Millinery VLOG 👒📷 | How to sell hats | London Accessory Week | Millinery Hat Making
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2022
- Millinery Vlog! Follow my process of preparing for a fashion accessory craft fair. I go through all the things one might need to pack to sell at a market stall. ❗History Bonus on Chelsea Old Town Hall 🏛️ Video includes my thoughts and opinions 👀🙄 on London Accessory Week....
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Please do not produce exact copies of by Ilona Millinery hat designs for your own commercial purposes. This video is intended to teach technique only. You are free to re-create these hat designs for your own use, as long as you do not sell the copies you have created. - Zábava
They are charging even more for stalls now. I don't make hats, but sell other handcrafted items. When I first saw how the venue had been laid out my heart sunk for the sellers. That you sold two hats was a real achievement. I should clarify. I think your work is beautiful and I have been a subscriber for quite some time. I just want you to know that you did very well, especially considering the venue. There is a real problem with craft fairs. Your work requires the upper end an the price of stalls can be astronomical. I live just outside York and one of the Christmas markets here charged £1000 per week. Craftspeople know they will lose money, but they hope they will get future business from a contact made.
What I am about to say does not apply to York markets, but wanted to share experience in the hope it will be of use to you. Firstly, it is a lot more difficult to sell things to people than might be imagined. The greed of market management charging ridiculous sums for a stall gets passed to the customer. Many people visit craft fairs but do not buy anything for this reason. The market management need not do any significant marketing. They have their money so they don't care if stallholders don't make any money. If stallholders don't return there are plenty more newcomers to take their place.
I first mentioned how the hall you were in was not conducive for making sales. They had bland, uniform lighting and the tables were too small for proper displays. They just wanted to cram in as many as they could. The tables were lined up like a jumble sale. That is a disaster for handcrafted items. A good use of the space would be to arrange tables in interesting layouts like semi circles and booths. The lighting is imperative. An atmosphere should be created that puts people in the mood to treat themselves. In a classic hall this could be done with minimal "set decoration" but most others need to work with the table layouts and lighting to create a space. This wasn't even attempted. A recent book by Harvard Business School professor, Gerald Zaltman _How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market_ says 95% of all purchasing decisions are made emotionally, through the subconscious mind. The perfume and luxury market have increased prices and are making robust sales during the recent global problems. During times of uncertainty people want a bit of glamour so people are buying higher priced items however counterintuitive that might seem. This also corresponds to my experience. The venue is essential to successful pricing. A tacky looking venue will not achieve the same price point for an item than a properly atmospheric market. Customers are buying an experience; not just an item.
I have often made a table like a little world. I have put a carpet runner on the front of the table. A chair can sometimes be commandeered from somewhere. I make sure (using boxes under the tablecloth) that the table has dimension. You do have some excellent stands that could fulfil this aim. Whether what I am about to say can translate into hat making I don't know, but I want to put it all out there in case anything is helpful.
I put items up on at least a three tier pricing system, so everyone can buy something. Customers might be intimidated by higher cost hats, but would buy silk flower pins, or headbands. Broaches are very popular and silk flower pins can turn a simple dress into something special and varied. They could buy one silk flower pin and three for a reduced price. That makes a simple black dress have completely different looks. A photograph can be used to show a simple black dress with the different pins to give her ideas.
I know sellers who use an ecological angle that goes down very well. Instead of throwing away off-cuts they make the fabric into scrunchies (I know, the word makes me shudder too). If these are properly presented, so they don't look tacky, you would be surprised at how well they sell. The whole concept of beautiful off-cuts being reused for the planet is being done by luxury brands now.
You have another aim. You want to see women wearing hats more often again. Two points. Create a vintage atmosphere with a well-made stand alone board with pictures of 30s-40s-50s movie stars wearing cool hats. Second point. I have a square jawline and have only rarely found a hat that doesn't make me look like John Wayne about to mount his horse. I have a saying (probably someone else's lol) that you do well if you create a "positive selling environment". Have you noticed how if one woman is at the stall others follow? If there is activity going on people want to join in. If you have "hat blanks" you could show women what sort of hat would suit their faces. You could take photographs to give the woman if she wants a card for the future. This would create interest. You seem to be a people-person, so I think giving women advice about hats to suit their faces would give you a chance to have a memorable encounter. Find out if she has an event coming up where a hat would be great. A wedding or something like that. I often actually make something at the stall and find curiosity creates sales.
I noticed from the other video where you sell some hats, the fact that women often buy the hat that's being modelled by you. When we work markets everyone is very friendly. Perhaps you could find a woman stall holder that would model a hat for you driving customers over to you and you driving customers over to her.
I hadn't intended to write an essay, but I am on your side! Sharing ideas and experience is something that has helped me and I hope will help you and anyone else who happens to be reading this.
