A Tailoring business is a great way to make a custom product for the discerning client and earn premium fees in the process.
If you’re a tailor and are considering growing or expanding your tailoring business, you are no doubt wondering who to target with your services and how. Who is this ideal client for whom you will design and create clothing? And will they fit into the overall target market for a tailoring business?
Understanding your target market will help you better understand what type of clothing to create, how to price your products, and where to market them.
In this article, we will look at the types of people who could be interested in custom-made tailored clothes and review some of the important reasons why someone would choose custom-made clothing over an off-the-shelf product.
Target Market for a Tailoring Business: Who buys?
Here are the kinds of people who could be interested in tailoring services and custom-designed clothing:
- Busy Executives
- Brides and Grooms
- Pregnant Women
- Fashionable Men and Women
- People with Special Needs
- Professional Athletes
- Collectors
Let’s quickly look at each of these.
1. Busy Executives
Many busy executives need high-quality, professional clothing that is also stylish and unique. Such customers will be willing to pay more for this extra service. A tailoring business should segment its market based on price and offer premium, higher-priced, highly personalized services to this segment of the market.
2. Brides and Grooms
There are brides and grooms who want to have a unique, one-of-a-kind wedding dress or tuxedo for their wedding. They will often seek a tailor who can make them a perfect wedding dress that fits their personality and style.
3. Pregnant Women
Pregnant women who would like maternity clothing that is both stylish and comfortable may turn to a tailor who can design and make custom clothes for them. As the pregnancy progresses the tailor can adjust the clothing so that it always fits well and remains comfortable.
4. Fashionable Men and Women
Both men and women who care about fashion and want clothes to reflect their personal style may want tailored clothes. Such people are not afraid to spend a bit more on clothing if it means they will look great.
5. People with Special Needs
A target market for the tailoring business also includes people with special needs who may require clothing that is designed specifically for their body shape or condition.
6. Professional Athletes
Professional athletes in certain sports need custom-fitted sportswear and gear for optimal performance. For example, a skater might need a custom-fitted skate suit for competition. Or a swimmer may need a one-piece swimsuit that is designed to help them move through the water more quickly.
7. Collectors
Collectors of different kinds of clothing, like vintage clothing or costumes who want garments that are one-of-a-kind or those that are difficult to find may turn to a tailor to build replicas of originals or of period clothing.
Target Market for a Tailoring Business: Why do they need custom clothing?
There are many reasons why people might choose to go with a custom tailor rather than buying off the rack.
Some of these reasons include:
The Need for High-Quality Professional Clothes
Business Executives often need clothing that is both stylish and appropriate for their profession. A tailor can help create clothing that meets both of these requirements and can choose fabrics and methods that makes the clothes last longer than something that is purchased at a store.
In addition, many executives like to have unique styles that set them apart from the rest of the crowd. A tailor can help create a look that is personal and professional at the same time.
The Need for a Perfect Fit
For many people, finding clothing that fits well can be a challenge. This is especially true for people who are not “standard” sizes. A tailor can create garments that fit perfectly, no matter what the size or shape.
This is also important for people who have physical disabilities or other special needs. Tailors can create clothing that is specifically designed to meet your needs and ensure a perfect fit.
The Need for Custom-Designed Clothing
Some people simply want clothing that no one else has and is not available in stores. This could be for a special event, such as a wedding or a collectible costume, or simply because they want something unique.
For instance, some people prefer to wear vintage clothing. Others prefer vintage clothing for their children. Now, if they cannot find such clothing in a store, they may turn to a tailor for some custom-fitting vintage clothes.
Similarly, there are people who are into sustainable fashion and only wear eco-friendly clothes. Such people may acquire sustainably made cloth and have a tailor make custom clothes from it.
A tailor can create clothing that is exactly what the customer is looking for, no matter what their style might be.
The Need for Special Professional Clothing
Certain clothing used by firefighters, the military, law enforcement, and other professionals must meet specific requirements in order to be effective. Such clothing is nearly impossible to find off-the-shelf. A tailor can create clothing that meets these requirements perfectly without any adjustments needed. Note, however, that the customer in this scenario is not the individual but the organization employing them.
Summary
As you can see, there are many reasons why people might need custom-tailored clothing.
But what part of the target market for a tailoring business will you go after? That’s the question you will need to answer if you plan to offer tailoring services. Also, will you specialize in a certain type of custom clothing or will you offer generic services?
You will be able to answer these questions only by truly understanding your target market and its needs. This will also put you in a much better position to provide services that your market is actually looking for and therefore grow your tailoring business into new areas.