When people think of fashion, there's really only a handful of cities that immediately spring to mind: namely, Paris, Milan, New York, and London. Indeed, the UK is at the heart of the international fashion industry, driving the direction of fashion on catwalks, boutiques, and chain stores worldwide.
So it's no surprise that the UK is fertile ground for new fashion outlets, making a fashion franchise a particularly attractive proposition for anyone who loves clothes and accessories. The dream really can come true, and you could be the head of your own little fashion empire.
But there's an easier route — via a fashion franchise — or you could pursue your love of fashion the hard way — with an independent outlet.
The UK fashion and textile industries bring nearly £20bn to the British economy each year, spanning everything from high-end designer labels to luxury knitwear, tailoring, workwear, leisure wear, and casual attire. Additionally, UK consumers spend £45bn a year on textiles and clothing, which has been continually increasing over the past decade.
Fashion franchises offer a gateway to a massively profitable and sustainable way to transform your working life. Most fashion franchises tend to specialise in one or more of the following categories:
- Childrenswear
- Womenswear
- Menswear
- Footwear
- Lingerie
- Sports attire, including swimwear
- Uniforms and professional outfitters
But in recent years, some fashion franchises have also catered to the incredibly profitable pet attire fashion sector — the global pet clothing market is worth a whopping $5.01bn a year.
However, we don't only buy our fashion items from physical stores in the UK. 55% of UK consumers purchased an item of clothing online in 2020, and the trend for buying online is continuing to grow.
So, if you're looking for a more fabulous way to earn your crust, consider investing in an instantly recognisable fashion franchise and enjoy the benefits of an existing brand that your future customers already know, trust, and love!
Franchising
Setting up a new brand in a saturated marketplace is extremely challenging because you start from a point of invisibility, and getting customers through your doors (virtual or otherwise) is an uphill struggle when you have no reputation. So it's no surprise that almost half of all independent companies go bust within five years of opening their doors as they struggle to recoup their initial investment.
However, investing in a franchise gives your new business a distinct head start because you inherit a raft of priceless benefits, including:
- A reputation for client loyality and excellent customer service
- An operational supply chain, offering the best value for you so that you can pass on the savings to your customers
- Online authority
- Instantly recognisable branding and curb appeal
Few other sectors rely more on brand than the fashion industry, so investing in a fashion franchise affords your new business instant appeal - enticing a customer base who already know and love your products. So, wherever you open your physical store or advertise your virtual store, you already have a following.
Fashion franchises come with a ready-made reputation, and it's vital that you're able to maintain and help enhance that reputation in your future customers' eyes. So, most parent companies offer excellent training opportunities to ensure you meet the standards they expect that will help your fashion franchise prosper.
Additionally, many parent companies provide some HR functionality, helping ensure your fashion franchise runs in compliance with business, financial, and employment regulations. That's the area of business that keeps most owners awake at night, so HR support is often worth its weight in gold.
When you invest in a fashion franchise with Franchise Direct, you buy into a company that will:
- Support your business development from Day One
- Provide ongoing advice and guidance, helping you maximise your earning potential
- Include licenses to the parent company’s instantly recognisable branding
Facts About Fashion Franchises
The UK's fashion industry is famous worldwide, employing over 500,000 people — 88,000 are engaged in manufacturing roles; 62,000 are involved in wholesale, and 413,000 are employed in the retail side of the sector.
34,045 fashion businesses were running in the UK in 2020, supplying the manufacture, distribution, and retail of home-grown and imported fashion items.
Of course, the stay-home orders of the UK changed the retail landscape drastically (however temporarily. Many consumers satisfied their shopping itch through eCommerce stores during this period, reflected by the upward trend in demand for clothing and footwear, with online sales accounting for 26.2% of fashion sales in the UK in 2022.
And while online sales went up in proportion to retail sales by as high as 62% in Feb 2021, the market share for online sales remains incredibly healthy. So, fashion franchises that embrace both physical stores and eCommerce opportunities can provide maximum access to gorgeous fashions for their loyal customer base.
Franchising Vs. Independent
Starting up in business independently presents a range of significant challenges and risks. However, fashion franchises allow new business owners to monopolise on a ready-made infrastructure, affording an off-the-shelf opportunity that's ready to go right from the start.
Independent companies regularly struggle for visibility against the noise of their established competitors — they have neither the marketing budget nor the buying power of the more prominent brands. This means that anything indies can offer will always be considerably more niche.
And with a niche product line, you can only ever appeal to a niche customer base, which is unlikely to support the ongoing health of their business.
Compare that with a franchise, which can instantly attract customers based on the buying power of its parent company. Your fashion franchise will also provide you with that essential branding license that draws repeat custom back to your store.
So, if you're looking for a new opportunity to leave the rat race behind and enjoy selling beautiful attire to happy customers every day, consider investing in a ready-made fashion franchise.
Fashion Franchises
Check out Franchise Direct's fantastic array of stylish fashion franchises, and help your future customers look good, feel great, and keep returning!
Find your brand new start with Franchise Direct.