All the best.
What a fabulous comment! Thank you for your insight.
I'm grateful you shared. Your insights are very interesting. Thank you!
@@kettle2293 I am glad you found it useful. If you share experience, you never know if someone will find something useful in there somewhere! All the best ✨
@@NarelleCustomSongs I had forgotten I did this. One of those late night things. I am very glad you found it interesting. All the best ✨
Finding your “audience” /customers can be really hard. I’ve been selling reproduction historical costumes including millinery for over 20 years. It took a while to find the right selling venue. I don’t know what the answer is but want to encourage you to keep trying. Your product is beautiful and of good quality!
Hello Leann, unfortunately in this case it very much seemed to be lack of footfall, remarkably those I did speak/sell to had very positive things to say about my hats 😊 I think I am going to stick on online sales - as that has been far more successful for me 😀 And while doing the fair I realised that I don't really want to spend my time behind a market table, but that I would rather be making videos for everyone here ❤️ So there'll be many more videos coming soon! 📷
@@ByIlonaMillinery NE T TIME WHEN IT IS HOT JUST TURN ON YOUR AIR CONDITIONER TO THE LOEST DEGREE ON HIGH NO TINER
You are a gift to the fashion community.
Hello Rob! Thank you very much 😊
What a delightful pair you are! A supportive husband is the best accessory of all, & I love that your mum is involved too.
Hat Boxes should be for your own shop’s hat sales. That makes for loyalty shoppers. Name would be printed on your bags and acid free tissue to fluff around every hat sold. These little efforts cost for initial outlay so get creative and make your own hat boxes. Call husband Mr Hats if he’s going to help and do sales for you . Make a batch of business cards the same size as a credit card for wallets slots. You’re right. Not even a power point for electric display or a fan. Organisers were Not geared for sales ...just for filling a space. Great fun
That pink lipstick on day one of the fair suits you so well! You look gorgeous
Thank you 💕
I particularly appreciated your Mum's part very informative Thanks 💖
Hi Jeann'e, I shall pass your lovely comment on to my Mother, she will appreciate it 😊
I love the red and the orange pleated hats
Oh boy, watching this brought back the awful feelings I had trying to sell at venues. The days of cleaning, inspecting, lists if things to pack, packaging, lugging and unpacking etc etc..... then no to little sales. People said the real money is at the big events in the historical towns of Michigan but those events are about $800 for a weekend. It really can make you feel bad about your work and yourself if you're not careful and don't understand. Thanks for sharing and being so honest. I wish I had seen videos like this years ago. 💞
Hello Sue, thank you for your lovely comment 😊 My take away from all this is that I much prefer making videos for all of you on here 😀
Free Publicity get like large photo frame only cardboard with your name on it! Take few hats to Street take photos of passer Byes.Are there any local Newspapers?
Local College Fashion Students
Do you know Zoella?
Make some tiny hats on hair bands!
Love your hats and your vids! I was wondering if you’d ever considered wedding fairs/ or partnering with wedding dress boutiques to sell hats for (say) mothers of brides/ or other types of guest?
I remember when I got married, my mother really struggled to find a decent hat - and she’d have loved some of the ones you have!
Illona, thanks for sharing your experience , I live in Ireland so wouldn't be able to travel to London . I was actually amazed at the cost of the table , there is a huge trade fair in Dublin once a year, a few years ago I thought I might take a stand only to discover the cost was E1200 for 3 days, so I thought your table was quite reasonable. Your hats looked beautiful. Sorry you were disappointed, , but at least you get your name out there ,
Hi Gerri, I still think the table was unreasonable for the size of the event. I have since found out that you can get a stall at other London markets for £40 a day and with much higher foot traffic.
Thank you for thinking my hats are beautiful 😊
Drusilla is once again the star of the show! 🌟
You are such a professional business owner. Love to see all your hats and how you prep for events. You are really organized and I am really impressed.
Thank you for your detailed and honest critique of your experience.
Maybe a few of you could have your OWN accessory fair!
Get together and rent a pop up shop space ❤
That was brilliant, you taught me so much, thanks Margaret Redmond from Ireland ❤
I love this green turbin hat. Very classy.
Great video. Thank you.would love videos on pricing structure and photography tips please.
Hello! I am so glad you have enjoyed this video ❤️ Please consider sharing it with a friend 😊 I shall put down the photography tips video on my to do list 📸
I truly love watching all your videos. Thank you for demonstrating how to pack and organize nine a event of a sale. I love to know how to price hats as well. Favourite2023
Sounds like you did very well and achieved most of your aims. Sorry that it wasn’t as good as you had hoped.
