From idea to reality: The making of a KAZARTT belt
In the previous article, I told you about the new Perspective belt and the mistakes we made during its creation.
So today, I want to take you through the step-by-step process of how a KAZARTT belt is made.
Let’s get to it!
But before we start, there’s something important you need to know.
KAZARTT is a small company. We don’t have investors backing us, and until now, all the investment has come from the founder’s salary—yes, he hasn’t even left his job yet! Why am I telling you this? Because creating a new belt requires money.
For example, to create the pattern, we need to make a metal mold, which costs between 350 and 500 euros, depending on the complexity of the design.
Here’s what the mold looks like:
Now, I mentioned that we don’t have outside investment… but in the previous article, I also said we raised money.
So let me clarify before getting backfire (internet is wild).
We have indeed received some investments from friends and family recently. To prepare stock for Christmas. However, this money was used exclusively to buy inventory, not to develop new products.
Now that you know this, let’s start building a new belt.
1) The idea
As simple as it sounds, the idea for the pattern is the first step. And I can’t tell you that this process takes just a few minutes, a day, two days, or even 30 days… sometimes, it takes years.
For instance, the idea for the new triathlon model has been with me since the beginning. The first prototype didn’t convince me, but as I mentioned earlier, creating a model represents an investment, and I wasn’t ready to take a step back at that time.
The same goes for the new Perspective belt. I’ve been thinking about creating a different kind of belt for several years.
2) The pattern
Once we have an idea, we need to sketch it out.
For most of my belts, I work with Pamela, who is the graphic designer behind every KAZARTT visual. She’s incredibly creative.
However, she’s not a fashion designer. So for more complex models like this one, I collaborate with Valeria. She designed several of our first models and helped with this latest one as well.
Valeria proposed different ideas:
It’s not always easy to visualize these on a belt. After some filtering, she designs the belt with the new patterns.
At this stage, it looks something like this:
We do some testing with different visuals, and then we decide on one together. The next step? Choosing the colors.
3) Chosing the colors
This is where I come in.
Do I have any background in fashion design? Or any affinity for it?
Not at all…
And to be honest, I’m not very “fashion-forward.” I don’t follow trends.
So, I do two things:
1. I use data.
2. I use marketing.
Let me explain.
Data: It’s easy for me to see which colors are selling faster than others. But if the camel belt is the best seller, should I only sell camel belts? Of course not. That’s where marketing comes in.
Marketing: I need to create a product that’s visually appealing, something that will make you click on the ad.
If the product is orange, you might click and then buy the brown one. But I need to differentiate my products from those of other brands.
So, for this specific belt—the Perspective belt—I initially decided to go for flashy colors. The yellow color had been very successful before, so I decided to bring it back. For the second color, I thought a bright green would be nice. I also had to decide on the colors of the borders (which are painted), the interior (another leather), the stitching, and the buckle.
On paper, it looks nice, and I try to imagine it as much as possible. But the next step is the prototype.
4) The First Prototype
I send the brief to my partner in Spain, and they create the first prototype. I always ask them to share pictures… but let’s be honest: they’re great at making belts, not taking pictures!
So, I have to wait several long days before receiving the prototype.
And here it is:
For this model, I sent it directly to the photographer. I guess I was overly confident! Because when I received the pictures, I loved them. But I also knew that this wouldn’t meet the success I had hoped for. Why? Because we’re launching this product in autumn, when most people wear less flashy fashion accessories.
That’s when I had to take a step back and rethink the colors. I went back to step 3 and decided to go for smoother colors—at least for now.
5) The second prototype
6) The name
Well, yes… now that I have the belt, I need a name for it!
Sometimes, it’s very obvious, and it takes me less than a minute. For instance, for the belt with the bicycle pattern, being a cyclist myself, it was clear that “Determination” was the best name.
But for this one, it took me a bit more time.
Firstly, because I wanted the name to be tied to a value. And for a model that’s more abstract and doesn’t really represent a sport or passion, it wasn’t so clear.
At that time, I was working with three interns, so I decided to do an exercise where we all wrote down some name ideas and then voted for the best one.
“Perspective” won the contest.
7) Logistic
Once we have the final version of the product, we need to:
- Launch the production
- Send the products to the logistics center
I create the barcodes, ship the belts to the logistics center, and there, they count them, scan them, and get them ready for worldwide delivery.
8) Marketing
This is my favorite part of the job. Once I have the final products in hand and I’m 100% convinced, I need to start selling them.
I hate sales, but I love marketing.
Marketing usually starts with a photoshoot. We do a product shoot, which is mandatory for the website, followed by a lifestyle shoot to showcase the products “in real life.”
And that’s it! The belt is ready to conquer the world!
That's it !
I hope this article wasn’t too boring and that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you want to know more about the “behind the scenes,” you know where to find me. Drop me a message, and I’ll be more than happy to continue sharing the backstage of the brand.
