Fashion Merchandising Careers Information
If you love everything fashion and are savvy in all things business, fashion merchandising careers might be right for you. Fashion merchandisers work for large department stores, small boutiques, wholesale trade and manufacturing companies, and perform a variety of responsibilities that are sure to keep you on your toes.
Fashion Merchandising Careers & Degrees
- Art Institute of Pittsburgh: Online
Fashion merchandisers who work in the apparel production field focus on analyzing market trends, sales numbers and production costs. They use these numbers to figure out how much material to buy and how much product to produce each season.
Fashion merchandisers who work on the retail side are responsible for following consumer trends, determining the direction for manufacturers for the coming season, and supervising visual displays.
No matter which side they work on, fashion merchandisers work closely with professionals throughout the industry, from manufacturers to distributors, purchasing managers to stylists. They can choose to specialize in a variety of fields within the industry like event planning, store management, fashion promotion, or product development.
Fashion Merchandising Careers Path
In order to begin a career in fashion merchandising, it’s highly recommended that you get a fashion merchandising degree or fashion design degree from an accredited school.
Course requirements for a fashion merchandising degree typically include history of fashion, ethnic dress, textiles, retail management, merchandising mathematics, fashion buying, advertising, and marketing.
Students will learn how to manufacture, buy, promote, and sell merchandise, preparing them for professional careers in fashion merchandising.
Additionally, it’s important for students to get professional experience in fashion merchandising or fashion design through internships or summer programs. For those interested in advancing their careers to larger scale positions, or higher management positions, a fashion merchandising master’s degree or retail management master’s degree should be considered.
Fashion Merchandising Careers Compatible Personality Traits
Creative, resourceful, detail oriented, versatile, and flexible. Must have strong business and management skills
Fashion Merchandising Careers Salary Expectations
Salaries of those working in fashion merchandising vary by experience level and specialization. Other variables include education level, geographic location, and employment type.
In May 2009, there were 116,900 wholesale and retail buyers employed in the U.S., and their average annual salaries ranged from $36,800 to $65,870. 65,080 purchasing managers were employed, and their average salaries ranged from $69,100 to $118,740.
For someone working as advertising and promotions manager, the average annual income was $83,300, and 190 were employed in 2009.
Fashion Merchandising Careers Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of those working in clothing, accessories, and general merchandise stores is expected to grow by 11 percent over the 2008-2018 decade, which is average for all occupations.
Those with formal educations will have the best opportunities for advancement, and strong competition is to be expected.
Job opportunities should be best in metropolitan areas, especially fashion epicenters like New York and Los Angeles.
Slightly Off the Footpath
- Fashion Buyer
- Fashion Sales Associate
- Fashion Stylist
Source: bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs022.ht
