Careers in Fashion Merchandising

<p>Fashion merchandising involves the selling, purchasing and marketing of clothing, accessories and other textiles. There are a number of ways in which you could work in this field: as a purchasing manager, retail buyer, or merchandise deployer. Purchasing managers are in charge of all the purchasing for the store or company they work for. They collaborate with other company executives to understand what kind of fashion they want sell for the upcoming season or year. Generally, retail buyers work under the supervision of purchasing managers. They may travel to various conventions and shows to look at merchandise and decide whether not to buy it. As a merchandise displayer, you would be in charge of creating attractive displays with the fashion pieces, like styling mannequins and creating window scenes. The table below outlines the general requirements for some career options in this field. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> </td><td><b>Purchasing Manager</b></td><td><b>Retail Department Buyers</b></td><td><b>Merchandise Displayer </b></td></tr> <tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td> Bachelor's degree</td><td>High school diploma, associate's or bachelor's degree</td><td> High school diploma, associate's or bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td>Fashion merchandising/design</td><td>Fashion merchandising/design</td><td>Fashion merchandising/design</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Key Skills </b></td><td> </td><td> </td><td /></tr> <tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020) </b></td><td> $125,940*</td><td>$66,690 * (for buyers and purchasing agents)</td><td>$30,810*</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030) </b></td><td> 6%*</td><td>-5%* decline (for buyers and purchasing agents)</td><td>4%*</td></tr> </table><p><i> *Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatMightIDoAsAFashionMerchandiser">What Might I Do as a Fashion Merchandiser?</h3> <p>Fashion merchandising is a large and diverse field; you may work in women's, men's or children's apparel, publishing, marketing and related markets. Some of the specific careers available to you are listed below: </p> <ul><li>Fashion forecasters track and forecast the latest trends in the fashion industry, using information from retailers, designers and fashion publications. You might work for designers, corporate offices or other clients. Forecasts are based on analyzing trends and past sales, identifying the target market and keeping track of popular culture and other influences. </li><li>As merchandiser or product developer, you will likely act as a link between manufacturer and customer, communicating the customer's needs and research sales performance to the design and marketing departments. </li><li>Fashion show producers and event planners organize and produce fashion shows or other special events for designers, manufacturers and retailers. In such a position, you must be deal with handling budgets, scheduling venues and booking models. </li><li>Fashion editors create and maintain the content and creative direction of a publication. </li><li>Retail department buyers work for both large and small retail stores to track popular fashion trends. In this role, you will use careful analysis of past sales, current buying patterns and budget considerations to plan, order and sometimes display merchandise for sale. </li><li>Visual display merchandisers must understand buying psychology and creatively display new merchandise to its best advantage in retail settings. </li></ul><h3 id="section---HowCanIQualifyForTheJob">How Can I Qualify for the Job?</h3> <p>Most design centers as well as retailers and manufacturers prefer to hire candidates with an Associate of Science or Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising from an accredited institution. </p> <p>Among the subjects you'll study will be fashion design and other art courses, mathematics (including business math), principles of marketing and merchandising, business and finance, retail management, textile design and structure, English and computer technology. Many programs require you to complete an internship with a cooperating company to gain practical experience in merchandising. </p> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), other helpful skills for buyers and managers include good analytical and math skills, communication and sales skills and the ability to use computers, the Internet and related software (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). </p> <h3 id="section---WhatKindOfIncomeCanIEarn">What Kind of Income Can I Earn?</h3> <p>The BLS reports that in 2020, purchasing managers earned a median income of $125,940, with a range of $74,570 to $197,630 for the middle 50%. California, Texas, and New York were the states with the highest employment in the field, while New Jersey offered the highest median salary at $171,550 in 2020. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatSTheOutlookForThisOccupation">What's the Outlook for This Occupation?</h3> <p>According to the BLS, openings for purchasing managers will increase at a slower than average rate of growth between 2020 and 2030, at 6%. This is largely due to the centralization of many buying operations as well as the increased use of online ordering and inventory management as companies attempt to continue to control costs to maximize profits. Competition for designer and buyer jobs is quite strong but for those candidates with both creative and business training, openings should be average to good. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3> <p>With a bachelor's degree, you could also pursue a career as an advertising, promotions, and marketing manager. This involves designing and planning various campaigns to promote products and services and capture public attention. These professionals may create advertisements on TV or in magazines and release press releases to share information about new products. Another option is a career as a wholesale sales representative. These professionals do not sell directly to consumers but instead conduct sales deals with other businesses who want to buy their products in bulk. A bachelor's degree may be required, depending on the type of sales industry you work within.</p>