Georgia Rhodes
Aug 16, 2024
Don’t start a fashion brand until you read this article
One thing you need to know before starting a fashion brand
The secret to starting your own fashion brand lies in one crucial element: the product. At Odd Muse, our success began with a clear focus on creating something distinctive. Our brand’s recognition started with a signature cinch. Odd Muse’s first product was the best-selling Ultimate Muse Blazer in camel, the sample Aimee still wears four years later. Born from a signature cinch, it’s no wonder we are renowned for our flattering silhouettes, crafted to make any and every woman feel confident. This timeless classic cinch has followed across all our collections developing from OG belt cinch to structured minis.
Development of our iconic cinch...
The cinch is Odd Muse to the core. Developed to launch with Odd Muse the blazer was actually inspired by Aimee’s final major project on her fashion buying degree. The classic belt cinch went on to define two pieces from Aimee’s first full collection in 2021 that remain bestsellers today, our sleeveless dress and jumpsuit. It wasn’t long until the cinch became a muses staple being carefully crafted into the structure of our iconic minis, leading to the best-selling pearl dress that really pushed Odd Muse to new heights and our must-have LBD, the cap sleeve which is our all-time best seller. Yes, you read that right muses, our signature cinch LBD is the all-time favourite of our muses.
Spotted: the cinched waist in EVERY collection. The cinched waist is ultimately a signature of the brand, developed further in each drop. The first colleague of Odd Muse, Junior Buyer and Wholesale Manager, Alice says developing the initial blazer cinch into the iconic pearl dress was a seamless transition, “We realised early on that the OM girl was coming to us for quality as well as timeless classic pieces, we wanted to use our signature blazer fabric and make a core best selling dress however make sure it was special enough for party season, then the pearl dress was born. We went through many samples, where we adjusted the neckline to be lower and then added more fabric into the skirt for the iconic poof.
Following the viral 2022 pearl drop, the cinch craze only continued to mark its signature status among muses with the Resort 2023 launch where the strapless was born. Alice remembers every detail of the process, “Our initial sample was nearly perfect, just had to add some boning and more structure to the skirt.” It wasn’t long until the strapless became a core bestselling style among our muses.
“We have worked with our suppliers so closely that they know our cinched waist is key so from the first design fit we already have a strong sample as they know what our main aims are” says Design Assistant, Mollie.
The process of developing the Odd Muse cinch is an intricate design and sampling strategy by combining the cinch with different elements from turning it into an everyday statement tee to testing midi lengths. “When designing we have to feel that we are including at least one shape which has that OM structure, however, we are now more confident in testing out new shapes, the square neck midi for example, to ensure we are dressing for every occasion.” Adds Alice.
How the cinch became an OM signature
Where there’s an Odd Muse record-breaking moment, there’s a cinch. From the very first cinch to a signature, the Odd Muse cinch has impacted all of our designs to build collections of flattering, fitted, tailored garments for our muses. The cinched waist evolution will always remain a core of the brand, launched just one year ago, our best-selling product is our beloved cap sleeve mini in black selling over 10,000 units worldwide. The cinch continues to flourish in every collection, particularly even in our latest Resort drop 2024 with our latest iteration in the structured mini dress. From a blazer belt cinch to a carefully crafted structured cinch, Odd Muse has got you signature cinched.
Your cinch wardrobe
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