Fashion Merchandising -------------------------------------
Fashion Merchandisers work hand-in-glove with Fashion Designers, Retailers
and Manufacturers to procure and distribute the clothes and accessories that the
public will wear and use. They must combine the eye of the artist with the
dollars-and-cents practicality of the business person to develop products that
will fill shop windows, shelves and clothing racks for sale. In order to
accomplish this task Fashion Merchandisers must be able to work in many
different types of situations.
When dealing directly with designers, they must be able to recognize not only
which ideas will be appealing, but which ideas can be translated into marketable
products. They may attend fashion shows or visit designers at their own studios.
They must be able to communicate intelligently with fashion creators about the
needs and requirements of those they represent. Continual research about social,
economic, as well as fashion trends must be coupled with an instinct for their
customers' tastes in order to make the right choices.
Sometimes, as part of the merchandising process, Fashion Merchandisers will
work together with designers and manufacturers to produce clothing and
accessories. Other times the Merchandisers' only connection to the design
process may be through the catalogs that manufacturers supply. In either case,
Fashion Merchandisers must be knowledgeable about the materials that products
are constructed out of. They must be particularly familiar with textiles and
fabrics, how different materials look and work together, and how they wear. They
must be familiar with the reputations and capabilities of the manufacturers they
purchase from. Can the manufacturers supply what they say they can? Can they
meet deadlines? Will the products be of the expected quality and workmanship?
Since fashion is such a volatile industry, the timeliness and condition of a
product can mean the difference between its selling out or lingering on a close
out rack.
Some Fashion Merchandisers are exclusively responsible for the inventory of
one store, while others may determine what will appear across the country in a
nationwide chain. No matter which is the case, they must still know what their
final customers are going to want, when they will want it and how much of it
they will want. To do this Merchandisers should be ready to work closely with
business people and marketers to best predict a time table and strategy for
acquiring and distributing inventory.
The outlook for Fashion Merchandisers is predicted to remain steady
throughout the first decade of the new century. But the work of Fashion
Merchandisers is slowly changing with the advent of computer technology. More
and more communication can be done between designers, manufacturers, and
merchandisers through email and the internet. Photographs, designs and other
information can now be sent instantly. The new generation of merchandisers will
need to be comfortable using these types of electronic media. Overnight delivery
services will also have an impact on the amount of travel necessary. Fabric
samples, for example, can now be mailed around the world in just a day or two.
Travel, however, will by no means disappear. There will be no substitute for the
first hand impressions that can be collected by attending a fashion show,
walking through a factory or talking with a customer. For this reason Fashion
Merchandisers, even if only as a peripheral to their work, must be comfortable
with traveling and moving around in different cultures. Additionally,
Merchandisers must expect to work under seasonal time pressures and deadlines.
They must possess a sense of aesthetics but be able to balance it out with the
practical needs of business. Above all they must enjoy working in a field that
is constantly changing and evolving.
Educational requirements will vary from position to position. Many schools
offer fashion degrees that can be earned in two years or less. Some programs can
even be take online. Fashion Merchandising can be studied as a specialization
within a business, retailing, or marketing degree or coupled as a minor with a
curriculum in design. Salaries for Fashion Merchandisers vary tremendously
depending on their specific jobs, who they work for and in what part of the
country. But the Fashion Merchandiser's ability to consistently produce tangible
results in an ever changing industry will be his or her single most important
determiner of professional success.
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