| There's been one question that's lived with me for | | | | my business. But, even though Alto Clothing sells |
| years. Why aren't there more trousers for tall, | | | | 100% online, the challenges are offline.Finding |
| slim men available? Finding trousers I've both liked | | | | suppliers equipped to make the sizes I need, and |
| and actually fit me has been a struggle since my | | | | who have a long-term vision strong enough to set |
| teens.The answer, of course is that tall men are a | | | | up production runs small enough for a start-up in |
| small market - and tall and thin is even smaller | | | | a niche market, has been, shall we say, |
| than the well-known association between 'big' and | | | | interesting."200? Don't you mean 20,000?" |
| 'tall'. Mainstream high street retailers just aren't | | | | became a depressing familiar response as I |
| interested in us. Their overheads are high, and | | | | contacted prospective suppliers. I've had to |
| they believe there just isn't enough volume in the | | | | balance the choice between using more expensive |
| market for them.Where you do find clothes that | | | | European-based suppliers, who are happier to |
| fit in retail outlets, how many times have you | | | | provide smaller quantities with lower-priced |
| been faced with substantially higher prices than | | | | far-eastern suppliers who demand larger |
| equivalent garments for more averagely | | | | orders.And then there are my ethical principles to |
| proportioned shoppers?Things are even tougher in | | | | factor in. I've been checking, as much as is |
| the UK and Europe than the US because some | | | | possible, that Alto is not choosing suppliers who |
| global fashion brands manufacture trousers for tall | | | | employ child labour, use questionable Health & |
| thin men, but don't make them available on this | | | | Safety standards and other dubious |
| side of the Atlantic.A while back, I saw all these | | | | practices.Luckily, I've been able to use my |
| difficulties as an opportunity.Setting up shop | | | | experience both as a consumer and in a previous |
| onlineAs the Internet has evolved and more and | | | | men's fashion business to find suppliers who can |
| more people are happy to shop for clothing online, | | | | provide the specialised sizes my customers |
| I no longer had to take on the same problems | | | | need.Lessons for start-upsSecuring the kind of |
| faced by the volume retailers. The higher costs | | | | edgy or younger clothes for the vision I have for |
| associated with developing and manufacturing | | | | the Alto Clothing brand continues to be the |
| ranges for a relatively small marketplace can be | | | | biggest challenge as Alto grows in its critical first |
| offset against the lower costs of operating | | | | couple of years.My advice for start-ups, now I've |
| online.Setting up my new brand, Alto Clothing, | | | | been through more than one? Look at all aspects |
| online is the only way I can offer my clothes to | | | | of your business. Try to foresee as many pitfalls |
| people. I'm selling direct, so the extra costs | | | | as you can, but accept that you can never |
| involved in short production runs can be offset | | | | anticipate them all. The real challenges are quite |
| against the savings made by eliminating the high | | | | often in the most surprising places. You just have |
| street shop. The lower costs associated with the | | | | to tackle them with persistence and enthusiasm; |
| Internet make my business viable.The opportunity | | | | there's almost certainly a solution there |
| offered by the Internet for Alto Clothing is the | | | | somewhere!Author ProfileFed up with trying to |
| same as for many specialist businesses, in all kinds | | | | look good in the clothes available on European high |
| of markets - it lowers costs and increases the | | | | streets, Justin Edison set up his own |
| potential market size.Sourcing tall man's clothingI | | | | Internet-based business. Alto Clothing caters |
| have a great looking Web site designed by a | | | | 100% for tall, thin men by providing fashionable |
| central London agency, supported by some very | | | | clothing in hard-to-find sizes, so look at for tall |
| effective Search Engine Optimization. By and | | | | trousers and much more. |
| large, I'm getting to grips with the online part of | | | | |