Be A Designer, Gallarate. Maternity wear by brand.
Maternity wear, designed to grow with you.
Dresses, tops, trousers and leggings for a maternity brand: patterns designed for pregnancy and breastfeeding, soft fabrics and production runs of around 50 pieces per style.
12 years in the Made in Italy supply chainOver 200 people supported in launching their brandTrustpilot 4.2/5, every review is 5 stars
In brief.
Be A Designer is a design studio based in Gallarate (Varese) which has been supporting emerging designers and brands in the creation and production of their collections for the past 12 years. For maternity wear, it designs dresses, tops, trousers and leggings with patterns specifically tailored for pregnancy and breastfeeding: fits that adapt to the changing body, elasticated panels and discreet openings. As a guide to production costs, a dress costs €50–120, a high-quality T-shirt €15–35, a pair of trousers €35–70 and a pair of leggings €18–35; the minimum order is approximately 50 pieces per style.
Service details Maternity wear
- Who
- Be A Designer, Gallarate (VA)
- What
- Dresses, tops, trousers, leggings and nursing wear
- Where
- Workshops within 30 km of Gallarate for confirmed participants
- Minimums
- Around 50 items per style, around 10 per size
- Modelling
- Fit for pregnancy and breastfeeding, tested on the prototype
- Who it's for
- Maternity brands, women’s fashion brands launching new ranges, shops
A changing body, clothes that adapt.
When it comes to maternity wear, fit is everything: a garment must fit just as well in the fourth month as it does in the eighth – and often even beyond. That’s why we start with the pattern-making, not the catalogue.
Dresses and tops
Soft lines, stretchy fabrics and discreet nursing openings, designed to be worn both before and after giving birth.
Trousers and leggings
Elasticated waistbands that stretch as your bump grows, fabrics that provide support without feeling tight.
Nursing tops
Tops, shirts and dresses with cut-outs designed for everyday wear, without compromising on style.
Contract manufacturing or the full programme.
These are two different approaches, and the choice depends on how far along your project is. We’ll explain them to you during our first call and choose the right one together.
Contract manufacturing
For VAT-registered individuals and established businesses that already have a product range, technical data sheets and sales channels: we can move on to pattern-making, prototyping and production.
Full programme
For those starting with an idea: strategy, collection, maternity pattern-making, prototyping, production and launch – all handled by the same team.
In both cases, the fit is tested on the prototype before production begins. With maternity wear, this is a step that cannot be skipped.
On a tighter budget? Some items, such as T-shirts and sweatshirts, can be produced as private label: you start with a ready-made, high-quality garment and customise it with your brand, rather than developing it from scratch. Discover private label →
A supply chain within 30 km.
Dresses, tops, trousers and leggings are manufactured in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate – the same ones used for our women’s and sportswear ranges. We do not move production to other regions: this means greater quality control, less transport and greater sustainability.
Be A Designer doesn’t just handle production. We only undertake pure contract manufacturing for VAT-registered individuals and established companies. Those starting from scratch go through the full programme: it’s the safest way to avoid spending money on production before knowing what to sell, to whom and at what price.
Prototypes and production stay close: we go to the workshop instead of sending emails.
From idea to product, in six stages.
The complete Be A Designer programme. If you already have a collection and suppliers, we’ll start with the stage that suits your needs.
Strategy
Who the brand is for, who it competes with, and the price at which it stands up.
Collection
A carefully planned capsule, not an endless catalogue.
Materials
Fabrics, leathers, trims, small fittings and buttons selected before the prototype is made.
Prototype
The garment becomes real: it is tried on, corrected and approved.
Production
In the short supply chain within 30 km of Gallarate, with quality control.
Launch
Content, e-commerce and distribution: a brand only sells when people know it exists.
Why Be A Designer and not just any manufacturer.
| Generic manufacturer | Be A Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A women’s top in a larger size. | A range of clothing designed for pregnancy and breastfeeding. |
| Materials | The fabric we have in stock. | Soft, stretchy fabrics selected before the prototype was made. |
| Supply chain | Often far away; sometimes you don’t know where. | Workshops within 30 km of Gallarate. |
| Quantity | High minimums, a warehouse full of stock. | Carefully curated capsule collections of around 50 pieces per design. |
| After production | You get the garments; the rest is your problem. | Content, e-commerce and launch – all handled by the same team. |
How much does a maternity capsule collection cost?
These are indicative production costs per garment, alongside the market-driven retail price. The exact quotation will be provided once the fabrics and patterns have been selected.
| Item | Approximate cost | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Dress | €50–120 | Fabric, lining and trimmings. Recommended retail price: €150–400 |
| High-quality T-shirts | €15–35 | Fabric and finishes. Recommended retail price: €50–120 |
| Trousers | €35–70 | Fabric and fit. Recommended retail price: €100–250 |
| Leggings | €18–35 | Fabric €6–12 plus packaging €10–18 |
| Breastfeeding slings and openings | subject to a quotation | Modelling and specialised processes |
| Prototype | around €80, €250 including the pattern | Always preceded by research into fabrics, finishes and trims |
The selling price is generally between 3 and 4 times the production cost. The indicative minimum order is around 50 items per model, i.e. around 10 per size.
Frequently asked questions.
Yes. Be A Designer designs dresses, tops, trousers, leggings and nursing wear, using patterns specifically designed for pregnancy; it tests the fit on prototypes and manufactures the garments in workshops within 30 km of Gallarate.
A realistic figure is around 50 items per design, which works out at about 10 items per size. Be A Designer works on capsule collections: for maternity wear, it’s best to start with just a few very well-made garments.
As a guide to production costs, a dress costs €50–120, a good-quality T-shirt €15–35, a pair of trousers €35–70 and a pair of leggings €18–35. Specific features, such as nursing panels and openings, are quoted in the quotation.
Pattern-making. A maternity garment must adapt to a changing body over a period of months: elasticated panels, ease, and nursing openings. That is why the prototype is tried on and adjusted before going into production.
Yes. It’s often the easiest way to get started: you adapt the styles you’re already selling and develop a few dedicated pieces in the same style as the brand.
Pure contract manufacturing is reserved for VAT-registered individuals and established companies. Those starting from scratch follow the full process: strategy, collection, pattern-making, prototyping, production and launch.
What else do we do for brands?
Let’s talk about your maternity range.
A free call to help you work out where to start, the timeframe involved and the budget required. No obligation.
Or write to [email protected]
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