What skills do you need to start a brand?
Honestly—since we’re trying to be transparent—let’s keep it real with you. I came from an industrial design background.
What does that mean? I learned how to build physical objects both digitally and by hand. Technically, that’s not fashion. So no, I wouldn’t say I have a traditional fashion background. But I do have passion.
And I’d say that’s number one—passion.
You’ve got to love what you do. Because when things go wrong—and they will—it gets tedious. Even if you like what you’re doing, it can make you want to quit. Everything is hard.
When it comes to practical skills, it’s all about knowledge. You need to know your materials. You need to understand fabrics. And that just comes from testing—going out, visiting fabric shops, seeing what you like and what you don’t.
Then there are the digital skills. These days, it’s not just pen and paper anymore.
You need Photoshop. For me, I use Procreate to sketch and build out my ideas. I use Photoshop to bring things together and start building out tech packs.
And yeah, knowing how to make a tech pack is key.
You’ll probably also want to get familiar with Illustrator to create refined designs. If you’re building a website, you’ll want to understand UX and UI design. And if you're serious, learn how to develop that site too.
You can go as far as you want—but the core skills are knowing how to design and communicate your ideas.
If you don’t know how to explain your concept, no one’s going to get it. You’ll never get your ideas out of your head—and that’s the hardest part.
Whether it’s on an iPad or just paper, you’ve got to find a way to show what’s in your head. And yeah, that takes trial and error. You’ll start simple. You’ll grow. Don’t get it twisted—it’s not magic. It just takes consistency.
We started with t-shirts and a simple design. Now we’re working with alpaca and pushing into more technical pieces. I don’t consider us a big brand yet—but I want to and I will. I had the passion, and I just went for it. That’s what we’re doing with withit.
If you’ve got questions about building or developing your brand, follow this account—and check out my other one @FaisalTayan to follow the journey.
That’s withit.
