Have you ever tried searching Google for “how much does it cost to create a fashion brand”? If you have, you probably ended up more confused than before.
There are those who some say €5,000, others say €50,000, Who says you can start with just a few hundred euros by printing T-shirts in your garage?.
The truth? Most of this information is incomplete, misleading, or written by people who have never actually created a fashion brand in their lives.
I am Corrado Manenti, founder of Be A Designer, the first independent Italian style agency specialising in supporting emerging designers.
For over 14 years, I have been working side by side with aspiring designers, creatives and entrepreneurs who want to turn their passion for fashion into a real business.
I have written two books on the subject – “Do you want to be a fashion designer too?” and “The Fashion Designer's Journey” – and I have developed the Fashion Business Designer Canvas™, a tool that has helped hundreds of people to structure their fashion projects.
In this article, I will finally give you the real figures. No abstract theory, no ranges so broad as to be useless.
I will explain exactly how much you need to invest to create a serious fashion brand in 2025, what cost items many people forget, and how you can optimise your budget by avoiding the mistakes that 90% of aspiring designers make.
If you're here, you're probably dreaming of launching your own brand. Good. Then keep reading, because what you're about to discover could save you years of trial and error and thousands of pounds wasted.
The fashion world is constantly evolving, and knowing “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” can make the difference between success and failure. We also talked about this in this article on how to have the right entrepreneurial mindset to get started.
The Fashion Market in 2025: Why Now Is the Right Time (If You Have the Right Approach)
How much will it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?
Before we talk about numbers, I need to tell you something important:
The Italian fashion market is undergoing a period of profound transformation. This can be both a challenge and an opportunity, depending on how you position yourself.
The figures speak for themselves: the Italian fashion industry closed 2024 with a turnover of around €96 billion, down 5.31% on the previous year. Major luxury brands have lost ground, the production chain is under pressure, and the domestic market is showing signs of weakness.
“So why should I invest right now?” – you may be wondering.
Here's the thing: while the giants struggle, emerging brands with clear positioning and strong identities are finding spaces that didn't exist before. E-commerce in the fashion sector is growing by 12.51% per year. Consumers, tired of fast fashion and disappointed by inflated luxury prices, are looking for authentic alternatives. There is a gap in the market – one for brands with a genuine story, quality products and affordable prices – just waiting to be filled.
But beware: this does not mean it is easy. It means it is possible. Provided you have the right method and invest the right resources.
The failure rate of emerging fashion brands in their first three years is significantly high. The difference between those who succeed and those who do not? It almost always lies in the initial planning and adequate investment. Those who start out undercapitalised, thinking they will “try and see how it goes”, almost always end up wasting time and money without building anything lasting.
The Three Levels of Investment: From Testing to Serious Business
Let's get to the point. How much does it really cost to create a fashion brand in 2025? The answer depends on what you want to achieve.
I have identified three levels of investment, each with different objectives and outcomes. Be honest with yourself about where you are and where you want to be.
Level 1: Test & Learn (Under £5,000)
Let's get this out of the way: with less than £5,000, you're not building a brand. You are conducting an experiment, a smoke test to see if your idea has any traction in the market.
What can you do with this budget? You can produce a few samples, perhaps a few dozen basic items such as T-shirts or sweatshirts, test them with friends and acquaintances, perhaps open an Instagram profile and see if anyone responds.
What you CANNOT expect: a recognisable brand, a market presence, significant profit margins, or any kind of scalability. At this level, you are essentially playing, not building a business.
In my book “Anche tu vuoi fare lo stilista?” (Do you want to be a fashion designer too?), I talk about the difference between an expensive hobby and a real business. If you treat your brand as a pastime to be cultivated in your spare time, with minimal investment and no clear strategy, the result will be, at best, an expensive hobby. And probably not even a particularly enjoyable one.
Who might find this level useful? For those who want to validate an idea before making a serious commitment. If you have never been involved in production and want to understand how it works, starting with a low-budget test can make sense. But you need to be aware that this is only the first step, not the destination.
For those who find themselves in this phase, we have created Filiera Facile: a database of over 130 Italian suppliers who also work with small quantities. It costs less than £100 and gives you access to a network of manufacturers, printers and laboratories that you would otherwise have to search for months to find. It is a starting point, not a complete solution – but at least it saves you from starting completely blind.
