Hey peeps!
I've been thinking... when I first started this blog I wanted it all to be about legwear. Tights, leggings, pantyhose... you know, just normal stuff that guys talk about. I thought I'd also be a bit sneaky and slip a few of my own little ideas in here from time to time. Which I did.
Times change though.
Now, all I really talk about is Black Milk ... and some of my random opinions (as well as the occassional mention of some metaphysics and philosophy). Part of me feels bad about that. I don't want to seem completely introverted and self obsessed. I may be that way.. but I don't want to seem that way.
But another part of me thinks that this is an interesting story to tell. It's my story, involving a fairly bizarre and unrealistic dream that actually came true.
So my apologies for the introspection - but at least for this post, it's all stuff I'm thinking about.
Shall we begin?
1. The Killler's Vanilla Collection was launched last Monday (six days ago at the writing of this). Collection launches have become a bit a of a special event at Black Milk. It's crazy - Facebook just fills up with posts and photos from the circling sharkettes and I'm going crazy trying to get all the photos ready for the launch. And then at the strike of 2:00pm - it's all on. I'm releasing massive amounts of clothing, just smashing Facebook walls around the world with constant pics and everyone starts getting all the stuff they want.
It's a real buzz.
There are girls who stay up all night for them, or get up really early, or skip school (okay, don't really approve of that one... although I can't really talk with any authority here seeing as I'm a drop out myself ).
I love them.
The Killer's Vanilla was our biggest release yet, beating out our last collection (The Toto Collection) by a long way (and Toto was our previous biggest as well!).
And girls kept buying and buying and buying. And the next day. And the next day.
And it got to the point where I started freaking out. The sharks were nommin too hard and at this rate peeps weren't going to get their clothes for a very long time. So I had to make a decision:
1. Sell like there's no tomorrow, hold on for dear life, deal with the consequences
2. Raise prices, creating higher profits, and a more manageable demand.
3. Cut the collection temporarily and put the pieces back up when production gets over the initial hump (the 'beast')
So I went with three.
That means that most of the pieces from the Killer's Vanilla collection will not be available after 5pm Monday Brisbane time. Sorry peeps, but the other two options sucked.
I have no idea when they will be back. I guess once the admin team tell me that they're on top of all the orders we have already.
And can I just say a massive THANKYOU to all those who have been buying, wearing, strutting, and supporting Black Milk. It's truly awesome. It means so much to me. :)
2. So some people say to me "Hey dude... " Or "Hey Lady" depending on if they think I'm a dude or a lady "which don't you just hire more people!?"
At which point I face palm and ask myself why the thought had never crossed my mind before.
I kid.
It's hard to understand what it's like handling a growing company. It's a real challenge. For example, I spoke to my fabric printers last week who told me that they had hired another person. I remarked that in the time he had hired one person - I had hired sixteen. Fast growth brings a huge load of challenges.
To give you an analogy... giving birth (this might get icky for those who haven't had much to do with this stuff). Dilating fast means that you can get that baby out quicker and get the labour over and done with - but it's also a lot more painful than a slow dilation.
Sorry.
The same with growing a company - growing slow is easy, growing fast is super hard. Most companies fail at the growth stage. Really, I've seen it many times:
- person makes money
- perspen makes more money
- person creates company
- person hires others
- person get's frustrated with others
- Government taxes person to death and makes them do paperwork intead of being productive
- Person closes company
I came very close myself on more than one occassion.
3. Governments are evil.
4. I want to start another fashion label.
5. Captialism is awesome.
6. Sometimes I worry about what will happen to this little fashion label. It's really cool now... but will it stay cool? What if a competitor comes along and makes much cooler stuff? What if the haters get on the Black Milk Facebook page and ruin it? What if I get drunk in a Paris cafe and call someone a 'dirty Jew face'? (Actually... I think I'm pretty safe on that last one). What if people discover that I'm not a real fashion designer, just a dude with a few sewing machines, an unhealthy and a delusion of grandeur.
Maybe one day someone will out me.
Maybe I worry too much.
Internet hugs for all.
x
jL
