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How to build your voice in fashion π£
Published 2 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
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Hey there, Reader!
In this week's CFC newsletter, you'll find:
𧡠How to build your unique voice (or brand) in fashion
𧡠30 conscious content ideas and a guide to textile & fashion regulations
𧡠Canada's anti-greenwashing guidelines and more industry news
𧡠A circular designer award competition, a mentorship opportunity for emerging fashion changemakers, and an artisan research manager consultant opening
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In a world of AI and increasing levels of mistrust, it has never been more important to communicate your authentic voice in the fashion space, whether you're building your business' brand or personal brand.
The idea of having a "brand" is not to turn into a human corporation, but to have your name β or business name β be top of mind when someone is looking for expertise or quality in a specific area.
Here's what I mean:
π¬ When someone asks: do you have a referral for someone who does Y for Z? You want your name to pop up in that discussion.
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π¬ When someone asks: do you know of a sustainable brand that makes THIS? You want your business to come to mind.
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π¬ When someone asks: do you have recommendations for where I can learn about TOPIC? You want someone to suggest your content.
That is the power of specificity and brand-building.
As creatives we might fear being too niche, for fear that it'll limit us.
But being specific doesnβt mean you canβt explore other topics or change directions later. Itβs simply about creating a strong connection between your expertise and your audience.
β‘οΈ So, how do you build your voice to stand out in fashion?
If you haven't already, decide on your focus, like circular design, degrowth, textile innovations, or scouting out vintage finds. Again, this can change and expand later on! (But it should relate to your services, products, or the type of job you want.)
Once you've decided on your focus, think about who you want to reach with that content. What are their pain points in that area? What questions or concerns or confusions do they have?
How will you communicate? Are you great at simplifying complex topics? Are you a great writer? A great listener and interviewer? Are you funny? Think about what comes naturally to you.
Start creating content consistently in these areas *and* iterating based on what's working or not. (We won't always get it right!)
Before you panic on that last point, consistency doesnβt mean daily posting, and βcreating contentβ doesnβt mean being a full-blown content creator.
Content can take many forms:
Showing behind-the-scenes looks at your work
Sharing your perspective on a topic
Highlighting a resource relevant to your niche
Asking thoughtful questions to spark conversations (as one of our CFC Members shared in a recent Feedback Session!)
Looking for more content ideas?
We have a brand new completely free guide to 30 Conscious Content Ideas tailored for sustainable fashion businesses to support your next content brainstorm session.
I hope it can be helpful for you! We can't wait to see what you create.
Feeling stuck on creating content for your business? We get it! While creating content on a consistent basis is powerful for building your personal or business brand, it can also feel exhausting to constantly think of new ideas while you're already juggling a million other things on your business and personal to-do lists.
This free guide features:
The 6 types of content we recommend for attracting an audience, nurturing leads, and bringing in customers.
30 specific content ideas relevant to sustainable fashion (for product-based or service-based businesses)
From sustainable products regulation to EPR requirements country-by-country this guide from Carbonfact has it all! You'll get an overview of over 30 different regulations across the EU and U.S. in this in-depth guide.
Calling all emerging circular designers! The annual Redress Design Award, which features a fashion design competition & education program for emerging designers is taking applications for their 2025 awards. Submit a contemporary collection using waste textiles and circular design strategies. The winner wins a HK$50,000 (US$6,400) in development funds.
Global Fashion Agenda's Next Gen Assembly is an opportunity to network with peers and learn from mentors in sustainable fashion. This opportunity is open to students and recent grads (ages 18β30).
Nest is looking for a Research Manager consultant to lead a study on shared prosperity in Chicago's artisan and maker sector. The role involves engaging maker communities, conducting 50 interviews, and gathering insights on economic barriers for creative entrepreneurs. Candidates must have qualitative research experience, strong communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and be based in or near Chicago.