El proceso de diseñar

The design process

by Joaquín Meroño

I will briefly explain the difficult process of creating and designing collections in a clothing brand. I often get comments about whether I have seen one on TikTok explaining how to create a clothing brand with €300, where to find the best suppliers or the other on YouTube giving the seven best tips to be successful. And I almost always find the same result, none of them has created a successful clothing brand. My advice? Think, take risks and work.

I designed the drop that will be launched in June-July in November 2023 and I have just finished the one that will be released in October, and I am very happy for several reasons. One is the result of the designs and another is the quality with which it will be made, elevating the brand to the place it deserves. To achieve all this, a lot of work, ingenuity and, above all, a lot of patience is required.

Production times in the fashion industry are extremely slow. Those who release collections every month or two are either very large brands that have a lot of cash flow and plan well or brands with poor quality.

In addition to the entire design process, there is also the process of creating tech packs. These are a kind of technical document for each garment with measurements and a wealth of details that serve as a guide for the supplier to avoid errors. A sample is made and after approval or redesign, it is sent to production.

After several months, it is sent. I have had different experiences here, everything you can imagine, and I have experienced very bad moments of anxiety, specifically at the Drop Superb in December 2023. Loss of high-value boxes, plus the high cost of shipping by weight. It is no longer the problem of losing an investment of time, work and money, but of a product that cannot be sold. Even if they refund the value of the order (which never happens), a production that can be launched on the market is lost.

Another problem to deal with is pre-sales. I'm not a fan, but sometimes there's no other choice. If you're a Bileven follower, you'll know that the last one with CrossFit Zarautz was delayed more than usual, and this was due to a delay in the delivery of a container scheduled to arrive two weeks earlier. Faced with this problem, I offered a full refund to all those who wanted it. I must say, very proud of the community, that no one chose this option and decided to hold on, and that's why, with each order, we send an additional Bileven t-shirt as a gift.

These are the kinds of problems, and many others that I leave out, that are not told to you in “how to create your successful brand.” It is experience, making mistakes and living through these bitter moments that make you learn to make good decisions in the future. Over time I have learned that in life there are always problems, you decide how to face them, and in that moment of doubt anxiety is born. As I interpret in the image, you can choose to learn from the darkness.

As Always, With Dedication.