Purple Pin points way to success

ONE fashion company that has found a way not only to survive but to thrive in an increasingly difficult economic climate, is Purple Pin Designs.

This five-year-old company provides a full-package fashion service, from design to production, and even retail presentation if required. Every season its garment and graphic designers create full collections under about 10 branded identities, covering men's, women's and children's clothes.

'Customer can either take the whole collection for their market, or, in most cases, we tailor it slightly to fit the individual needs of the retailer or distributor's market,' said marketing manager Richard Hobbs.

'For a retailer, we take away the headache and the hassle of design and development, production and product management. So they can concentrate on retailing, we can concentrate on what we do best, which is the design and development and production.' Some retailers take the package under Purple Pin's labels while others do it on a private label basis using their own name. Although the company prefers to sell its own brands, it retains a flexible attitude.

With some international brands, the company works on a sort of design co-operation basis, helping to execute the customers' ideas into samples and production. In this case, it allocates a specific designer to each customer to give him or her the service they need.

Its versatile approach has enabled the company to penetrate worldwide markets and it now exports to 21 countries.