How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits
Alison Hoenes | women's apparel patternmaker
126 episodes
1 day ago
How Fitting® is the podcast for slow fashion designers who want to create clothing and grow a business that fits their customer, lifestyle, and values. In biweekly episodes, hear how relatable fashion entrepreneurs (the kind who run their businesses from kitchen tables and cutting tables, not boardroom tables) navigate the fashion industry with integrity and define success based on their own principles.
In each conversation, host Alison Hoenes (a freelance women’s apparel patternmaker) explores the things that all slow fashion business owners experience: the vulnerability of launching something new, the deeply empathetic process of designing clothes that fit a niche market, the challenges of pursuing both financial and environmental sustainability, the late nights of reckoning with your values that make you consider shutting the whole thing down, and the rewarding moments that make it all worth it.
In addition, hear from experienced fashion industry resources that are helping indie designers make a difference and a profit – like low MOQ factories, fashion marketing and business coaches, or sustainable fabric suppliers.
How Fitting® offers validation that you are not alone in your fashion entrepreneurship experience, ideas to try on in your fashion business to create a better fit, and a curious look into how other slow fashion brands are making it work. How fitting is that?
All content for How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits is the property of Alison Hoenes | women's apparel patternmaker and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
How Fitting® is the podcast for slow fashion designers who want to create clothing and grow a business that fits their customer, lifestyle, and values. In biweekly episodes, hear how relatable fashion entrepreneurs (the kind who run their businesses from kitchen tables and cutting tables, not boardroom tables) navigate the fashion industry with integrity and define success based on their own principles.
In each conversation, host Alison Hoenes (a freelance women’s apparel patternmaker) explores the things that all slow fashion business owners experience: the vulnerability of launching something new, the deeply empathetic process of designing clothes that fit a niche market, the challenges of pursuing both financial and environmental sustainability, the late nights of reckoning with your values that make you consider shutting the whole thing down, and the rewarding moments that make it all worth it.
In addition, hear from experienced fashion industry resources that are helping indie designers make a difference and a profit – like low MOQ factories, fashion marketing and business coaches, or sustainable fabric suppliers.
How Fitting® offers validation that you are not alone in your fashion entrepreneurship experience, ideas to try on in your fashion business to create a better fit, and a curious look into how other slow fashion brands are making it work. How fitting is that?
How Made In the USA Clothing Connects Craft and Community with Kristina Collins
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits
1 hour 57 seconds
7 months ago
How Made In the USA Clothing Connects Craft and Community with Kristina Collins
What if clothes not only reflected the beauty and personality of the wearer, but brought together the skills, people, and livelihoods of a whole community? This is why Kristina Collins is passionate about producing her brand of jackets and sweaters in the USA as locally as possible. In episode 112, hear how she has focused her creativity and her sourcing to connect the community around her. This priority brings challenges, but also many opportunities to her fashion business. Kristina shares her transparent philosophy as well as her tips for brands wanting to set up a local supply chain of their own.
Kristina Collins clothing is women's jackets, blazers, and sweaters designed and made in the USA. Our mission is stand-out, high-quality garments that are sourced and made with our local community at heart.
This episode explores:
Fitting the customer
Why made in the USA is important to Kristina and her brand
Why Kristina narrowed her offerings to just jackets and sweaters
The dilemma with pricing products as a small brand
Fitting the lifestyle & business
How Kristina Collins navigates the seasonality of a Fall/Winter focused brand
How Kristina is adjusting her design and production schedules to accommodate wholesale in 2025
The production model that is working for Kristina Collins
Why Kristina recommends working with individuals instead of a full-package factory or agency when developing your brands first products
Fitting the values
The challenges and benefits of fitting your values in your fashion business
How to make local manufacturing and production connections
The types of fabrics and fibers that are easy to source in the USA
Whether sample sales or resale hurt a brand’s reputation
People and resources mentioned in this episode:
Kristina Collins website
Kristina Collins Instagram
Kristina Collins LinkedIn
Do you want fashion business tips and resources like this sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for the How Fitting newsletter to receive new podcast episodes plus daily content on creating fashion that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values.
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits
How Fitting® is the podcast for slow fashion designers who want to create clothing and grow a business that fits their customer, lifestyle, and values. In biweekly episodes, hear how relatable fashion entrepreneurs (the kind who run their businesses from kitchen tables and cutting tables, not boardroom tables) navigate the fashion industry with integrity and define success based on their own principles.
In each conversation, host Alison Hoenes (a freelance women’s apparel patternmaker) explores the things that all slow fashion business owners experience: the vulnerability of launching something new, the deeply empathetic process of designing clothes that fit a niche market, the challenges of pursuing both financial and environmental sustainability, the late nights of reckoning with your values that make you consider shutting the whole thing down, and the rewarding moments that make it all worth it.
In addition, hear from experienced fashion industry resources that are helping indie designers make a difference and a profit – like low MOQ factories, fashion marketing and business coaches, or sustainable fabric suppliers.
How Fitting® offers validation that you are not alone in your fashion entrepreneurship experience, ideas to try on in your fashion business to create a better fit, and a curious look into how other slow fashion brands are making it work. How fitting is that?
