Launching a clothing brand is one thing. Getting people to actually notice it is another.
Social media has made it easier than ever to put a new collection in front of potential customers, but fashion press can still give an emerging brand something that's difficult to create yourself: credibility.
A feature, interview or even a product mention in the right publication can introduce your label to new customers, buyers, stylists and other people working within the fashion industry.
But you don't necessarily need to get your first collection into Vogue.
For a new or independent clothing brand, approaching publications that actually cover emerging designers and independent fashion can often be much more worthwhile.
Here are some of the fashion publications worth knowing — and how to give yourself the best chance of getting noticed.
1. PAUSE
For contemporary fashion, streetwear and emerging designers, PAUSE is one publication that should be on your radar.
Founded in 2011, PAUSE covers fashion, street style, fashion weeks, celebrity style and new creative talent.
That makes it particularly relevant for independent clothing brands with a strong visual identity.
PAUSE also accepts editorial submissions from photographers, stylists and creatives, so it is worth familiarising yourself with the type of photography and styling the publication features before approaching them.
Don't simply send a generic press release.
Think about whether your latest collection, campaign or story genuinely fits the publication.
2. Drapers
If your aim is to get noticed by people inside the fashion industry, Drapers is one of the most important UK publications to know.
Drapers has covered the UK fashion retail industry since 1887 and reports on retailers, brands, ecommerce, sustainability and the wider business of fashion.
This makes it quite different from a consumer fashion magazine.
A Drapers feature could potentially put your brand in front of retailers, buyers and other fashion professionals, rather than simply generating consumer awareness.
However, you need a story.
Launching another T-shirt isn't necessarily news. Opening your first store, securing a major stockist, experiencing significant growth, launching an innovative product or doing something genuinely different within the industry gives a journalist much more to work with.
3. 10 Magazine
London-based 10 Magazine sits towards the more editorial and luxury end of the fashion press.
The magazine covers fashion, contemporary art and beauty and works with photographers, designers, stylists and writers from around the world.
For a small brand, getting noticed here is naturally going to be more difficult.
But if your clothing has a particularly strong design identity, photography or creative direction, publications like 10 Magazine show why investing in the presentation of your brand matters.
Editors aren't simply looking at an individual product.
They're looking at the world you've created around it.
4. TheIndustry.fashion
Another useful publication to have on your radar is TheIndustry.fashion, particularly if you're interested in the business and retail side of building a clothing brand.
Trade publications can sometimes be overlooked by new brands because they don't necessarily have the same consumer recognition as major fashion magazines.
But being seen by the right buyers, retailers and industry professionals can potentially be more valuable than thousands of casual readers.
If wholesale is part of your plans, fashion trade media should form part of your PR strategy.
https://www.theindustry.fashion
5. Fashion and Culture Magazines
Don't limit yourself to publications that describe themselves purely as fashion magazines.
Independent culture, music, lifestyle and creative publications frequently feature clothing brands, particularly when there's an interesting story behind them.
For a smaller label, these publications can sometimes be a better fit than traditional fashion media.
If your brand is influenced by music, skateboarding, art, football, nightlife or another subculture, look for publications covering that world.
Relevance matters more than size.
A feature in a smaller publication whose readers genuinely understand your brand can be considerably more useful than appearing somewhere with a huge audience that has little interest in what you're making.
What Do Fashion Editors Actually Want?
Before contacting anyone, ask yourself a simple question:
Why would somebody write about my brand right now?
"Because we've launched a clothing brand" usually isn't enough.
You need an angle.
Perhaps you've launched an unusual collaboration. Maybe everything is manufactured locally. You've revived a forgotten manufacturing technique. You're working with an interesting artist. You've opened your first shop. Or perhaps your latest collection has a genuinely unusual story behind it.
Give the journalist something they can turn into an article.
Get Your Images Right
Fashion is visual.
You can have a brilliant story, but poor photography can immediately make your brand more difficult to feature.
Have a folder ready containing high-resolution product images, campaign photography and clean brand imagery.
Ideally, provide a mixture of landscape and portrait images so an editor has options when laying out a feature.
Make sure filenames are sensible and include clear information about what each image shows.
And don't send enormous attachments directly by email. Provide an organised link where journalists can easily access everything they need.
Create a Simple Press Pack
Every emerging clothing brand should have a basic press pack.
It doesn't need to be complicated.
Include your logo, a short explanation of the brand, founder information, key products or collections, high-resolution imagery, website and social links, contact details and any previous press coverage.
The aim is to make a journalist's job easier.
If they decide they want to mention your brand, they shouldn't have to spend half an hour searching your website for a usable photograph or figuring out who founded the company.
Don't Send the Same Email to Everyone
One of the quickest ways to have a press email ignored is to make it obvious that you've sent exactly the same message to 200 journalists.
Research the publication first.
Find the editor or writer who actually covers brands like yours and explain briefly why you think your story might be relevant to them.
Keep the email short.
Introduce the brand, explain what's interesting about the story and provide a link where they can find images and further information.
You don't need to tell them your entire company history in the first email.
Start Small
There's nothing wrong with aiming for the biggest fashion publications, but don't overlook smaller magazines and websites.
For a new clothing brand, your first piece of coverage might come from an independent fashion blog, regional publication, student fashion magazine or niche culture website.
That coverage still matters.
You can share it through your own channels, add it to your press page and include it when approaching larger publications later.
One feature can help lead to another.
Build Relationships, Not Mailing Lists
Fashion PR works much better when you treat journalists like people rather than email addresses.
Follow writers whose work you genuinely find interesting. Read what they're publishing. Understand the subjects they cover.
Then, when you actually have something relevant, get in touch.
Don't email them every week asking whether they've looked at your collection.
A good relationship with a handful of relevant fashion writers is far more valuable than having a spreadsheet containing thousands of press contacts who have never heard of you.
Give Publications a Reason to Talk About You
Ultimately, getting fashion press isn't about finding a secret email address or writing the perfect subject line.
It's about creating something worth talking about.
Build a distinctive brand. Produce good imagery. Develop interesting collections. Collaborate with creative people. Tell a genuine story.
Then find the publications whose readers are most likely to care about what you're doing.
For independent clothing brands, getting known rarely happens overnight. But the right feature, in the right publication, can introduce your brand to an entirely new audience — and become another building block in turning a small label into a recognised name.
Read more about the fashion industry on The BV Edit.
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