The Foundation Framework
COMING SOON
A structured approach to merchandising decisions
The Merch Decoded Foundation Framework is a practical guide designed to help fashion founders bring clarity to product and commercial decisions early in the process.
It focuses on the underlying structure of a collection: what the season needs to achieve, how products relate to one another, and where priorities sit across the range. Rather than responding to issues once a collection is already built, the Framework supports clearer thinking before decisions become difficult to change.
Why we created the Foundation Framework
Small fashion brands often develop collections without a shared structure for decision-making. Assortment size, product importance, and pricing logic are worked out as development progresses, usually under time or budget pressure.
This does not lead to poor design, but it does lead to fragile collections. Priorities are unclear, edits happen late, and it becomes difficult to explain or evaluate decisions once the season is live.
The Foundation Framework exists to address this gap.
What the Foundation Framework helps you do
Define intent before executionThe Framework starts by clarifying what the season is meant to achieve. Direction, constraints, and success measures are defined early, before design and production decisions are locked in. This creates a clear reference point for later choices.
Build structure across the collectionRather than looking at products in isolation, the Framework helps you think about how items work together. Product roles, option depth, and assortment balance are considered as part of a single system, making priorities easier to manage.
Arrive at a finished assortment planBy the end of the process, you have a clear assortment plan that reflects your intent and constraints. This plan can be used to guide collection development, support design decisions, and keep the range coherent as it takes shape.
Make decisions easier to repeatThe goal is not to reach a single “right answer,” but to establish a way of thinking that can be reused and adapted. This makes decisions easier to revisit, explain, and improve from one season to the next.
Who the Framework is for
The Foundation Framework is intended for independent fashion founders and small teams who are responsible for both creative and commercial decisions.
It is particularly useful if you want:
Clearer priorities before committing to production
A more structured way to evaluate assortment decisions
A shared reference point for discussion and review
It is not a trend guide or a design manual. It is a decision-making tool.
The Foundation Framework is currently being prepared for release.
If you would like to be notified when it becomes available, you can register your interest.