was going to pay and have it same week. So that was the very first thing I had done, on the business side, creatively I had already begun sewing my own samples and sketching other ideas. I had decided to take on a fashion show in DC for DC Swim week late July to get some eyes on my pieces and get some word of mouth and interest in the brand. That event was fun and I would say it is worth it for someone who could jump in and be super social and network with others. I, however, am the opposite of that and was even avoiding doing the designer interviews and had trouble talking to anyone! I did get a bit of exposure to the industry and really the only downside was losing a bikini top sample during the process. Before doing any type of networking event such as this I would recommend setting up a website with a web hosting site such as Shopify. I did not do this before the event and therefor couldn't hand out my business cards with my domain on them because it wasn't set up yet. I didn't want people to go to the site and receive an error message. Currently, I am looking into business and personal loans as well crowdfunding like kickstarter to help fund this project. But, before I can set up my kickstarter I need to have great professional photos done of my products. In order to do this, I have to have professional samples made by my manufacturer so that what I am advertising is what people would be getting. And, it's little details like this that I couldn't exactly find online and I just had to figure out and arrange on a timeline in my head. For right now, I am just trying to stay positive and motivated and not lose focus of my goal! Some days are harder than others and I just think I am crazy for having this big dream.
Here are just a few photos from DC Swim Week of my collection!
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| I wore my Camilla dress with nude lace up sandals. Be kind, I was 1 month after having a baby! |
If you want to follow along with I'm doing, head over to my
instagram HERE
To pre-order anything please contact me at Monikasanguinetti@gmail.com
