Why more designers are adopting a made-to-order model

In his case, Smith wants the business to always revert back to a model that is offering the ability to future proof his production and capital. “Having another influx of orders since the LVMH prize announcement allowed me to look at cash flow and decide how to expand our production, and how to invest back into the business as our margins and production become optimised without wasting any resources. That also gives me the freedom to decide when I want to show my collections, which is why I didn’t show this September. If people are already still interested in the clothes that already exist, there is no point investing money in showing new ones yet.”

Not for everyone

All of this said, for the majority of emerging designers, wholesale is still a necessary route to building a customer base.

Having a retail presence gives a much broader picture of what customers want. “I believe it’s really important for every designer to experience going into retail, because it gives you unmatched insight into the data of what your customer wants from you.” says Stavros Karelis, founder of concept store Machine-A, which supports emerging talent through orders and support. “So many of the designers we have championed gain insight for the very first time into an environment that makes you understand how the customer experiences the collections, and how you compare to the other offerings on the market. Is your price point appropriate? How do your clothes translate in real life? What does a customer outside of your core circle actually connect with? It’s an incredibly important learning experience for them.”

For some designers, a hybrid may be the best way forward. During her London Fashion Week show this September, designer Dilara Fındıkoğlu announced her increased focus on expanding the ready-to-wear side of her business, offering more looks, shoes and accessories available to purchase. After winning the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, London-based Patrick McDowell revealed that they are launching ready-to-wear, though with tightly controlled production volumes and distribution.

McDowell says building a ready-to-wear wardrobe for select stockists was the natural next step for the brand, allowing it to acquire new customers. “When you work in the way we do, when everything is bespoke, it takes a long time and it’s very expensive. There is only a small group of people who understand that process and can buy into it. So it felt like the right time to explore ready-to-wear and offer our clients something they can buy more easily, in the places they already shop. Our client likes to get dressed up wherever they go, but we wanted to build out more of an everyday wardrobe of items they can wear to her workplace or to dinner with family.”