There are so many great reasons to create a capsule collection, from the smaller overhead costs to the reduced impact on the environment. The main reason why people create capsule collections is to minimize the number of different pieces in the brand’s collection while also maximizing the number of looks and outfits offered to customers. If you want to start curating your brand’s own capsule collection, read on. These little pearls of wisdom will help you understand exactly what a capsule collection is, and how to jump-start your brand with a perfectly-curated line.

Understand the Capsule Concept

Remember, the whole motivation of the capsule collection is to make the most of as few pieces as possible. It’s important to keep this in mind, because from the very beginning of the design process, there are specific characteristics that will make or break your capsule collection. First off, you should choose designs that are likely to stay in style for a long time, and that can easily be mixed and matched. Think about what has been considered consistently classy throughout the past few decades: the classic trench coat, the pearl necklace, diamond studs, or little black dress, for example. The whole point of your capsule collection is to stay fashionable: this longevity will ensure that people are wearing your brand for the long term. This builds trust in your brand, which ultimately leads to greater success for your products and profits.

Then, when it’s time to add a splash of color to your stock, you can add smaller pieces with bolder colors like multi-colored beads or pink gemstones. Of course, the goal with these smaller pieces is volume sales, so you should expect to update these accessories more frequently than you do the main pieces in your brand’s capsule collection.

Next, you should take a step back and articulate how your brand will be different from others in the fast fashion movement. Overall, you’re trying to minimize the number of stand-alone pieces of clothing you offer, while maintaining your brand’s own unique and fashionable style. One way to do this is to commit to using durable and ecologically-sourced materials for your products. For this strategy, you can get buy-in and support from like-minded celebrities and/or influencers to help promote the environmental impact angle of your brand’s capsule collection.

Stick to a Color Scheme

One of the easiest ways to start designing your capsule collection is to make sure that your pieces all fall within the same color scheme. If this is your first attempt at a capsule collection, a popular choice is black and white as the main colors, since these basic colors are versatile and flexible. Neutral colors, like cream, beige, and shades of grey and brown, are also popular jumping-off points.

A little bit of extra color can go a long way to diversify your basic outfits, especially when they complement and add to your original color scheme. By sticking to a simple color scheme and building your brand’s style from there, it’s easier to curate your capsule collection.

The Accessories Make it or Break it

The accessories offered as part of your capsule collection will probably represent the most volume of sales from customers who are actually committed to the collection. This means that, even though the profit margin for each individual accessory probably won’t compare to that of a bigger item, small accessories can represent a significant part of your overall success as a brand. The balance lies in which accessories take priority in your brand’s collection. Remember, committing to a capsule collection also means you’re trying to cut back on the total number of accessories that you offer to customers. Bags and shoes are the best-selling accessories when part of a capsule collection.

That’s why it’s so important to choose bags and shoes that are durable and well-made in addition to fitting the overall aesthetic of your brand’s capsule collection. These everyday accessories could turn out to be some of the most expensive pieces available in your collection, so it’s important to market the value of these quality-made items. Customers are usually willing to spend a bit more for these staple accessories if they’re convinced that they’re a good investment. For smaller accessories, you can stress them as being great gift options, and really play up their versatility, especially when they’re paired with your brand’s main capsule collection. The goal is to have your customers view these accessories as a fluid and necessary part of the capsule collection as a whole.

Don’t Stray Far from Your Aesthetic

A lot of people opt for the capsule collections because it frees up the space in their home and in their mind when it comes to storing and choosing outfits. However, in order to offer this freedom to your customers, your brand has to be a bit more intentional with its aesthetic. That’s why it’s important to really consider the kind of look you want for your brand before jumping headfirst into building a capsule collection.

Do you want a more formal look, or is your brand’s style more laid-back? Which elements of design will you prioritize when you’re choosing the pieces for your brand’s capsule collection? Is there a maximum number of pieces that you don’t want to exceed? Once you’ve answered these questions, sketch or list a few outfit ideas, including the main pieces as well as the accessories. Then, looking at the pieces that comprise those outfits, you can try to imagine how your capsule collection can grow from there.

Once you’ve defined your brand’s aesthetic, though, you shouldn’t stray too far from that general look. If you try to create a style that is too broad, you’re likely to face problems at each step of the process, from initial designs to marketing.

Montblanc x Maison Kitsuné

The distinct cultural identities of Paris and Tokyo of Maison Kitsuné and their Art de Vivre attitude, blend perfectly with signature Montblanc products to create a collection that caters to the modern city dweller that will always choose style over substance.

Mr Porter x Celine

British retail giant MR PORTER has teamed up with French fashion house Celine and released a 43 pieces ready-to-wear apparel, shoes, and accessories, exclusive to Mr Porter, autumn/winter 2021 capsule collection dubbed “Teen Knight Poem”.

The collection focuses on youth, with the rebirth of romanticism, the rebirth of new identities but still having streetwear as the heart of the collection.

About Author

Olivia Mitchell is a writer focused on fashion, lifestyle, and wedding planning content, currently working at The Pearl Source. Classically trained, fashion-savvy, and with a background in styling as well as in digital marketing, Olivia is all about bringing you the latest on closet curation, trending must-haves, and wedding style & décor.

How Do I Create a Capsule Collection?