Level 2: Serious Start-up (£15,000 – £21,000)
This is the minimum level required to create something real. With an investment of between £15,000 and £21,000 (plus VAT), you can lay the foundations for a genuine fashion brand.
For those new to this field, knowing “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” is essential.
What does this budget include?
- Complete brand design: development of Brand Code, visual identity, strategic positioning
- Collection Design: development of a coherent capsule collection (8-15 models)
- Prototyping and production: sample collection and initial production
- Basic e-commerce: functional website for online sales
- Photo shoot: professional images for the launch
At this level, you are creating a real brand, with all the elements necessary to present yourself professionally on the market. You are no longer “trying”: you are building.
The critical point: With this budget, you have the bare minimum, but not much room for manoeuvre. If something goes wrong (a supplier delays, a fabric doesn't work, a marketing campaign doesn't convert), you could find yourself in trouble. For this reason, I always recommend aiming for the next level if possible.
Level 3: Professional Launch (£25,000+)
This is the budget I recommend for those who want to do things properly. With £25,000 or more, you not only have everything you need to launch, but also the margin necessary to manage unexpected events and, above all, to start thinking about subsequent collections.
Why is this important? Because fashion is not a one-off business. You cannot create a collection, wait a year and a half to sell it all, and then start from scratch. The fashion cycle is fast: you must already be ready to work on the next season while you are selling the current one.
In conclusion, exploring “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” gives us ideas for a winning strategy.
With a budget of €25,000, you can:
- Have everything from Level 2, but with superior quality
- Allocate budget for marketing and customer acquisition
- Building business relationships with potential retailers
- Have a buffer for subsequent collections
- Dealing with unexpected events without panicking
The right mindset: You have to see your brand as a start-up to invest in. It has to be bold in business terms, you have to understand that you have to push. It is not a romantic project to be cultivated calmly.: it is a business that requires dedication, speed and the ability to adapt quickly to the market.
The Truth About Production Costs (And Why “How Much Does a T-shirt Cost?” Is the Wrong Question)
“How much does it cost to produce a T-shirt?” – That's probably the question I get asked most often. And it's also the most pointless question you can ask.
A T-shirt can cost €8 or €25. It depends on the fabric, the workmanship, the finishes, the graphics and the quantities ordered. But above all, it depends on what you want that T-shirt to represent.
If your plan is to produce generic T-shirts with a logo printed on them, stop here. This is not the type of work we do, and it is not the way to build a successful brand in 2025. That market is already saturated with commodity products that compete solely on price – a race you cannot win against those who manufacture in countries with infinitely lower labour costs.
The true value of a fashion brand lies not in the cost of the product, but in the uniqueness it manages to convey. This means:
- Distinctive design: cuts, details and proportions that make you recognisable
- Choice of materials: fabrics that tell a story and justify their price
- Storytelling: a brand narrative that creates emotional connection
- Positioning: a specific place in the mind of your ideal customer
When we work with our clients using the Fashion Business Designer Canvas™, the first step is never “how much does it cost to produce”, but “what do we want to communicate and to whom”. Only when you have clarified these aspects can you begin to think about costs in a meaningful way.
If you are starting to wonder, “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?”, consider the various levels of investment.
Cost Ranges by Category (With the Necessary Precisions)
That said, I understand that you want some indicative figures. Here are some realistic ranges for production in Italy, considering typical quantities for an emerging brand (50-100 pieces per model):
- Basic T-shirts/tops: €12-25 each (depending heavily on the fabric and workmanship)
- Sweatshirts: €25-45 each.
- Trousers: €30-60 each.
- Clothes/dresses: €45-120 each.
- Outerwear (jackets, coats): €80-200 each.
IMPORTANT: These figures can vary greatly depending on fabrics, pattern complexity, finishes and quantities. A streetwear brand with relatively simple products will have very different costs from a brand that works with fine fabrics and complex processes. Do not take these figures as an absolute reference.
