- 1). Mark your style order sheet with the apparel style number. Most runway shows give buyers style sheets. They contain pertinent style information such as fabric, texture and color. Mark the order sheet with your selection and keep side notes regarding possible quantities.
- 2). Write out your buying quantity structure and budget. This step is crucial prior to contacting the designer showroom. Showrooms have minimum purchase requirements. Smaller boutiques, which generally carry a few pieces of a style, will not be able to purchase from certain design houses.
- 3). Contact the designer's showroom and request a sales representative. Your shop will most likely need to be qualified to carry specific designers. Certain haute couture ateliers do not sell to shops that do not carry other designer brands. If you get to display the merchandise, there are certain guidelines you must follow.
- 4). Request a meeting and review the shoe styles as well as quantity minimums and cost. It is important to know that runway collections often add accessories such as shoes or headpieces for photography purposes as well as to influence the collection. Not all styles are available for sale or retail.
- 5). Plan the shoe delivery schedule, which is important to coordinate with the rest of your department. For example, if your fall apparel and shoe selection complement each other, your shoe delivery schedule must coincide with your apparel delivery to ensure maximum sales potential.
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