How I created my own clothing brand

Mirrorball
Dress to impact

For over a year and a half, I’ve been on a mission to bring my own clothing brand, Mirrorball, to life. Driven by a blend of creativity and entrepreneurial grit, I applied user-centered strategies to validate my designs and connect with customers in a meaningful way. From launching a Shopify store with just two original motifs to expanding the collection to six by Q2 of 2024, I’ve focused on every detail—from concept and production to a lean go-to-market strategy. Each step has been crafted to resonate with a community that values authenticity and design with purpose.

Mirrorball is more than a clothing brand—it’s a statement of purpose, style, and wit.

What I did

  • Founded and Launched Mirrorball
  • Crafted a Brand and Marketing Strategy
  • Developed a Data-Driven Proof of Concept
  • Managed End-to-End Production
  • Photography and Creative Direction

Highlights

  • Sold 90% T-shirts on the first 3 months of release
  • Optimised Ads for exceptional cost efficiency achieving a  0.03CHF CPC
  • Achieved 17k followers on social media in less than a year

The concept

Inspired by late-night conversations in the vibrant city of Bern, Mirrorball began with a simple idea: to express powerful thoughts on the timeless canvas of a white T-shirt. The vision was clear from the outset—designs that are bold, playful, and slightly sarcastic, reflecting the contradictions and complexities of modern life.

The brand essence soon took shape, grounded in the art of subtle sarcasm. In a world brimming with contradictions, Mirrorball’s style embodies a blend of class, dark realism, and iconic statements. Each design captures the complex spirit of our times in just a few words, offering space for interpretation and artfully balancing bold conviction with understated elegance.

The mission? To turn each piece into a wearable statement that speaks to personal style and purpose.

Validating early ideas

To validate Mirrorball’s appeal, I took a unique, data-driven approach: I launched a “waiting list” feature on the site, where users could express interest in specific designs before they were available for purchase. This method helped determine which motifs resonated most, allowing me to prioritize high-demand designs for production.

The insights gained from this approach guided the initial batch of 50 T-shirts, which sold out in just three months—proof that Mirrorball had struck a chord with its audience.

Brand aesthetics

From the start, Mirrorball was designed to make a statement—bold, playful, and witty. The iconic phrases crafted for each T-shirt were carefully designed to stand out, adding a touch of humor and insight that would resonate with an urban audience.

With this vision in mind, I went to the streets of Bern, capturing the first brand photos that would become the foundation of Mirrorball’s activation plan.

These images embodied the brand’s essence and served as a launchpad to introduce Mirrorball’s unique voice to the world.

 

The debut collection

With the first T-shirts in hand it was time to release. With a refined go-to-market plan I started teasing the users with various types of social media content. I also started to read and understanding more about Facebook Ads and Sales funnel. The knowledge I gained were fundamental to the success that came in the following months from the release.

Mirrorball’s debut collection resonated with our target audience, evidenced by strong engagement on social channels and high retention among initial customers. Users reported feeling a deeper connection with the brand, often drawn by our transparent production values and timeless yet bold aesthetic.

The brand’s early success reinforced that thoughtful design, when paired with sustainability, can create both an emotional and functional impact.

 

 

Growth

Following this early success, I reinvested profits to produce an additional 300 shirts, strategically expanding the line while retaining the brand’s focus on quality and limited availability. For the launch campaign.

Key Highlights

  • Increased Brand Visibility by 45% through a data-driven social media strategy that amplified Mirrorball’s reach and engaged a loyal community.
  • Strong Initial Sales: Sold out 50 T-shirts within the first three months, validating market fit and early brand appeal.
  • High-Impact Advertising: Optimized ads to an impressive 0.03 CHF CPC, achieving significant engagement with minimal spend.


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Do you want to hear more about Mirroball?

Get in touch with me and let’s have a chat. I can show you more of the insights I gained so far!

Connect with me on LinkedIn
Send me an E-mail
Visit Mirroball’s website

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