Independent fashion designer Caitlin Mociun can be found on FadMashion.com
When Brooklyn-based fashion designer Caitlin Mociun was just 23 years old, she created Mociun as a small collection of hand printed women’s garments. Over the past five years the company has expanded to include digitally printed fabrics and fine jewelry and is currently sold in boutiques like Bird, Steven Alan, and Jumelle. Mociun strives to use recycled, organic and alternative materials, as well as local production whenever possible. The line is a hit with women in their mid-twenties to early forties who frequent sites like Lena Corwin’s Blog, Wiksten, Refinery 29, and Daily Candy, as well as with men searching for engagement rings.
After running all aspects of the business on her own, Caitlin has become interested in partnerships and collaborations, because “It’s not only nice to work with other people but I like the way it breaks me out of my design box. Its exciting to deal with new design constraints and [or to design for a] new market.”
Caitlin has been lucky to enjoy ongoing media interest for her line without doing any proactive public relations, including multiple coverage in Nylon and Lucky. Mosciun’s presence on FadMashion has helped fashion media to find her as well, including an upcoming piece on MyFashionLife. As an independent designer, Caitlin finds herself challenged most in finding “customers that are interested in high quality goods and paying what it costs to make locally crafted apparel. It seems like there are fewer people that are educated about or care about expensive fabrics that last for a long time and garments constructed in factories that use fine tailoring and good quality sewing.”
Caitlin posed this question to PR Couture: “How can independent designers use PR effectively to maximize their sales?”
Publicize your PR! Create emails and other outreach programs for your retail customers and your wholesale customers that highlight your latest editorials. Both types of customers are more likely to buy something that comes with an editor’s has put their stamp of approval. Keep your press page up to date on your website and promote recent press coverage through your social media channels. Have counter cards of all your credits made for trade shows and showrooms.
Keep the momentum building in the press arena – make sure your line sheets/look books are updated with new styles every season. Dedicate a duplicate set of samples just for sample requests (sharing samples with a showroom is a lose-lose situation). And always, always meet the press’s deadlines.
– Shannon Cavanagh-Estrada. Partner, Pitch! Press
PR Couture has partnered with FadMashion to highlight their independent fashion designers and provide fashion PR & marketing advice.
