Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alison Hoenes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alison, thanks for joining us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

I believe there is no “one-size-fits-all” in fashion. People come in all shapes and sizes and that is both the challenge and the exciting part of designing and creating clothing. I think good fit extends beyond just how the garment fits the body and encompasses how the garment fits the lifestyle and values of the wearer. On the business side, I think each garment also needs to fit the brand’s budget, values, and business goals as well. Because each person and brand are unique, no one garment is a good fit for everyone. However, when you really understand who you are designing clothes for, you know how and where they will be wearing the garment, and what problem your design solves for them, you are able to create a garment that makes that specific group of people feel like you made it just to fit them. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to designing clothes, deciding what sizes to offer, or even choosing what trends to follow (or not follow). It depends on the niche group of people who will be buying and wearing the clothing and what the business goals of the brand are.

Alison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

So many designers and fashion business owners have such a clear vision for the unique clothes they want to make and the niche customer they want to make them for, but the path to get those designs from sketch to final product is not so clear and at times even overwhelming. They feel intimidated by where to start, don’t feel in control of the development process, and are afraid their lack of industry technical knowledge will lead to mistakes that will cost them their company’s cash or reputation.

I’m a freelance patternmaker who helps women’s slow fashion brands who want to create fashion that fits their customer, lifestyle, and values overcome those technical unknowns and get designs to production with confidence. And, ultimately, enjoy the smiling faces of their customers wearing their designs! I offer services that range from a bit of DIY technical help to full packages that take you from sketch to production-ready.

I truly enjoy all the technical details that go into making flat yards of fabric fit a three-dimensional body. (I’d describe myself and my job as kind of the nerd of the fashion world.) I have so much fun working with brands to make clothes that fit – developing clothing that makes the end customer feel confident and developing confidence in the designers and brand founders along the way.

My childhood love of sewing clothes for my doll is what sparked my interest in fashion. In my teens, I loved to sew, but hated to shop. I’ve always been an odd size and clothing at stores never fit me right. I know first-hand how defeating shopping trips can be when you can’t find something that fits. I started making clothes for myself and later got a job making costumes for theater. After getting my B.F.A. in Fashion Design, I worked as a patternmaker and product developer in womenswear before starting my own business, Alison Hoenes Design, in 2017 to help women’s fashion brands create clothing that fits and get their designs to production with confidence.

I also host the How Fitting podcast – a podcast about creating fashion and growing a business that fits your customer, lifestyle, and values. In each episode, I interview fashion designers and entrepreneurs about their fashion business journey and the behind the scenes of how they design and create fashion that fits.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I know that hiring someone – especially a freelancer – can feel risky at first. I think what initially builds trust and over time builds a positive reputation is setting clear expectations upfront and then delivering quality work on time or earlier than agreed upon. Beyond that, I take time to understand my client’s goals so I can recommend options that will yield those results and guide them through considerations throughout the process that will make their design a success. My clients have said that they really appreciate that transparency, feedback, and technical advice in an easy-to-understand way.

I am also very intentional about making sure my work creates a smooth transition to the next step of the process for my clients which is usually working with a factory on production. A patternmaker has a lot of control over how efficiently and consistently the design moves through production and my goal is to make it as easy for the brand and factory as possible. One of the highest compliments I can get is when a factory recommends me to a brand because they like working with the patterns I’ve made!

Another thing that I think has helped to build my reputation in the fashion industry is the free content and fashion business resources I offer. Every week I release either a new episode of the How Fitting podcast or a blog post to help brands create fashion that fits and get their designs to production with confidence.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

This is a great question and there are so many I could recommend! I am an avid listener of podcasts about the fashion industry, marketing, and business and they have for sure shaped how I run my business. Some of my favorite marketing and business podcasts are: The Business of Authority, Marketing Made Simple by StoryBrand, and Being Boss. Fashion industry podcasts that are always inspiring me are: Successful Fashion Freelancer, Clothing Coulture, and Spirit of 608.

In terms of courses and coaches, Sew Heidi was really the only full-time fashion industry freelancer I knew when I started my business and her content and course really helped me set up my freelance business off on the right path. I also follow the content of and have taken The Pricing Seminar course by Jonathan Stark. Though his background is in a completely different industry than mine, his teaching has changed how I think about pricing, positioning, and marketing.

The book that stands out the most in its impact on my entrepreneurial thinking is A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger. It talks about how our culture, education system, and business environment usually discourage creative questioning – favoring rote answers instead. Children ask so many questions, but as adults we’ve lost the “art of inquiry”. Berger makes the case for how reigniting curiosity can lead to innovation. It is a fascinating read.

Contact Info:

• Website: alisonhoenes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonhoenesdesign/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alison-hoenes-design/
• Other: howfittingpodcast.com

Image Credits
Tori Wright – Victorious STL