The Fashion Startup

Hosted by Michelle Ramsay, Fashion Designer & Startup Mentor - The Fashion Expert®

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The go-to podcast for first-time founders who want to start a clothing brand and do it right. Hosted by Michelle Ramsay, The Fashion Expert® - fashion designer and startup mentor with 20 years of industry experience. Each episode covers the real startup journey - from brand foundations and product development to manufacturing, marketing, and launch. Whether you're still in the idea stage or already building, you'll find honest advice, founder stories, and expert insight to help you fast-track your fashion startup. Rated 5 stars on Spotify and trusted by founders across the UK and globally.

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29 recent

September 8, 202619 min

EP 29: Why Google, YouTube and AI Can't Teach You How to Start a Clothing Brand

Ready to start your fashion brand? Grab my free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint to see the proven steps to get started Three fashion founders. Same YouTube videos, same Google searches, same AI prompts, same advice. All three are about to do completely the wrong thing for their brand, and none of them know it yet. In this solo episode of The Fashion Startup, I break down why generic advice about how to start a clothing brand almost always fails, why "doing your research" can quietly become a way of avoiding starting at all, and what changes when you work with a clothing brand mentor instead of piecing it together alone. I walk through three founders - one building activewear at volume, one making bespoke silk dresses to order, one launching a functional problem-solving product - and show why advice that's right for one is wrong for the other two. I also unpack the "research spiral" I see in almost every founder before they start mentoring: the belief that once you've researched enough, you'll finally feel ready, when that moment never actually arrives. What you'll learn: - Why generic advice on how to start a clothing brand can be right for one founder and wrong for another - How to recognise the research spiral, and why it feels like progress when it isn't - What a clothing brand mentor does differently to Google, YouTube or AI - The hidden, non-financial costs of building a fashion brand solo - What mentoring inside the Fashion Startup Academy actually looks like, from the first call onward Chapters 00:00 Three founders, one Google search 06:41 Why the same advice can't be right for everyone 15:57 You don't know what you don't know 16:57 The dictionary problem 20:40 The research spiral 24:01 What mentoring actually is 32:12 The real cost of going it alone 35:24 The velvet rope 37:43 Inside the Fashion Startup Academy 42:12 Why this isn't something AI can replace 46:29 Where the research spiral actually ends Ready to start your fashion brand? - Download the free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint - Take the free "How Ready Are You?" quiz - Learn about the Fashion Startup Academy - Subscribe and leave a review so more first-time founders can find the show About Michelle Ramsay - The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping first-time founders bring their clothing brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support. About The Fashion Startup: the go-to podcast for first-time founders who want the courage and know-how to start their own fashion brand. Hosted by Michelle Ramsay, The Fashion Expert®, designer and mentor to hundreds of startup founders. Subscribe and review: follow The Fashion Startup on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a review to help more future founders discover the show. Follow: Instagram @thefashionexpertuk Website www.thefashionexpert.com

September 1, 202616 min

Ep: 28 How to Start a Clothing Brand With No Experience - What's Really Holding You Back

If you've ever told yourself you can't start a clothing brand because you didn't go to fashion school, can't draw, or don't have any connections in the industry - this episode is going to reframe all of that for you. In this solo episode, Michelle Ramsay gets honest about why the "just believe in yourself" advice so many founders receive is not only unhelpful, it can actually be harmful. The missing piece isn't self-belief. It's a process. And the good news is, that process is 100% learnable. You'll hear why your knowledge and skills gaps are not a verdict on your ability, how the biggest fashion companies in the world operate on the exact same process you need as a startup founder, and what's really keeping your clothing brand idea stuck on that Pinterest board. What You'll Learn Why the "ideas graveyard" exists and what keeps clothing brands stuck there The difference between a knowledge gap and a limiting belief - and why mixing them up is costing you How Topshop, ASOS, and Gymshark all follow the same process your startup needs Why the research trap keeps founders on a hamster wheel instead of making progress What successful founders actually have in common - it's not that they felt ready How to identify which step to focus on first 👉 Download your free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint here: thefashionexpert.com/launchplan 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand inside the Fashion Startup Academy: https://www.thefashionexpert.com/how-to-launch-a-fashion-brand 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay - The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping first-time founders bring their clothing brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

August 29, 202613 min

Ep27: What To Work On Now To Start A Clothing Brand - Fashion Founder Prep School Part 6

