10 designer fashion top

It's an industry cloaked in glamour, yet black designers need more than just talent to thrive

INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN FASHION DESIGNER JEFFREY BANKS KNEW as a child growing up in Washington, D.C., that he wanted to be a designer. "I was only 10 years old when I designed an Easter suit for my mother," recalls Banks, 43. "The dress was raw silk and it had a banana-colored, wool jersey coat that buttoned to one side. I picked out the fabric, went to the dressmaker with my mother and even picked out the accessories. She loved it and wore it with lots of pride."

Today, millions of people around the world are wearing Banks' designs. From Bloomingdale's in New York to fine shops in Japan, his name appears on everything from wear. Last year, his two companies, Jeffrey Banks Ltd. and Jeffrey Banks International, had sales of almost $20 million.

"Fashion is not art," states Banks. "It often comes very close, but at the end of the day it's commerce. The more you know about business, the better designer you'll be. Many young designers don't realize that they can't go to a bank or the investment community without a business plan. They just think that everyone will look at their sketches and see their talent shining through." But, he adds, "there are a lot of talented people who aren't working and untalented people who are."

While the number of young black designers is growing, many are having a hard time staying afloat. One reason is that many lack knowledge of the business. It can cost millions to launch a line of clothing, and finding capital is difficult. Getting your designs in major department stores can also be an uphill battle, and the undercurrent of racism in what's known as a "cliquish" industry can also serve as a barrier.

But there's big money to be made. The American Apparel Manufacturers Association estimates that last year, more than $138 billion was spent on apparel and related products. In 1995, African Americans spent $19.2 billion on apparel--the fourth largest expenditure in black households in the U.S., according to a report by Chicago-based Target Market News. Studies indicate that African Americans, on average, spend more on most clothing items and accessories than other races. Yet, few of those dollars are finding their way into the hands of black designers such as Banks.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A DESIGNER

Today the fashion industry is comprised of multibillion dollar corporations. Gone are the days of mom-and-pop garment shops. Preparing yourself for work in the. industry involves more than simply knowing how to sew. In fact, many designers don't even know how.

Karl Kani of Karl Kani Infinity, a BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 company, took his urban wear designs to local tailors and eventually built a $59 million enterprise--all without any formal fashion training. But "there are few people who make it in this business without school," explains Adrienne Jones, a professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, one of the nation's top fashion design schools. "You have to know how to put a garment together. What your grandma might have taught you is different from what you're going to be doing in the fashion industry," cautions Jones, who teaches fashion fundamentals and construction.

"Most of your instructors are people who have worked in the industry. It's not just about coming in and knowing how to sew and design. You need to know marketing and business," says Jones, who has worked in the industry for seven years.

Despite the fact that Houston designer Toni Whitaker, 40, began designing and sewing at the age of six, she wanted to know all she could about the industry. So after earning her bachelor's degree in fashion design from Syracuse University, she headed to North Carolina State University where she got a second B.S. in textile technology. "I learned everything there was to know about the fashion industry before I decided to open for business. College was a big plus for me."

Whitaker recently opened a women's clothing store that bears her name in Houston's Rice Village section. Her ready-to-wear line runs from $200-$500 for casual pieces and day dresses. Her custom line, which includes dinner suits and bridal wear, can range from $500-$3,500.

While still in college, it's best to do an internship at a design house. Most fashion colleges require one and they are very beneficial. "What you're learning in a classroom is the technical," says Jones. "Doing an internship helps you understand how to apply that technique. There are always things that you're learning on the job that you're not taught in school."

Few know this better than Anthony Liggins, who did an internship before graduating from the American College for the Applied Arts in Atlanta in 1989. He then spent several months working with French couturier Claudine Taubault who was in Atlanta at the time. "The experience was invaluable," remembers 31-year-old Liggins. "I learned so much from her, including draping techniques, which the French do so well. She also gave me valuable insight into the business, such as the need to specialize and to make myself known." Liggins used that advice to build an international reputation as the "Blouse King," for his creations for such stars as Halle Berry, Jada Pinkett and Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino.

Recently, Liggins expanded his line to include separates for women, dresses, shirts and two-piece suits. His collection now includes about 70 pieces, and last year the Atlanta-based design studio, with showrooms in Atlanta and New York, had sales of nearly $1 million. Liggins' clothes are carried at Nordstrom's and Jacobson's and another 80 specialty stores worldwide.

For students of fashion, the job search should begin well before leaving college. "Once you finish your internship and school, you've got to hit the streets," advises Jones. "Let everybody know you're available. Use the job banks at school and determine what type of company you want to work for." A portfolio of design sketches is a must to show prospective employers and is one of the tools that help market a designer. Yet, she warns, it must conform with the company. "Don't go to a bridal designer with sketches of swimsuits in your portfolio. Also, know the background of the company. Find out what their sales were last year and which of their clothing items are hot sellers."

A DESIGN BY ANOTHER NAME

While many fledgling designers want to go out on their own, "not everybody wants to be in business for themselves," says David Rice, chairman and founder of the Organization of Black Designers in Washington, D.C. "Working behind the scenes may be all you want," adds Rice, who heads the 10 chapters of OBD, which represents many African American fashion, graphics, interior, industrial and architectural design professionals.

In fact, many of the most recognized designers the world over have clothing lines that are created by African Americans. Edward Wilkerson, a designer at Signature Donna Karan in New York, is one of them. Wilkerson, who had worked for Anne Klein and Calvin Klein before going to Donna Karan in 1990, says he is proud to have "grown" with Donna Karan. "It takes so much money to start that I'd rather make the money I'm making here, than to be small, on my own and making less." With no interest in the business end of the industry, Wilkerson, who attended New York's Parson School of Design, has expanded his creative horizons as a photographer and is currently working on a book about African American art, poetry and prose.

Wilkerson warns aspiring designers that fashion houses don't need business partners. "Creativity is key. They are not looking for business clans, they wan creative plans. You have to have a vision of where you want to take the company." With salaries at some design houses starting at $35,000, many designers can still arch their creative backbone without the entrepreneurial risk. With at least 10 years' experience many designers can rake in salaries in the six-digits. But, warns one designer, the bigger the name doesn't necessarily mean the bigger the paycheck. Cachet is part of the reward, and some designers will forgo high salaries for opportunity and experience.

NO MONEY, NO CLOTHES

Yet, for those who want to set up their own companies, access to capital is one of the major barriers. Compound that with increased competition, soft sales and few financial resources, and the odds are stacked against the aspiring designer.