A career in fashion merchandising is a possibility for someone with a keen sense of fashion and business. Fashion merchandisers must be part fashion forecaster, quality control expert, textile connoisseur, sales person, buyer, and display specialist.
When they’re not attending fashion shows or negotiating with manufacturers, they may be managing a budget, advising designers on textile choice, or analyzing data. Their main objective, however, is to make sure the merchandise selected for stores is profitable.
Is Education Required for Fashion Merchandising?
Although many fashion merchandisers don’t have fashion merchandising degrees, taking courses in the field can be helpful. Fashion merchandising programmes vary; however, many include courses in textiles, fashion history, business math, clothing concepts and design, and merchandising.
Since having a strong business or numerical background is important in this field, a future fashion merchandiser might pursue a business degree and choose fashion merchandising as a minor.
Experience Needed in Fashion Merchandising
Many students gain experience through merchandising internships with major retailers. However, even if students dont receive internships, working in a local store provides valuable hands-on experience for those interested in a career in fashion merchandising. Whether they work as sales associates or managers, they must promote, display, and sell merchandise, which are some of the responsibilities of a fashion merchandiser.
Also, the retail experience allows aspiring merchandisers to work directly with customers, the people who ultimately determine the success or failure of merchandisers.
Skills in Fashion Merchandising
Fashion merchandisers must be able to communicate with a variety of people. Whether speaking or writing, they must be able to communicate effectively with suppliers, manufacturers, designers, sales associates and managers. Furthermore, they must be able to communicate to consumers through displays, marketing, and direct interaction.
Analytical skills are essential for merchandisers, also. They must be able to look at current fashions and determine the styles and apparel that will be successful in the future. Also, they must determine the amount of merchandise that should go into stores and how it should be displayed. Merchandisers have to evaluate their budgets and be able to work within them, too.
Fashion merchandising, like most fashion careers, is competitive. However, unlike many of the more creative fields in the fashion industry, merchandising is for those who have strong business skills, as well as an interest in fashion. This combination is the foundation for a successful career in fashion merchandising.
If you love fashion and are great at English and writing then check out Fashion Journalism career guide.
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