Advancements in communication, manufacturing, economic environments and consumer preferences have created new opportunities for small firm internationalisation on a global scale. Within the creative industries, fashion design entrepreneurs operate within the small and medium enterprise sector on an international level developing extraordinarily influential connections with fabric and materials suppliers, manufacturers, sales and PR agent, trade fairs and retailers throughout the globe (Centre for Fashion Enterprise 2008). Entrepreneurial design firms are increasingly identified as key sectors for economic growth regardless of their need for promotion and support to achieve sustainability, amplifying the focus on generating emerging talent within the fashion industry (British Fashion Council 2012; Centre for Fashion Enterprise 2008).

Highlighted within the media through the development of support programs such as the Council of Fashion Designers of America Vogue Fashion Fund and the British Fashion Council’s Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, among others, independent fashion apparel design firms often operate within the luxury, contemporary and bridge designer product categories, producing conceptual pieces for editorial placement as well as commercially desirable and wearable garments. In the earliest stages of development these companies experience considerable marketing expenses and higher manufacturing costs out of proportion to initial turnover, requiring the designer to seek out support initiatives, high street licensing partnerships and freelance design collaboration opportunities that are usually outgrown within a few seasons, illustrating the need for these firms to quickly establish self-sufficient viability as a brand within the marketplace (Centre for Fashion Enterprise 2008). While these companies can be described as ‘born global’ (Knight & Cavusgil 2004), few studies have attempted to illustrate the strategies by which fashion design firms achieve international success in spite of their limited resources.

Within marketing literature, brand development is increasingly identified as imperative for the long-term economic sustainability of the firm. While previously thought only to operate within the realm of marketing, the creation of brand values are now understood to be built through communication activities only to a limited degree. Indeed, communication efforts act only as a supportive activity; understanding of brand development now encompasses its significance to overall firm culture, structure and essence through the action and interaction of product development, management and communications strategies that permeate the entirety of the firm internally and radiate externally (de Chernatony 2001). Recent literature recognises the brand’s co-creation within the marketplace and the influence of consumers of brand identity (Salzer-Mörling & Strannegård 2004; Power & Hauge 2008). Despite this, entrepreneurial fashion designers may not even 'brand' their firms according to established methods delineated via the marketing industry.

This research examines the practice of entrepreneurial womenswear design firms based in London and New York to identify and understand the branding and internationalisation strategies adopted and created by these firms. Using an exploratory and qualitative approach to the research phenomenon, this investigation uses grounded theory as the methodological framework to examine the contemporary context in which design firms operate within the currently existing globally competitive marketplace. Using theoretical sampling to direct data gathering, this research incorporates the use of semi-structured in-depth interviews with womenswear designer fashion enterprises and their support network of PR agents, showroom managers, sales agents and photographers to examine the strategic growth and development of SME design brands. Additionally observation at New York, London & Paris fashion weeks and discourse analysis of websites, social media and press is used for the triangulation and verification of emerging concepts within the data.

This paper presents the collective emerging strategies that London and New York based womenswear SME fashion design firms employ to develop product, integrate into the fashion industry and connect with consumers globally. Within the context of grounded theory's constant comparative analysis, this paper will present the evolution of understanding gained during the research investigation. This analysis is the collection and comparison of codes and categories that creates the foundational conceptual framework for the emerging theoretical model of how entrepreneurial fashion designers define and create their brand identity throughout processes of development, growth and internationalisation.

The purpose of this paper is to present and examine the strategies of London and New York’s independent entrepreneurial womenswear design firms revealed through the concepts, categories and insights examined during data gathering and analysis. The research aims is to provide insight regarding the current brand and management methods implemented by entrepreneurial designers, enhancing and informing marketing and design literature. Researching international fashion branding of emerging designers creates understanding of these entrepreneurs who operate as born global fashion firms. By exploring how fashion designers define success for their company, create and translate their brand essence into messaging, and utilise communication activities in growth efforts, this research creates understanding of these entrepreneurs who operate within the gap between new talent and economically sustainable and established businesses.

• Jennifer E.S. Millspaugh(London College of Fashion)