Ask ten independent designers how they price a commission, and you'll get ten different answers — most of them guesses. Pricing by "gut feeling" almost always means underpricing, because the hours spent on revisions, sourcing, and client communication rarely make it into the number.
A custom piece isn't just the hours at the machine. It's the consultation, the pattern drafting, the fitting sessions, the emails answering "can we change the sleeve length." Track a full project once, honestly, and you'll likely find your real hourly rate is far lower than you assumed.
Two rounds of revisions included, third round billed separately — stated upfront — protects your time without feeling adversarial. Clients respect clear boundaries more than they respect unlimited "flexibility" that quietly costs you money.
If you wouldn't take the project again at that rate for a similar client, the price was wrong the first time. Adjust before the next quote, not after you're already resentful of the one you're finishing.
Product UpdatesThis month's updates focus on the two things designers ask us for most: getting client sign-off faster, and keeping production schedules honest.
TailoringAs fast fashion fatigue sets in, more clients are seeking out tailors who can make a garment fit like it was made for them — because it was.
FashionFrom client approvals to fabric sourcing, running a design studio means juggling a dozen moving parts at once. Here's how independent designers are cutting the admin overhead and getting back to the craft.
FashionMost client relationships don't end over a design disagreement — they end quietly, over missed updates and unanswered questions.
MarketingA beautiful lookbook gets attention. It rarely gets bookings. Here's the gap most designer portfolios miss.
CommunityCo-working spaces aren't just cheaper rent. For six designers in one Lagos studio, they became a source of referrals, honest feedback, and fewer lonely 2 a.m. deadlines.