Been sitting on your clothing brand idea for months, maybe years, without moving forward? In this final episode of Founder Prep School, I share exactly what I'd focus on right now if I wanted to launch a fashion brand. Been sitting on your fashion brand idea for months, maybe years, without moving forward? In this final episode of Founder Prep School, I share exactly what I'd focus on right now if I wanted to launch a fashion brand next year. Episode Summary I walk through the real, practical steps to take if you're serious about launching a fashion brand next year — starting with an honest reflection on what's been holding you back, cutting out tasks that feel productive but aren't moving you forward, and giving yourself a realistic 9-12 month runway. I also cover building your visual direction through mood boards, getting honest about time and money, and how to know when it's time to get outside help rather than keep going it alone. What You'll Learn How to honestly identify what's really been holding your fashion brand back Why some "productive" tasks (sewing classes, endless research) can actually be procrastination in disguise Why 9-12 months is a realistic timeline for most first-time fashion founders How to start building your brand's visual direction with mood boards, before committing to anything How to get honest about the time and money you can realistically invest, and when it's worth getting expert help 👉 Download your ⁠free Fashion Brand Blueprint here ⁠ 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand ⁠ inside the Fashion Startup Academy⁠ 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

August 22, 202616 min

Ep26: Is Starting a Fashion Brand Right for You? - Fashion Founder Prep School Part 5

Thinking about starting a fashion brand but not sure if it's really the right move for you? In this episode, I ask you to pause and honestly consider whether this path is a good fit - because it's genuinely not right for everyone, and that's okay. What you'll learn: I walk through the real reasons people start fashion brands — from spotting a gap in the market to craving a more creative career, wanting change, or simply not wanting to look back with regret — and the personal qualities that actually determine success: dedication, resilience, patience, and a willingness to learn. I also cover the honest warning signs that fashion might not be the right industry for you right now, and why parking an idea and coming back to it is actually a good sign, not a red flag. What You'll Learn The real reasons people start fashion brands, beyond just "spotting a gap in the market" The core qualities you need to succeed as a first-time fashion founder Why chasing quick money or overnight success is the wrong reason to start a fashion brand Why parking your idea and returning to it later is actually a positive sign, not a failure How to get honest clarity on your own "why" before you spend any money 👉 Download your ⁠free Fashion Brand Blueprint here ⁠ 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand ⁠ inside the Fashion Startup Academy⁠ 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

August 15, 202614 min

Ep25: Clothing Brand Founder Mistakes To Avoid - Fashion Founder Prep School Part 4

Thinking about starting a fashion brand? These are the mistakes I see first-time founders make again and again - and most of them are completely avoidable once you know what to look out for. After a decade working with clothing startups, I share the most common (and costly) mistakes first-time founders make - from underestimating how long it really takes to launch, to sending a factory a photo and expecting perfect samples back, to hiring the wrong kind of designer. I also cover brand name and trademark pitfalls, getting your collection size wrong, and why your marketing needs to start long before your website goes live. What You'll Learn Why "a couple of months" is never a realistic timeline to launch a fashion brand Why sending a factory a photo (instead of a proper tech pack) leads to disappointing samples The difference between hiring an experienced fashion designer and a graphic designer — and why it matters Why skipping brand name, trademark and IP checks can cost you everything you've built How to avoid getting your collection size wrong, and why marketing needs to start before launch day, not after 👉 Download your ⁠free Fashion Brand Blueprint here ⁠ 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand ⁠ inside the Fashion Startup Academy⁠ 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

August 8, 202611 min

Ep24: Should You Build A Fashion Collection Or One Product?- Fashion Founder Prep School Part 3

Should your clothing brand launch with one hero product, or a full collection? It's one of the most common questions first-time founders ask me - and the generic "start small and build up" advice you'll find online doesn't work for every brand. I walk through how to figure out whether your fashion brand should launch with a single standout product or a small, curated collection — using real founder examples where each approach worked. You'll learn the difference between innovation-led products that can stand alone, versus lifestyle and aesthetic-led brands that need a fuller collection to build trust and let customers understand the vision. What You'll Learn Why the popular "launch one product, then build" advice doesn't suit every fashion brand How to tell if your product is innovative enough to succeed as a standalone launch Why lifestyle and aesthetic-driven brands usually need a small collection (not 50+ styles) to build customer trust Real founder examples of single-product launches that worked, and why Why you only get one real chance to make a first impression when you launch 👉 Download your ⁠free Fashion Brand Blueprint here ⁠ 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand ⁠ inside the Fashion Startup Academy⁠ 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

