A customer walks into your store or trade show booth and starts browsing through a rack of clothes. “Welcome! What brings you in today?” you ask as you walk over. They reply and start a conversation about one of your pieces. Then they ask: “Who makes your clothes?”
How do you feel about this question?
I was chatting with some designers and one mentioned she had once asked this of a boutique designer and was met with annoyance. The designer had replied shortly and not really answered the question.
I know that there is some risk to sharing the details of who the factory or seamstress behind your brand is. Not every brand wants that information to be public or makes that part of their marketing story. But many do, and it is becoming a more common question. Transparency is beneficial to both brands and customers in numerous ways. Personally, I don’t think it has to be a sensitive subject.
Have you ever been asked this question by one of your customers? How did you respond?