Fashion Merchandising: The Business of Fashion
by Robyn Tellefsen
Your favorite fashion magazine isn't produced by kids playing dress-up. Though many fashion merchandisers may have started out sampling items from mom's closet, they have since channeled their creativity into market research, analysis, and plenty of hard work.
About the Field
A job in fashion merchandising puts you at the crossroads of fashion and business. The goal of the industry is to connect fashion with consumers. By attending fashion shows, buying fashions, handling advertising and marketing, managing retail outlets, negotiating with suppliers and manufacturers, and setting up store displays, fashion merchandisers work to craft a positive consumer experience. They know that presentation counts, and they motivate consumers to prefer their products.
Skills of the Fashion Merchandiser
Style alone won't cut it in fashion merchandising. To become a successful fashion merchandiser, you'll need both fashion sense and business expertise. Staying ahead of the fashion curve requires you to anticipate the next big thing in fashion, using the thorough knowledge of past fashion trends and awareness of current industry developments that fashion merchandising schools can train you in.
Other critical skills for a fashion merchandiser include being able to problem solve and analyze critically, a strong mathematical aptitude, an eye for color and design, strategy and marketing expertise, creative thinking, budgeting, and attention to detail. Good communication skills will also aide you when it comes to negotiating with manufacturers and getting your marketing message out to customers.
Fashion Merchandising Programs
As a student of fashion merchandising, you'll learn about fibers, fabrics, and textiles. You'll also study the cultures and subcultures that shape the way people dress. Practically speaking, you'll learn how to manufacture, buy, promote, and sell fashion items from clothing and jewelry to cosmetics and furniture.
Many core fashion merchandiser courses are hands-on and include a great deal of project work. Field trips to fashion magazines, fashion shows, and large clothing companies are also typical aspects of fashion merchandising schools.
Fashion Merchandiser Salaries
Salary.com reports these median annual base salaries (not including bonuses and benefits) for fashion merchandising and buying in May 2007:
Take your interests in shopping and selling and turn them into a fashion merchandising career.
About the Field
A job in fashion merchandising puts you at the crossroads of fashion and business. The goal of the industry is to connect fashion with consumers. By attending fashion shows, buying fashions, handling advertising and marketing, managing retail outlets, negotiating with suppliers and manufacturers, and setting up store displays, fashion merchandisers work to craft a positive consumer experience. They know that presentation counts, and they motivate consumers to prefer their products.
Skills of the Fashion Merchandiser
Style alone won't cut it in fashion merchandising. To become a successful fashion merchandiser, you'll need both fashion sense and business expertise. Staying ahead of the fashion curve requires you to anticipate the next big thing in fashion, using the thorough knowledge of past fashion trends and awareness of current industry developments that fashion merchandising schools can train you in.
Other critical skills for a fashion merchandiser include being able to problem solve and analyze critically, a strong mathematical aptitude, an eye for color and design, strategy and marketing expertise, creative thinking, budgeting, and attention to detail. Good communication skills will also aide you when it comes to negotiating with manufacturers and getting your marketing message out to customers.
Fashion Merchandising Programs
As a student of fashion merchandising, you'll learn about fibers, fabrics, and textiles. You'll also study the cultures and subcultures that shape the way people dress. Practically speaking, you'll learn how to manufacture, buy, promote, and sell fashion items from clothing and jewelry to cosmetics and furniture.
Many core fashion merchandiser courses are hands-on and include a great deal of project work. Field trips to fashion magazines, fashion shows, and large clothing companies are also typical aspects of fashion merchandising schools.
Fashion Merchandiser Salaries
Salary.com reports these median annual base salaries (not including bonuses and benefits) for fashion merchandising and buying in May 2007:
- Visual merchandiser (3-5 years experience): $42,042
- Merchandise buyer assistant (0-2 years experience): $41,708
- Senior merchandise buyer assistant (2-4 years experience): $53,915
- Merchandise buyer (2-4 years experience): $78,332
- Senior merchandise buyer (4-6 years experience): $101,595
Take your interests in shopping and selling and turn them into a fashion merchandising career.
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