Customer Discovery and Validation

This chapter discusses the essential role of customer discovery and validation in fashion entrepreneurship. It introduces the Customer Development Model, guiding you through the process of identifying target customers, understanding their needs and testing product ideas before investing in production. The chapter explains how to develop a compelling value proposition and apply the Lean Startup methodology, including the development of a Minimum Viable Product to test core assumptions. A range of validation techniques, such as interviews, surveys, landing page tests and crowdfunding, are explored to help entrepreneurs gather meaningful feedback and assess market demand. Through practical examples and actionable tools, the chapter equips students with the skills to reduce risk, avoid waste and build fashion ventures that are grounded in real customer insight and aligned with market needs.