All businesses have rules... We should collect them.

Here are just some initial thoughts;

1)  Buy online with great caution, but never sell online, even in the Etsy way. Ralph Lauren tells us that people buy dreams and so, as it works for him, it can work for you too... Give the impression of great personal service with lots of brown paper and string. Leave a half empty packet of Chesterfields in a Jacket pocket. Make it as 'cottage industry' as you can and never ever ever deal with the general public directly. They're a bunch of pissy little HoHos.

2)  Never sell clothes, sell provenance. Tell the tale of why your stuff isn't just second hand tat, but wearable history.

3)  Create desire by limiting consummation. All clever people in bed eventually learn this trick - Put them off, put them off, until they're' so grateful for just a fumble that they'll have forgotten all about fornicating. You can sell a ton of ties just by denying people that three piece suit that was never up for grabs anyway.

4)  Become mythical by never pleasing your retailers, but by pleasing their customers. Create the role of 'Supplier' or 'Dealer' for yourself in a kind of drugs-related way... Smoking Cat's got some old Hathaways coming in next week. Not seen them yet. You want first look?  Customers love all this schtick. Retailers find it a pain in the backside because all the attention is then on the supplier & not them as being The One. Retailers have egos too. A fine line to tread.

5)  Add value by subtracting value. Sell stinking rags by saying that it shows that they're real. Knock off a tenner for the retailer/customer to do some dry cleaning as an act of good will from the already over-inflated price that you're asking. You'll still be quids in.

6)  Always present yourself as having the ultimate integrity.

7)  Make money.

8)  Remember you're not running a social club but a business.

9)  Cultivate the foolish.  They are your bank account's friends.

10)  Always 'Poop On Your Own Doorstep' - It just opens the door for more bad behaviour from you. Once you are established as 'A Bit Of A One Off' you can have a lot of fun... Also people will enjoy feeling superior to you and so like you more. They'll do you deals because it's just 'Poor Old You'... Not that I'm old... I'm only 22...


Best -