Atelier of business opportunities

Lyudmila Zhukova, the owner of the Ornate Vinnytsia studio, studies fashion trends on her clients, helps designers turn sketches into ready-made collections, and wonders whether to become a designer in the future herself? She told us at the meeting how to open an atelier and build a business on individual and small-scale sewing.

They want elegant, sophisticated dresses for the school graduation, but for the institute’s school, “something to wear and then wear with sneakers.” And for the sake of peace in the family, men agree to swimming trunks with a print, like a wife's in a swimsuit.

Try on others

If you look back and retrospectively evaluate the path that the entrepreneur has taken, it becomes obvious that every event, every step led her to the decision to open her own atelier. She graduated from Kiev National University of Technology and Design with a degree in designer-technologist of sewing production. And then she worked for six years at the Vinnitsa sewing factory. At some point, Lyudmila realized that she took everything that could be taken from this work from knowledge and skills. And if you continue to stay here, then there will be nothing new. “This prospect was not inspiring,” she says. And at that time the bright and alluring world of fashion was inspired. “I was very interested in fashion. I really wanted to know how all these designer shows are happening, how fashion collections are created, ”recalls Lyudmila. This interest led her to the team of one Vinnitsa designer. In addition to the direct responsibilities of the designer-technologist, administrative tasks also fell on her. “Sewing and manufacturing is one job, and design is completely different. And although I came to this job, having decent experience, for me everything was like the first day at school. Everything was done completely differently. Every day I learned new things. Discovering an unfamiliar world. And gained, gained experience, ”says the entrepreneur. Here she worked for about two years, then she was invited to a design studio for tailoring. And again, a new step into a new world. The studio was created from scratch before our eyes and with the participation of the brains and hands of Lyudmila. “This work has become a very valuable accumulator of experience for me. Although I’m in a foreign team, I have gone all the way from the moment when there is nothing to the moment when there is a live business and it works like clockwork, ”she says.

Open your own

At some point, Lyudmila realized that she was ready to work independently, and opened the Ornate studio in Vinnitsa. “It was a gamble. By an effort of will I did not allow myself to sit and calculate all the possible difficulties. If I did this, I would never open again, ”says the entrepreneur. She was helped by friends and acquaintances. Some suggested where there is a suitable room, others gave equipment for rent on comfortable conditions, while others advised good seamstresses.
At the moment, the Ornate studio is one year old. During this time, two business areas were launched: indosha and small-scale production, the team grew from two to five, and the premises changed to twice as much.

Costs for opening an atelier (not in the capital)

Rent - from 6000 UAH / month.
Salary fund - from 7500 UAH / month. on one seamstress
Equipment costs - from 30 000 UAH
Accessories - from 5000 UAH

Overcome difficulties

The business on individual orders was very unstable. Today, people stand in line, and tomorrow there is no one. In order not to make herself and the studio dependent on the unpredictable desires and impulses of customers, Lyudmila Zhukova, in parallel with indoshiv, develops small-scale production. Ornate now sews uniforms for cafe and restaurant staff, develops corporate details for interiors, and also works with designers to sew collections for shows and for sale. Such diversification allows you to keep the business afloat during periods of recession in one of the areas. Over time, Lyudmila plans to try herself in new and new directions, and if they are economically viable, introduce them to the business on an ongoing basis. “I try a lot. Not afraid to make mistakes. Yes, there were times when I responded to a proposal to do what I hadn’t done before, and stuffed bumps. Lost time without making money. But it replenished my experience. Now I know that in some sphere money cannot be earned at all, and no more there with a foot, or else not made money in the way I tried to do it. Then there is potential, you just need to understand how, ”she says.

Materialize other people's ideas

Lyudmila began working with designers by chance. She was offered cooperation by a talented local girl designer from Vinnitsa, who needed help in tailoring the collection. “Models from designer collections are often very complex in terms of design and combination of fabric. And the designer himself does not have the necessary expertise to not only create a thing from the sketch, but also to evaluate in advance whether this can be done in principle. And I have a specialized education and experience. There are times when an idea cannot be implemented in its original form. The designer sees a thing from a certain fabric, and I look and understand that it is from this fabric that a thing will not hold the desired shape, for example, or it will not sit at all as the creator suggests. We worked like this: the designer created the creative, and I designed the products, picked up the fabrics, and my employees sewed, ”says Lyudmila. The collaboration became permanent, and thanks to word of mouth, other designers pulled themselves up as well. From an interesting project, it grew into a separate line of business. Over the past six months, Lyudmila has designed and sewed collections for five Vinnitsa designers.

Become a designer?

Lyudmila is periodically visited by thoughts about creating collections herself. But reality is making adjustments. “To come up with a collection, draw sketches, buy fabrics, sew a collection, organize a show - all this requires a lot of money,” she says. - In the morning you need to invest money, and whether there will be chairs in the evening is a question. Fashion is a high-risk sphere. My business is still very young, and I do it myself. What earned is mine. And I immediately invest this earned in the material base. Plus, it is my responsibility to rent and pay the people who work for me. Therefore, now for me the priority is economically viable stable areas. But it is now. When I build a profitable, sustainable business, I’m almost sure I will try myself in design, ”she notes.

Lyudmila Zhukova on cooperation with Raiffeisen Bank Aval

Once I received an order for the development of a corporate style from the Vinnitsa IT company. The guys wanted a bright, comfortable office in modern trends in this area. We came up with a visual for them: from the logo to various interior pieces, for example, covers for armchairs and sofas, all kinds of wraps, etc. Customers were funny and “non-polluted”, it was easy to work with them, ideas were born quickly, and realized even faster. The whole atmosphere in this IT company focused on Europe and the USA captivated me so much that I realized that I want to continue to work with the same ones. At the same time, for my business, I was considering the question of which bank to open a bank account in, so I chose a bank with European roots - Raiffeisen Bank Aval. My accountant also voted for him. I have never regretted it and I enjoy using all the profits of work according to European standards. Everything is transparent, clear, clear.

Also, they immediately opened a line of credit at the bank, which I use more than successfully. As soon as I realized that I have money, even credit, but they are right now, I immediately bought the missing equipment. It turned out to be very convenient and profitable for my business. I did not have to wait until I earn the money that I can reinvest in the purchase of the machines needed to expand the atelier. It would take a lot of time to earn them. And all this period I would miss out on profitable orders. Just because it could not provide the required amount of work. And so I could do everything right away.

There is also a psychological moment. Before using the bank’s credit money, I thought about borrowing money from my friends and acquaintances. But I really did not want this to somehow influence the relationship that I value. And then an offer came from the bank. I realized that this option is better, and took advantage of it. This turned out to be a crucial step for my business.