August 1, 202621 min

Ep23: Why You Haven't Started Your Fashion Brand Yet - Fashion Founder Prep School Part 2

Have you been thinking about starting a clothing brand for months (or years) but still haven't taken the leap? In this episode of Founder Prep School, I share the three real reasons founders get stuck before they launch, and they're not the reasons you'd expect. After years of working with first-time clothing brand founders, I've found the biggest blockers aren't money or drawing skills - they're confidence, research overwhelm, and focusing on the wrong skills. I break down why each one happens, explain how confidence actually builds, and share how to spot whether you're stuck in a "scatter-gun" research cycle instead of making real progress toward launching your fashion brand. What You'll Learn The three real reasons first-time fashion founders stay stuck before launching Why confidence isn't something you wait for - it's something you build through guided action How to recognise "research overwhelm" and the contradictory advice trap Why learning every skill yourself (sewing, Illustrator, pattern cutting) often slows founders down rather than fast-tracking them How to tell whether your next step should be knowledge, support, or a clearer roadmap 👉 Download your ⁠free Fashion Brand Blueprint here ⁠ 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand ⁠ inside the Fashion Startup Academy⁠ 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

July 25, 202612 min

Ep22: How to Plan a Clothing Brand - Fashion Founder Prep School Part 1

Starting a clothing brand but not sure where to actually begin? In this first episode of the Founder Prep School series, I break down the one step almost every first-time fashion founder skips, and why it's the difference between a brand that lasts and one that falls apart at the first hurdle. You'll hear why planning and laying strong foundations matters more than jumping straight into design, and the three real reasons founders avoid this stage (even when they know they shouldn't). I walk through the key foundational pieces every fashion startup needs, from brand purpose and USP to customer clarity, business model, and timing. What You'll Learn Why skipping the planning stage costs first-time fashion founders time, money, and confidence How to define your brand's purpose and unique selling point (USP) Why "knowing your customer" has to go deeper than "someone like me" How your business model shapes every design and manufacturing decision that follows Why launch timing and realistic timelines matter more than people think 👉 Download your free Fashion Brand Blueprint here 👉 Learn how I can help you launch your brand inside the Fashion Startup Academy 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a 5 star review to let me know what you loved! About Michelle Ramsay – The Fashion Expert® Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor and fashion consultant with over 20 years of industry experience helping founders bring their fashion brand ideas to life. Through The Fashion Expert®, she works with first-time and emerging founders on everything from design development and tech packs to manufacturing guidance, launch planning and one-to-one mentoring, helping turn messy ideas and Pinterest boards into real collections ready for production. After working with more than 400 fashion founders, Michelle has become known for helping people without fashion industry backgrounds navigate the process with clarity, confidence and expert support.

June 21, 202642 min

Ep21: The real story of building a children's clothing brand from scratch

From first idea to first collection: the real story behind building a children's fashion brand from scratch If you've ever thought about starting a clothing brand but had no idea where to begin - or felt that creeping doubt of "who do I think I am to do this?" - this episode is going to feel very familiar. Michelle is joined by Sabrina Campbell, founder of Solly Little, a children's nightwear brand based in Cambridgeshire, UK. Sabrina is a professional makeup artist with no fashion industry background who turned a personal frustration - not being able to find the timeless, nostalgic children's nightwear she was looking for - into a brand she's built from the ground up. In this honest, wide-ranging conversation, Sabrina shares what the startup journey has really been like: the overwhelming early stages, the identity wobbles, the moment her collection stopped feeling like a pipe dream and became something real, and the unglamorous patience required when working with overseas manufacturers. She also talks openly about what it was like to try to find help in an industry that doesn't always make it easy - and why getting the right guidance early made the difference between guessing and actually moving forward. This is a founder story worth listening to whether you're right at the beginning of your journey or somewhere in the middle of it. What you'll learn Why the fashion industry can feel like a closed door to outsiders - and how to find your way in anyway What the design and tech pack process actually looks like for a first-time founder Why manufacturing is the stage that tests your resilience the most How to get out of your own way and stop treating your brand idea as just an idea What it feels like when your collection stops being a vision and becomes a real thing Ready to start your fashion brand? Grab my free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint ⁠⁠ Links mentioned Solly Little Solly Little on Instagram Solly Little Website ⁠The Fashion Expert®⁠ ⁠ The Fashion Startup Academy⁠ ⁠Free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint ⁠ The Fashion Expert on Instagram About The Fashion Startup The Fashion Startup is the podcast for aspiring founders who want the courage and know-how to start their own clothing brand. Hosted by Michelle Ramsay, ⁠The Fashion Expert®⁠ , a fashion designer and startup mentor with over 20 years of industry experience. If you’re thinking about starting a fashion brand or building a product-based business, this podcast offers real insight at what it takes to turn an idea into a growing fashion startup. Instagram: ⁠@thefashionexpertuk⁠ ⁠The Fashion Startup Academy⁠ - 6 month 1:1 private mentorship programme for first-time founders to fast-track their fashion brand with an industry expert. Subscribe & review Follow The Fashion Startup on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a 5 star review to help more future founders discover the show. About Michelle Ramsay Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor, and founder of ⁠The Fashion Expert®.⁠ With over 20 years of industry experience, she helps first-time founders design, manufacture, and launch their own fashion brands - without the costly mistakes most people make along the way. Find out more at ⁠thefashionexpert.com

