Paris-based Spanish designer Arturo Obegero launched his eponymous brand in 2020 and counts Beyoncé, Adele, Lady Gaga and Harry Styles among his clients. But last year, Obegero hit a wall. He had a healthy order book and worldwide stockists, but cash was not flowing. He started to feel like the system was rigged.
“The margins we work with as designers become incredibly slim, not to mention all of the advance payments I have to make to my suppliers and ateliers once I receive an order from a retailer,” he says. “Some retailers pay as little as 20 per cent upfront before delivery, and if you are a small designer, that can cripple your cash flow.”
