Fashion Design Business

How Much Money Do Fashion Design Businesses Make? (2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: June 23rd, 2024

TL;DR:

Based on our data, fashion design businesses can make between $150-$525,000 per month.
The average revenue for a successful fashion design business is $101K per month.
The highest grossing fashion design business in our records makes over $6,300,000 per year.
Fashion design business owners salaries can vary wildly depending on industry, niche, and size of the business

So you're thinking about starting a fashion design business?

And now you're wondering how much fashion design business owners actually make...

Well, let’s dive in!

Here are example of real fashion design businesses and how much money they make - as reported by the founders themselves:

1. Sockrates Custom Socks ($6.3M/year)

Samuel Moses, the founder of Sockrates Custom Socks, came up with the idea for his business while managing a men's accessory store in Toronto. After realizing the high demand for socks and receiving requests from companies for custom socks, he saw a gap in the market and decided to pivot his business towards producing high-quality custom socks for corporate clients. Today, Sockrates is a global business with thousands of clients worldwide and a reputation for excellence in design and production.

How much money it makes: $6.3M/year

2. zapato FEROZ ($6M/year)

In this case study, Lau García, a shoemaker by trade, came up with the idea for Zapato FEROZ when she couldn't find suitable footwear for her baby. She wanted to create comfortable, natural shoes that would promote healthy foot development. With the brand's focus on quality and customer satisfaction, Zapato FEROZ has experienced incredible growth, increasing their monthly revenue from $900-1000 to $60k in just two years.

How much money it makes: $6M/year

3. SexyModest ($6M/year)

Jason, the co-owner of SexyModest.com, came up with the idea for his 7-figure business when his wife, Brig, struggled to find clothing that was both modest and stylish. After hosting clothing sales in their home, they opened a retail store and eventually transitioned to an online-only business, attracting customers through face-to-face interactions, social media, and a podcast. They have since closed deals with big retailers like Costco and are experiencing continued success.

How much money it makes: $6M/year

4. I Love Ugly ($3.6M/year)

Valentin Ozich, the Founder of I Love Ugly, started the men's premium streetwear brand in 2008 with zero experience in business or fashion. He identified a gap in the market for high quality, affordable streetwear catered to men and sold primarily online. Despite setbacks and his lack of skills at the beginning, Ozich was determined to succeed and turned his idea into a multi-million dollar business.

How much money it makes: $3.6M/year

5. Desires by Mikolay ($3.44M/year)

Tara Mikolay, co-founder of Desires by Mikolay, came up with the idea to open a designer jewelry showroom when her husband, a classically trained bench jeweler, expressed his dream to start his own business. With Tara's support, they self-funded the venture and worked tirelessly to build the business from the ground up. Today, Desires by Mikolay is thriving and known as one of Westchester County's premier jewelers and design shops, with a brick and mortar store and a successful online presence.

How much money it makes: $3.44M/year

6. Tini Lux ($3.12M/year)

Jackie Burke, founder of Tini Lux, came up with the idea for her business after struggling to find fashionable earrings that wouldn't cause allergic reactions. After discovering a woman selling basic titanium studs, Burke realized there was a market for skin-friendly earrings and decided to design her own line of titanium earrings. Despite initially launching Tini Lux as a side hustle, Burke has seen steady growth in her business and has gained a loyal following of customers who are finally able to wear earrings again.

How much money it makes: $3.12M/year

7. Love Is Project ($2.4M/year)

Love is Project founder, Chrissie Lam, started her business after leaving a career in corporate fashion. Inspired by the Maasai tribe's vibrant colors, she designed a simple LOVE bracelet with the goal of creating jobs for their community. A viral social media campaign, celebrity endorsements, and partnerships with American Eagle Outfitters and Whole Foods helped the brand gain traction, and they have since generated over $1.2 million in revenue.

How much money it makes: $2.4M/year

8. The Design Cart ($1.44M/year)

Apaar, the founder of The Design Cart, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the procurement challenges faced by fashion designers in India. He personally spoke to over 800 designers and identified the need for a tech-enabled solution. After building a website and cataloging thousands of products, he launched the online B2B sourcing portal, which has now serviced over 20,000 designers and achieved a monthly turnover of $80k.

How much money it makes: $1.44M/year

9. Shobitam Designs ($1.2M/year)

Aparna Thyagarajan and her sister Ambika, both with engineering and technology backgrounds, came up with the idea for their business, Shobitam, during a casual dinner conversation with their parents. They saw a gap in the market for accessible and affordable Indian ethnic fashion, especially for those living outside of India. After launching on Etsy in 2019, they experienced rapid growth and expanded to their own website in early 2020.

How much money it makes: $1.2M/year

10. Mahiya ($1.04M/year)

Ryan and Alex Hutchinson started Mahiya, a bohemian leather accessories label, after Ryan agreed to help Alex with her new concept for unique designs. With an initial investment of $20k and the use of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, they quickly gained traction and now average $75,000 in sales per month through their website, showroom, and worldwide boutique wholesalers. They have plans to expand into the Japanese market and continue creating new designs.

How much money it makes: $1.04M/year