Van Journal: changing the way I manufacture the Vanjo range

In the past I’ve designed for high streets during my career, but as I got older I noticed more and more the amount of stock that went into clearance or fabric that didn’t get used. The fast pace to produce something just because it was “in trend” meant that there was so much lingerie going through production. Hence why when I launched Vanjo back in 2005 I only made lingerie out of dead stock (fabric or trims that are left at the end of the roll that usually heads to the landfill as it’s no longer needed).

But let me be not be so quite self-righteous, I first discovered dead stock material when I contacted the fabric sales department in Liberty that sold directly to brands (to find the sales I just rang the shop enquired about buying fabrics wholesale and they gave me the contact number and email). It was there I learnt that they had previous seasons stock at a lower price and with low or no minimums. It was like a win win situation, for a small brand. If I could make a positive out of it then all the better. I researched environmental fashion brands and using dead stock fabric came up. Another USP found, and the fact there weren’t hardly any other lingerie brands at the time doing this made it all the better. In fact so little was known about this, that I once received an email from a shop stating that they didn’t think saving fabrics etc from going into the landfill was a strong move as people wanted new fabrics made not from last seasons. (I wonder what their view on this is now?)

I then found a man I did work experience for, whilst at university, who use to own a lingerie factory had gone into business of clearing out stock from other factories and brands and selling them on. Another dead stock contact found. I use to fly from N.Ireland to look around his warehouse and place my order. I had to commit to bigger orders but it was still way below minimums from an elastic or trim supplier.

The reason I tell you all this is that often we think we have to be bigger than we are to launch a brand, that we have to compete. Simple fact was back then I couldn’t afford or commit to placing big elastic or fabric orders, so my weakness in this design conundrum became my strength. I cheered for the fact that design runs were small and sometimes not many pieces were made in certain collections.

When I relaunched Vanjo two years ago I still wanted to work with dead-stock materials, for the reason of minimums and also having design restrictions makes in my opinion a better designer. This is why I try and encourage people when they first start out to find their USP or who they are selling to, otherwise you spend time wanting to do lots of designs and never focusing on the brand to strengthen it. Look at all the brands you like, and they will have a theme running through their brand, whether that is in the fabrics they use, the style of their lingerie or the colour etc.

I also decided to go down the path this time of making the lingerie when an order came in, again I sold this under being an ethical lingerie brand, only making lingerie when someone needed it meant that I wasn’t running off stock in every size, for that to be sitting about. But then problems starting to come about, in that running the Vanjo brand, along side writing, consulting and designing for others; meant that I was starting and stopping and it started to feel like I didn’t have the time to progress in anything, and there was a lot of juggling of balls (or elastics).

The reason I bring this all up is that I want you to know there are different ways to run your lingerie brand, especially if it isn’t yet your main gig. Running Vanjo is no longer my main gig, it’s writing about lingerie, helping other designers and sharing what I know, however there is always going to be a part where I want to do my own designing, so for the past month or so, I’ve been working out a way where I can still design, make it relevant and produce lingerie for the bigger cup market with interest and comfort.

So I’m altering the way I manufacturer and work, in the pipe line has been designing and launching patterns, and what better way than to make patterns available of the actual ranges. This way I can produce basic patterns and patterns that are more intricate, and also make the Vanjo range available again, however with a difference. I will no longer be doing collections, I will be simply producing one design set a month (or every two), and regarding sewing I will be piece making the range (which means instead of sewing one item up at once ,you cut it all out and sew say all the legs first then waist etc) so there will only be a set amount of each range. I’m not the first brand to have this idea, but I’ve only seen it yet in outerwear. One piece a month and when it’s sold it’s sold. The advantage here for me is that I will be able to produce a vaster range of designs and if you like the shape there will be a pattern available.

Sometimes what you perceive as your weakness in your designs, ie mine was time, can become your strength and you can take that and row against the tide of what everyone else is doing to what fits in best with you and your brand. Don’t compare yourself to others, or try compete with bigger brands or ones that have been about for years; you need to market your strengths and make what you perceive as your weakness as a strength.

And of course I’ll be marketing it as an ethical move, producing only one set a month to buy, that is produced in a certain number so no fabric is wasted or excess bought.