The Issue of MOQs (Minimum Order Quantities)
One of the biggest obstacles for those starting out is finding suppliers willing to work with small quantities. Most industrial manufacturers require MOQs (minimum order quantities) of hundreds or thousands of pieces – numbers that are unthinkable for an emerging brand.
The good news is that there are workshops and subcontractors specialising in working with emerging brands, which accept orders starting from 30-50 pieces per model. Our network of suppliers, built up over more than a decade of work in the Italian supply chain, includes precisely this type of business.
The bad news is that working with small quantities comes at a cost: the unit price will inevitably be higher than for mass production. This is the price you pay for flexibility and for being able to test the market without the risk of ending up with thousands of unsold items. If you want to learn more about this topic you can find an article here which talks about cHow contract manufacturing works for small quantities.
The Costs That Everyone Forgets (And That Make All the Difference)
This is where most aspiring designers go wrong: they focus obsessively on production costs and forget everything else. Then they end up with a warehouse full of beautiful products that no one buys, because they haven't invested in everything they need to promote and sell them.
Creating products is only part of the fashion business. And what if you have no idea how to sell them?
Branding & Visual Identity
Indicative budget: €1,500 – €5,000
Your brand is not your logo. It is the set of perceptions, emotions and expectations that you evoke in your customer's mind. But the logo, together with the entire visual identity, is the way in which this perception takes visible form.
What this entry includes:
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Logo design and variations
- Colour palette and typography
- Brand guidelines
- Basic applications (business cards, labels, packaging)
In our method, this phase produces the “Brand Code”: a strategic document that defines the essence of your brand and guides every subsequent choice. It is not optional: it is the compass for the entire project.
E-commerce
Indicative budget: €2,000 – €10,000
In 2025, selling fashion without e-commerce is like opening a shop without a shop window. E-commerce already accounts for 18% of the fashion industry's turnover in Italy, and this percentage continues to grow.
The cost range is wide because it depends greatly on your needs. You can start with a simpler solution on platforms such as Shopify (around £1,800-£4,500 for setup and customisation) or invest in a completely customised website (£6,300-£13,000 and above).
What an effective e-commerce site for fashion must include:
- Design consistent with brand identity
- High-quality photographs with zoom and multiple views
- Detailed product descriptions
- Accurate size guide
- Simple and secure checkout
- Integration with payment and shipping systems
Photo Shoot
Indicative budget: €1,500 – €5,000
Fashion is a visual business. You can have the most beautiful products in the world, but if the photos don't show them off to their best advantage, you won't sell anything. A photo shoot is not a cost: it is an essential investment.
What is included in a complete photography service:
- Photographer specialising in fashion
- Models
- Location and/or studio
- Styling and hair/make-up
- Post-production and retouching
The result should be a set of images that work both for e-commerce (still life on a neutral background) and for social media and marketing (lifestyle images, mood shots).
Marketing and Launch
Approximate monthly budget: €1,500 – €3,000
This is where many emerging brands get stuck. They have created beautiful products, a functional website, professional photos... and then what? How do they make themselves known?
Marketing in fashion includes:
- Social media advertising: Facebook and Instagram campaigns to reach your target audience
- Creation of content: production of content for social media channels
- Influencer marketing: collaborations with creators aligned with your brand
- Public relations and press office: relations with journalists and trade publications
The marketing budget is not a one-off cost: it is a recurring expense that you need to factor into your financial plan. Without continuous investment in visibility, even the best brand will remain invisible.
Administrative and Tax Costs
Indicative budget for the first year: €2,000 – €5,000
Often underestimated, bureaucratic costs can weigh significantly on the budget of an emerging brand:
- VAT registration and tax advice
- Trademark registration (important for protecting your brand)
- Accountant and accounting management
- INPS contributions and taxes
- Insurance and miscellaneous costs
For those just starting out, the flat-rate scheme is often the most advantageous choice: it offers reduced taxation and simplified procedures. We have written an in-depth guide on this topic (“Fashion Start-ups: which tax regime to choose?”) which I recommend you read.
How to Save Up to 40% on Costs (Without Compromising Quality)
“So how can I afford all this?” – That's a fair question. Here's the good news: with the right approach, you can save significantly compared to doing everything yourself.