Hello Joe! Things not going to plan can't be helped - but I did enjoy meeting so many new people 😊 It did make me realise that I much prefer filming and making videos - so there will be more coming!
Illona Your hats are beautiful and very exquisitely made and you have a delightful personality. Selling high end hats is difficult because of trying to find the crowd that is willing to buy such quality millinery. I run into the same issues in the States when I sell. Making "booth fee" is always the goal. Anything more is icing on the cake. I guess you need to research where the rich people shop so you can vend there.... That is the best advice I can give you. I love your videos. Thank you
Hello, thank you for your lovely comment 😊 My take away from all this is that I much prefer making videos for all of you on here 😀
@@ByIlonaMillinery so go to video Ilona, you are transferring so many stimuli with enthusiasm and your points of view are always interesting. I also do markets / events in Milan, the cost of the place is what you paid, too much ....
Ame interested in knowing how you decide the cost of your hats, I never know how, thanks
@@claudiagoldoni9554 Hello Claudia! I will be working on a pricing video shortly 😄
I LOVE LOVE this video. Thank you so much for sharing all the preparations and your experience at the fair. Also, I appreciate your thoughts on it and I hope some more sells may come in a near future. xx
Hello Angeles! I am so glad you liked this video - I am going to attempt another Millinery VLOG 👒📷 in a couple of weeks time for London Hat Week - but no promises on that, as if it turns out not to be interesting I won't post it 😅
@@ByIlonaMillinery That would be great, as for many like me, never been to LHW. Enjoy it xx
this is a very informative and honest video, which as someone who thinks about doing things like this, is very useful information
Hello Will, I am so glad you enjoyed this video 😊 Please consider sharing it with your friends ❤️ I wish you all the best with getting into things like this yourself - that's very exciting! 😀
Aloha Beautiful Sister Ilona,
I have to say I love your work.
When you ship to USA, I would love to order.
May isugfest silk bonnets and silk caps for sleeping, for curly/coily hair., maybe a silk hair towel to twist into a turbine. To hold curls throughout the night, no fly aways 😊
I really think you would sell many, GOD BLESS
Your videos are so well made and so fun to watch
You’re really an interesting person 🥰🥰🥰
I’m sorry, but now you have the experience. I’ve done the same thing with my artwork and jewelry. I just chalked up to a leaning and networking experience. You also have lots of already made inventory!❤ Thank you!
Thank You so much for this video So So helpful, I love your thinking process.❤
I'd love to learn how you photograph and price your hats for a show. I learned a few gems from this video, such as using luggage for all the display bits 'n' bobs and condensed packing for travel.
Hello, I shall put the photography down on my to do list! although I'm not sure when I'll be able to fit it in! 😊
I think you said it yourself, more casual hats, geared toward summer, more neutrals or low key hats for the introverted! More variety.
Iona, thanks for this video. Most people dont understand just how much effort it takes do do ANY show. Whether it is hats, general antiques, glassware or toys. It doesn't matter. It is alot of careful packing. I'm glad that you made your money back for your table and travel. At least you got your name out there. It is just a shame that you gave away a couple of hats to do it. I love your work. It is so inspiring. I do hats here in the states. Mostly Derby style hats. Just finding the materials, it is getting harder, and harder to find the stuff. To bad the event coordinators DID NOT get the word out for this show.
Hello Dianne, thank you for your lovely comment 😊 My take away from all this is that I much prefer making videos for all of you on here 😀
I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.
Ive been watching your videos for a couple of weeks now. I love how you have your own style. Don't ever change that and go with the herd. ❤
Pair up with an up and coming fashion designer. Collage Fashion Show?!
This was great fun, thank you.
Lovely 💕👍🏆 great job!!
Hello Ilona I am a recent subscriber catching up on your older content … maybe someone has already suggested this … but I think it would be fabulous if you did a you tube catwalk of each new season’s hats. We would see the hats in motion, hear about your inspiration, and if you did it as a live event with teasers it would also be exciting!
Hi Siobhan! Thank you so much for subscribing! 😊 It's like you've read my mind with your suggestion! I may indeed be working on an ss24 collection video series, and I did tease it a little on my last livestream 😉
Drucilla is always fun to see make an appearance!
Sorry to hear it was underwhelming, especially for those vendors who traveled from other countries!
Will you be part of London Hat Week?
Hello! Oh well, it couldn't be helped - I just won't sign up again in the future! 😒
Yes! I am attending some classes and talks at London Hat week - I am very much looking forward to it! I shall have my camera with me - so if all goes well, there'll be another millinery VLOG! 👒📷
@@ByIlonaMillinery I’m thrilled they’re offering some streamed and recorded content this year! I’ve always wanted to travel to attend some of the programming, but it always occurs right when our fall semester begins.