June 10, 202626 min

Ep20: The secret nobody tells you when starting a clothing brand

The secret nobody tells you when starting a clothing brand If you're dreaming about launching a fashion brand but feel like you keep going in circles - or you've already started and something just isn't clicking - this episode is going to make a lot of things fall into place. In this solo episode, Michelle breaks down the three approaches most fashion startup founders take, why two of them lead to costly mistakes, and what the smarter, more structured approach actually looks like. Whether you're right at the beginning of your startup journey or somewhere in the middle, this is the episode to come back to again and again. Ready to start your fashion brand? Grab my free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint to see the proven steps to get started. thefashionexpert.com/launchplan Starting a clothing brand isn't just about having a great idea and going for it. There's a structure to it, an order to it - and when parts of that are missing, or done at the wrong time, it doesn't matter how talented you are or how much passion you've got. Things start to fall apart. Usually at the most expensive possible moment. In this episode, Michelle walks through the two most common mistakes she sees fashion startup founders make - and why they're so easy to fall into - before sharing the approach that actually works. She draws on real conversations with founders to show how jumping in at the wrong stage, or treating the process as a simple step-by-step checklist, both lead to the same place: wasted money, lost time, and a brand that stalls before it launches. This is the honest conversation about the startup journey that most people in the fashion industry aren't having. What you'll learn Why most fashion founders start in the wrong place - and what it costs them The difference between the scattergun approach and the linear trap Why your launch build-up needs to start long before your launch date What the smarter, more structured approach to starting a fashion brand actually looks like How to know what to work on, in the right order, at the right time Chapters 00:00 - Introduction01:30 - The flat-pack analogy: why missing parts matter03:30 - The scattergun approach: jumping in at the wrong stage06:00 - Going straight to manufacturers without the foundations09:30 - Designing your collection before your brand is figured out12:30 - The linear trap: why a step-by-step mindset isn't the full picture15:30 - Tech packs, sampling, and why nothing is ever truly ticked off17:00 - The launch build-up mistake that catches almost every founder out18:30 - The smarter approach: structure, sequence, and spinning plates21:00 - The Fashion Startup Academy: fast-track your brand the right way Links mentioned The Fashion Expert® The Fashion Startup Academy Free Fashion Brand Launch Blueprint About The Fashion Startup The Fashion Startup is the podcast for aspiring founders who want the courage and know-how to start their own clothing brand. Hosted by Michelle Ramsay, The Fashion Expert® , a fashion designer and startup mentor with over 20 years of industry experience. If you’re thinking about starting a fashion brand or building a product-based business, this podcast offers real insight at what it takes to turn an idea into a growing fashion startup. Instagram: @thefashionexpertuk The Fashion Startup Academy - 6 month 1:1 private mentorship programme for first-time founders to fast-track their fashion brand with an industry expert. Subscribe & review Follow The Fashion Startup on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a 5 star review to help more future founders discover the show. About Michelle Ramsay Michelle Ramsay is a fashion designer, startup mentor, and founder of The Fashion Expert®. With over 20 years of industry experience, she helps first-time founders design, manufacture, and launch their own fashion brands - without the costly mistakes most people make along the way. Find out more at thefashionexpert.com