Be A Designer is part of a group that manages a turnover of around €25 million in the fashion production sector. This allows us to have direct relationships with fabric suppliers, production workshops and all players in the supply chain, and to negotiate conditions that an individual aspiring designer could never obtain.
What does this mean in practice?
- Access to exclusive discounts: fabric and production prices that reflect much higher volumes than yours
- Shortened response times: priority from suppliers thanks to established relationships
- Guarantee of continuity: certainty that the chosen fabrics will also be available for reorders
- Structure already prepared for scaling: When sales increase, the supply chain is already organised to support you.
The “savings” of DIY are often an illusion. Of course, you can try to do everything yourself: search for suppliers on Google, negotiate as a private individual, manage production without experience. But how much time (and money) will you waste on avoidable mistakes? How much extra will you pay because you have no bargaining power? How much will you risk with suppliers you don't know?
I have seen too many aspiring designers burn through their savings looking for the “cheap” shortcut. In the end, they spend more, get less, and often give up, convinced that “fashion isn't for them”. The truth is, they just had the wrong approach.
Three Real Scenarios: How the Budget Changes Based on the Project
To make things more concrete, I will present three typical scenarios that we see in our daily work. I will not mention specific brand names, but these profiles reflect real situations that we face regularly.
Scenario A: Streetwear Brand – Limited Budget
Profile: Creative with a strong visual identity, targeting Gen Z, relatively simple products (T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps).
Total budget: approximately €18,000–22,000
Every step of your entrepreneurial journey should be guided by the question: “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?"
Why it works with a smaller budget:
- Products with relatively low production costs
- Digital native target audience, social media-focused marketing
- Possibility of starting with a highly focused collection
- Drop model that allows for gradual release
Please note: even in streetwear, value lies in uniqueness. If you think you can compete by selling T-shirts with a printed logo, it won't work. There has to be something distinctive: original graphics, powerful messages, community building.
Scenario B: Premium Brand – Complex Products
Profile: Designer with a technical background, focus on fine fabrics, elaborate workmanship, medium-high target market.
Total budget: approximately €30,000–40,000
Why it requires a higher budget:
- Higher quality fabrics with higher costs
- Complex processes requiring specialised laboratories
- More elaborate shooting to communicate positioning
- Marketing that must reach a more selective target audience
The advantage: higher margins per unit sold. If positioned correctly, a premium brand can achieve economic sustainability with lower sales volumes.
Scenario C: The Common Mistake – Too Little, Too Scattered
Profile: Enthusiastic with big ideas, limited budget (£8,000–10,000), no clear strategy.
Typical outcome: failure within 12 to 18 months
What goes wrong:
- Budget spent almost entirely on production, nothing on marketing
- Collection too large for available resources
- No budget for unforeseen events or course corrections
- Improvised e-commerce, amateur photos
- No vision for future collections
The lesson: It is better to wait and gather the necessary resources than to start out undercapitalised. A failed launch not only damages your finances, it also damages your motivation and the perception of your brand on the market.
Estimate Your Budget: Key Questions
Before concluding, I want to give you a practical tool to start estimating the budget needed for your specific project.
We have developed an Interactive Calculator which allows you to configure your collection and simulate different sales scenarios. By entering estimated production costs, assumed sales prices and the chosen distribution channel (online, shops, or both), you obtain a realistic projection of margins and break-even points.
Do not forget that start-up costs are only part of the issue: “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” The answer requires a global vision.
To access the calculator and obtain a personalised estimate for your project, contact us for a free consultation.
In the meantime, answer these questions to get a preliminary idea:
- What kind of products do you want to create?
1. What kind of products do you want to create?
Simple products (T-shirts, sweatshirts, basics) = lower budget; Complex products (outerwear, dresses, handicrafts) = higher budget
2. What is your price positioning?
Entry-level/streetwear, Premium, Affordable luxury = each requires different investments in materials, production and communication
3. What is your main sales channel?
Direct e-commerce = higher margins but higher marketing costs; Wholesale (shops) = lower margins but potentially higher volumes
4. How much are you willing to invest in marketing?
A brand without marketing is an invisible brand. Allocate at least 20-30% of your total budget to communication and customer acquisition.
5. Do you already have specific skills or do you need to delegate everything?
Finally, as you explore your idea, don't forget to ask yourself, “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” and be prepared to answer.