All your hats are beautiful, what a shame the turn out was so low. Will you be adding the Harry Potter beauxbatons to your website in the near future.
Hello Michelle! Thank you very much! 😊 Yes! I will be adding my version of the Beauxbatons hat to my website in October, just in time for spooky season 🎃🦇🧹
Your hats are lovely. Your stall was beautiful, but I would photograph some of the people looking at your hats for your web page if you haven’t don’t that. You need a way to do online marketing and help getting your name online, or maybe you could find a boutique store in London that would sell your hats on consignment. Your hats should be selling!❤
Definitely am interested in how you price them!
Try rolling its you don’t want to crease. I love that name Drucilla 👏👏
Good for you, congratulation
I really enjoyed seeing your preparations for the fair. Your display at the fair was beautiful. It is too bad that the organizers spend more time getting people to display there wares than they do in advertising for the public to attend. I like that your husband is there to help when you need him. 🙂
Just found your website, such fun luv luv luv you so talented 💗
I believe July would be a great time to sell garden party hats.
Personally I avoid buying anything homemade because I am terribly allergic to cats and dogs, and certainly more aware of animal odors than a pet owner might be. I have purchased items off ebay with assurance they have a pet free home only to find I must dispose of the item immediately. And allergen dprays are worthless.
Your hats are absolutely beautiful ❤❤
If it happens in London and not Bath, maybe the Selvedge Fair would have the right audience for you.
Hello Jenine! Thanks for the tip! I will look it up 😊
I love the hat you are wearing at the end what is it called?
I just found your site and love your hats. Mat I ask why and how you use hairspray on the veil? Also, how do you price your hats? Where do you get your hat blocks?
Hello, here's a video about how I price my hats: czcams.com/video/-0-CADnZCkQ/video.html
Love your setup can you please spell out the PRUPAY word for the 1940s vintage head holder. I was doing a google search and I am not spelling the word correctly thank you 🎉❤
Thank you so much! 😊 It's spelt "poupee" it's a French word for the cork stuffed mannequin head. They get used in wig making a lot. I hope this helps 👒
Shows are HARD! You never know if it will be popular, if it will be well attended, if its the right 'crowd', etc..... They are good for networking, to help get your name out, and to meet people. However, I would expect that this type of event in London would be such a great event.
Also, Sundays are ALWAYS crappy at a show. I hate doing two day shows for that reason. It's always slower, a lot more lookey Lou's, etc.... You did well for a first show, its a shame the show wasn't marketed as it should have been.
Love love your work! How do you $$ price your creations?? You said to ask. Do you see clothes as well??
Hello James! Thank you for asking! I will have a video coming out about my hat pricing towards the end of this week. I do sew clothes, but only for myself, not for sale to others. I am working on a sewing clothes video series which will involve pattern drafting - I hope you will enjoy it when it comes out 😊
Informative and inspiring video! Thank you. ❤
Are you going to join this year, 2023 London Accessory Week?
I am so glad you liked this video 😊
I definitely won't be doing the accessory week ever again! I thought it was terribly overpriced, and the event organizers did not do enough marketing to generate the footfall needed to make an event like this a success. I have since done other events where I paid less and they were organised better.
@@ByIlonaMillinery it’s difficult to find honest reviews like yours for the event. Very helpful and thankful for sharing. Loved to watch some of your other videos where you did better than this event. Rooting for you! 💕
@@beefjacky Thank you so much! 😊 You might enjoy this video, I did much better at this pop up shop: czcams.com/video/GXaBpCjlxco/video.html
@@ByIlonaMillinery hehe, I have already watched it. ;) and I loved it. Can I ask you how you found the New Bond street pop up?
@@beefjacky I was contacted directly by the organisers. They said my products and price range fit their target customer. I am struggling to find similar events myself though.
Very interested to know how you price your hats.
HI Valerie, I have since made a video about this here: czcams.com/video/-0-CADnZCkQ/video.html
I would love to know how you arrive at your pricing.
Hello Lorraine! Thank you for your comment 😊 I am working on the pricing video - should be out in the next couple of weeks! 🎉
Illona I want to know if you do international shipping
Hi Susan, I do do international shipping through my Etsy shop. Please send me an email to hats@byilona.co.uk with which hats you are interested in, and I can create a custom listing for you.
How do you price your hats ?
Hello Sandra, there is a video coming on this topic in September 😀
I think that you should maximize the positive and minimize the negative. What you recieved was much more than an opportunity to display and sell your hats. You had an excellent chance to film, to advertise and to network. The "constructive" criticism should perhaps be shared privately with the organizers of the show. What we as viewers want to see is a positive moving forward in all the areas of our interests and that people we like are succeeding. Remember, one really positive introduction can be life changing. Negative comments can be equally damaging.