Fashion Merchandising Degrees
Though possessing creativity and fashion flair, fashion merchandisers do not (necessarily) design clothing. Rather, they make decisions on the marketing of the fashion designs. This entails extensive knowledge of the fashion industry along with the ability to develop marketing plans. Fashion merchandisers must be “one step ahead” of the buying public, in that they must be aware of upcoming fashion trends in enough time to capitalize on them with their well-stocked, but in-demand, fashions.
Tasks of a Fashion Merchandiser
Fashion merchandisers can, and do, perform a wide variety of tasks. Some of their job duties may include:
- Creating store displays
- Purchasing fashions
- Attending fashion shows
- Advertising and marketing of the fashions
- Retail management
Skills Needed
To be a successful fashion merchandiser, you should possess considerable ability in the following areas:
- Fashion flair
- Forecasting ability. A fashion merchandiser does not just market fashion items—they forecast what types of items will be needed when. This involves an extensive knowledge of fashion trends, fashion industry knowledge, and consumer behavior.
- Communication. As fashion merchandisers frequently negotiate with manufacturers and suppliers, and prepare marketing message for the public, good communication’s skills are absolutely essential.
- Analytical. Fashion merchandisers have to be mindful of the budget of the organization in which they work. This takes a certain amount of analytical ability in order to assimilate the cost of production into the retail establishment’s budget.
Fashion Merchandising Degrees
The fashion industry is a very competitive career field. To stay ahead of the competition, therefore, you should obtain some type of formal training. Many schools offer fashion merchandising degree programs. Depending on the school and your personal preferences (and ultimate career goals) you can earn a certificate, a diploma, an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising
Certificate and Diploma Degrees. These degree programs are typically offered at junior and community colleges or vocational schools and can generally be completed within one year. These types of programs have few, or no, general graduation requirements. Rather, the curriculums of these programs are “job specific,” meaning that every course you take will relate to the actual job of fashion merchandising. This is good for those who just want to focus on fashion merchandising and who want to complete their training and begin working in the field as quickly as possible.
Associate’s Degree. These degrees in fashion merchandising are typically offered at junior and community colleges. These are 2-year degree programs that combine a certain amount of general education requirements with the “job-specific” courses. Obtaining an associate’s degree in fashion merchandising will give you a broader education and more opportunities for advancement that will certificate or diploma degrees.
Bachelor’s Degree. These 4-year degree programs in fashion merchandising are typically offered at colleges and universities. They include a hefty amount of liberal arts (or general educational) requirements into the curriculums to bolster the “job specific” courses. Having a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising will not only give you a broader education, but it will provide you more advancement opportunities in the future.