If you already know how to do certain things (graphic design, social media, photography), you can save money on those items. If you are starting from scratch, plan to hire professionals for every aspect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I launch a brand with less than €10,000?
Technically, yes, but don't expect to build a real business. With less than €10,000, you can run a test, produce some samples, and validate an idea. But you won't have the resources for a professional launch. The risk is wasting that money without achieving measurable results. If your budget is limited, consider starting with Filiera Facile to test the market, and then come back when you have the resources to do things properly.
How long does it take to recoup the investment?
It depends on many factors, but on average, a well-structured brand can reach operational break-even in 18-24 months. This does not mean recovering the entire initial investment, but starting to generate positive margins on sales. For a realistic projection, use our calculator or schedule a consultation.
Is it better to invest more in the product or in marketing?
It's a false dilemma. You need both. A mediocre product won't sell even with the best marketing in the world. An excellent product without marketing will remain unknown. The key is to find the right balance for your specific positioning. In general, plan to allocate about 50-60% per product/e-commerce and 30-40% for marketing/launch.
Do I need to register for VAT immediately?
If you want to work with professional suppliers and sell legally, yes. Most manufacturers and subcontractors only work with other companies (B2B). Furthermore, without a VAT number, you cannot deduct VAT on your purchases, which significantly increases costs. The flat-rate scheme is often the best choice for those starting out: reduced taxation and less bureaucracy. If you work with our agency, you do not need it right away because we will act as an intermediary with suppliers, but you should plan to open one within 6-9 months in time for the launch.
Do costs change depending on whether I focus on e-commerce or shops?
Yes, significantly. With e-commerce, you have higher margins (you sell directly to the end customer) but higher marketing costs to acquire customers. With wholesale (selling to shops), you have lower margins (you have to apply a mark-up that also allows the shop to make a profit) but potentially access to existing customers. Many brands use a hybrid strategy, but this requires careful price management to avoid conflicts between channels.
How can I find reliable suppliers with low MOQs?
This is one of the biggest challenges for those just starting out. You can start with Filiera Facile, our database of over 130 Italian suppliers who work with small quantities. Or you can rely on our comprehensive service: over more than a decade, we have built up a network of reliable suppliers with whom we work on a daily basis, and this network is available to all the brands we work with.
This is one of the biggest challenges for beginners. You can start with Easy Chain, our database of over 130 Italian suppliers who work with small quantities. Or you can rely on our comprehensive service: over more than a decade, we have built up a network of reliable suppliers with whom we work on a daily basis, and this network is available to all the brands we represent.
Conclusion: It's Not a Hobby, It's a Business
If you've made it this far, you've already proven one important thing: you take your dream of creating a fashion brand seriously. And that's the first step.
In my book “Il Viaggio dello Stilista” (The Designer's Journey), I write that “Creating a fashion brand is not a hobby. If you treat it as such, the result will be, at best, an expensive hobby.” This concept is fundamental: the moment you decide to launch your brand, you are entering a competitive market where amateurs are quickly pushed aside.
But the good news is that you don't have to do it alone. At Be A Designer, we have spent more than a decade building a system – the BAD method – that allows even those starting from scratch to create a professional brand, avoiding common mistakes and optimising every pound invested.
2025 could be the year you bring your project to life. The market is changing, there is room for those who know how to stand out, and barriers to entry have been lowered for those who have the right approach.
But you need three things: a clear idea, adequate resources, and someone to guide you along the way.
Book a free consultation with me: This is your space to discuss your projects and work out together if and how we can help you. We will analyse your idea, assess the budget required for your specific project, and give you an honest opinion on how to proceed.
No pressure, no obligations. Just a conversation between people who share a passion for fashion and respect for those who have the courage to pursue their dreams.
Good luck – and I hope to meet you soon!
For a comprehensive answer to “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?”, consult industry professionals.
Consider every aspect of “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” to maximise your success.
By 2026, knowing “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” will be crucial to your strategy.
Don't wait any longer, ask yourself, “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” and start planning.
Remember that the question “How much does it cost to create a fashion brand in 2026?” does not have a simple answer, but it is a fundamental step.
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