Whether they’re backed by an Italian millionaire or an American trying to pay for college, all fashion brands have one thing in common: they want to help make their customers look good — great, even! But there’s no way to do that if customers don’t buy their clothes. So how does a fashion brand distinguish itself from every other brand on the market? 5W PR shares five tips.

Do Research

Before doing anything else in PR and marketing, brands should engage in research. Learn who the competitors are, and the best ways to upstage them. What problems do certain brands have that yours can fix? Who is most likely to buy the brand, and who would you like to buy the brand? Keep in mind, these sets of people may differ. Who are the top magazines and the journalists behind them?

Gather all the information possible, and then proceed.

Use Attractive Models

Fashion is all about looks, and the more attractive the model, then the more attractive the clothes will look. However, brands should steer away from stereotypical ideals of beauty by finding attractive models of different body-types and ethnicities to model their clothing. This is especially important as more and more brands come under fire for lack of diversity.

Post on Instagram

Pictures of your clothing and the attractive models wearing them should be posted on not just the company website and store, but also Instagram. Many fashionistas all around the world turn to Instagram to help craft their style and see what’s trendy and hot, and what’s not. Because Instagram is image-focused, this is a great place for a brand specializing in appearances to hang out.

Hire Brand Ambassadors

Celebrities make great ambassadors in fashion. However, there are fashion bloggers and Instagram models who also make fabulous choices. Celebrities showcase the brand to a broader audience and boost visibility. However, Instagram models and fashion bloggers showcase the brand to a smaller but likely more engaged audience; they follow specifically for advice on what to wear, and where to buy it from.

Learn What to Pitch and When

Models, Instagram, and ambassadors help to build just the right amount of buzz to put some credibility behind a pitch. Brands must think outside the box before pitching editors, as most have heard it all, and are looking for something new. Beware of publishing calendars, as many fashion magazines plan out content up to six months in advance. Thus, if you wait for summer to pitch summer-wear, the opportunity is likely already lost.

Fashion PR can be a fun and exciting venture to take on, but clothing lines are one of the easiest businesses to start, which makes it a saturated market with lots of competition. Thus, to stand out from the rest, fashion brands must do their research, get creative, and embrace diverse looks.