Christian Siriano proves to be as savvy in business as in fashion

I just finished watching Christian Siriano on The View. As he showed off a few pieces from his Fall 2010 collection, I couldn't help but be impressed. Not just by the extravagant clothes, but I was mostly impressed by how savvy he is. As most Runway alumni fail to keep relevant after winning, Siriano cleverly built a solid foundation to support his runway collections. For example, his Payless Shoe Collection which keeps getting better every season. This is a great example of when talent, no matter how extraordinary, is not enough. With a sea of designers in today's markets, you need to offer something more than two collections a year. New fashion designers need to be their own marketing and pr dynamos. Consumers need to be reminded of why they need your brand in their closet. It's refreshing that designers are making deals for affordably priced Target/H&M/Payless/Gap lines. It's simply smart, since it widens your audience and it's an ideal press opportunity. With luxury sales down and fast fashion chains imitating high fashion anyhow, why not get in on the profits.

Images: The Cut