A business career in the fashion industry is ideal for creative individuals.
The fashion world has grown into one of the fastest-paced, hottest industries today and offers a multitude of career choices no matter where your strengths are. If you are creative, innovative, business-oriented, or just love clothes in general, then pursuing a career in the business side of fashion could be ideal for you.
Fashion Merchandiser
Fashion merchandisers take care of just about everything behind the scenes between conception and production. Fashion merchandisers need to be capable of tracking and recognizing trends in fashion; if kimono sleeves are going to be hot next year, a fashion merchandiser should know that now and incorporate the trend into her brands. Fashion merchandisers are responsible for choosing fabrics and textiles, coming up with marketing strategies to improve sales, ensuring presentation is representative of the brand, tracking store profits, and many other aspects of clothing production. A career in fashion merchandising requires either a two-year Associate's degree or a four-year Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising.
Sales Representative
A fashion sales representative or a showroom sales rep needs to know the market and subsequent supply and demand. If your talent lies in convincing someone to buy something, working as a fashion sales representative could be a perfect fit. It is up to the sales rep to make sure a clothing line is sold to buyers for stores and boutiques, and to provide customer service and arrange special events such as trunk shows or in-store fashion shows. Sales representatives should be good with people, fashion forward, outgoing and confident. To become a sales representative, most companies prefer job candidates with a four-year degree in Fashion & Retail Management. It is possible, though, to find entry-level positions in which the company will provide training.
Buyer
Fashion buyers are responsible for stocking your favorite stores, whether they are department stores or chic corner boutiques. Some fashion buyers are hired to travel all over the world, looking for hot, new, undiscovered designers and unique products. If you have a passion for shopping and have an eye for spotting new trends, being a fashion buyer is an ideal job. Fashion buyers need to have impeccable taste and should have strong communication and negotiation skills. Buyers also need to have analytical skills to determine past and present trends in sales to make forecasts. Job candidates interested in becoming fashion buyers should have either a fashion or business degree in the areas of Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, Public Relations, Promotions or Merchandise Planning.
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