Fashion is everywhere. It is, literally, on our backs 24 hours a day. Fashion exists in the close we ear, the colors we choose, the nature of our jewelry, shoes and accessories. It is, literally, a tool we use to show the world what we are all about.  Because fashion is so “in-your-face” in our society the idea of fashion merchandising jobs has probably crossed the minds of most people at some point or another. Fashion merchandising is a career path that has risen in popularity in recent years; partially because it is a career path than encompasses a variety of different jobs at a variety of different vendors and outfitters.

So, what exactly are considered fashion merchandising jobs? Well, fashion merchandising is a broad career path but generally fashion merchandising jobs requires the employee to research fashion trends, picks items that they believe will sell well and to market them most effectively to the customer. The career path could find an individual working in a retail space designing displays of items or sitting in a backroom researching the latest and greatest in fashion trends, ordering the correct products and creating marketing campaigns to bring them to the customers. Fashion merchandising, in the world of fashion, is a massive part of the retail puzzle.

Fashion merchandising jobs are available at a variety of different locations. Fashion merchandisers might work in a textile manufacturing warehouse, a retail store, a department store or a small boutique. They could work at corporate headquarters for major chains, or in the backroom of a boutique or jewelry store. Fashion merchandising jobs are available at all outfitters who are considered to be part of the fashion world, frankly.

When picking a path to take your fashion merchandising career you have to consider what part of the business you are interested in and what you are good at, as a person. You need raw talent and an eye for fashion to break into fashion merchandising, but in order to land one of the fashion merchandising jobs you have your eye on you’ll need skill, experience, and a good amount of schooling to be taken seriously.

Fashion merchandising jobs heavily favor individuals who can actively mesh business and fashion together. The right candidate for the career will have a keen eye for fashion and knowledge of the fashion industry as well as a background in business or marketing. After all, while a merchandiser might not be able to sew they sure know what is going to hit big in the fashion world and how to sell it.  A college degree is usually necessary to achieve a career in fashion merchandising. Many colleges offer a bachelor’s degree in fashion with a concentration in merchandising or a strict fashion merchandising degree. A minor in business is often considered a serious asset in the world of fashion merchandising jobs.  Internships, where students work under those in fashion merchandising jobs while in school, also can help to hone all the necessary computer, marketing and math skills required to be a successful fashion merchandiser.

So if you are still looking at fashion merchandising jobs as a potential career path it is time to vamp up your research, network with individuals in the industry and look into degree programs that meld different disciplines of studies. Find internships, get hands on experience and make the most of the raw talent and interest in fashion you possess. With all that in place there is no way you won’t succeed in the world of fashion merchandising.

The term “fashion merchandising” can be confusing, because it includes several steps in the process between the creation of a fashion item and when a customer actually brings the item home. There are several different careers within the role of a fashion merchandiser, depending on who you work for and what your job focus is. Depending on your interests, you could focus on manufacturing, selling, or buying fashion merchandise.

The merchandiser who works for a clothing manufacturer is often involved at least to some degree in the creation of the item, sometimes personalizing the fabric type, colors, or designs to better fit their clients. You may be responsible for getting fabrics from various marketplaces or suppliers and working with designers to make sure the products they create will actually sell. You might also promote them to buyers on behalf of, or in conjunction with, designers.

If you’re involved primarily with purchasing fashions (a job also sometimes called a fashion buyer), you have to have a good idea what types of items your company sells, what the demographics of your audience are, what’s popular with that audience right now (particularly in junior fashions), and what won’t sell. Sometimes, your job security or bonuses will depend on how well the items you purchase sell in the stores, so you might even be involved with creating attractive displays that highlight the items you purchased.

The necessity of having good fashion sense almost goes without saying. Fashion merchandising involves selling clothes to people who also care a lot about fashion, so you have to be able to think outside the conventional boundaries, but not too far outside them. If you can predict that professional women who shop at your store chain will be loving off-the-shoulder tops in a particular season but don’t want to wear them to work, then find a fashion style that’s very similar that is work-appropriate, you’ll do very well.

Business principles are still crucial to understand, however. Fashion merchandising involves budgeting properly so you can spend money on items and make money back, without too many unsold items being left over at the end of the season. If you’re working with a designer, you’ll need to help keep costs down and profits up for items, and if you’re working with a retail chain, your goals will be similar, but you will have a different budget to work with.

Taking courses in fashion merchandising can help you find a job after you graduate, and will make it much easier to perform your job. An accredited, reputable school can help you learn more about what fashion merchandising is, decide what sector you want to work in, and learn the job skills you need to succeed in fashion merchandising.

The industry of fashion, and thus fashion merchandising, is always changing. If you love fashion and business, you might just be the right kind of person to go with the flow and succeed at it!

Some of the different programs available include certificates, associates degrees, bachelors degrees, and masters degrees. For instance, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York offers all of the above, plus options to study online or abroad. Just like other types of degrees, you have a wide variety of options to suit your learning preferences and lifestyles.

AAS Options
The Fashion Merchandising Management degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology provides you with the option to take an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in fashion merchandising, or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, depending on your preferences.

An online option for fashion merchandising programs also exists, where you take a one-year AAS degree with online courses, all of which can also be done in an evening/weekend course format if you live in the area.

There are many flexible options out there for degree program structure if you are seeking an AAS degree in fashion merchandising.

BS Options
Similar to the AAS program, the Bachelor of Science in fashion merchandising can be taken in eight semesters and covers everything in the basic AAS program, plus additional skills such as business writing, data analysis, workshops, microeconomics, allocation and planning, and more.

If you have the extra time, four-year fashion merchandising programs may be worth it, as you get an even more thorough education in the basics from top schools with a solid reputation for delivering quality education. It will make your job easier when you are hired, as you will already have many of the skills that others have to learn on the job.

The extra education time with these fashion merchandising programs may also make you more employable, particularly in conjunction with the networking opportunities you will uncover at school, and with such additional options as field trips, collaboration, and global merchandising strategies.

Alternative Options
Online programs that offer certificates and diplomas are often more flexible in terms of weekly time commitment, so if you currently hold a full-time job in another industry, you can get the same quality education without having to commute, spend your whole day in classrooms, and so on. Reputable online schools offer networking and other opportunities, too, though it will take more work on your part.

If you’re willing to put in the work to get a fashion merchandising degree, you will increase your employability and experience in the various skills required to work in the industry. Get information from a variety of schools by placing a request here, then compare the brochures from these schools to see which option best suits you!

What exactly is Fashion Merchandising?

Fashion merchandising is the field where fashion and business come together. Fashion merchandisers market fashion to retailers and wholesalers.  They are the connecting thread between the customers and the fashion industry, because they must know what fashions people want to buy now and – most importantly – what they will want to buy next.

If you are seeking a career in fashion merchandising, you must have the savvy to anticipate trends in fashion, as well as good business sense and marketing knowledge.  In the varied field of fashion merchandising, you may choose to gravitate toward manufacturing, selling, promoting or buying.

If you are interested in fashion, you know the fashion world is fast-paced and extremely competitive.  To do well, you need a good, solid background in business, as well as in fashion.

Fashion merchandising is not only about finding the greatest garments, accessories and fabrics and knowing how to put them together for a unique and enticing look.  It also includes financial know how.  You must be able to create a budget and function within that budget, because after all, merchandising is all about profit.

Obviously education and training are of the utmost importance if you want to be a successful fashion merchandiser, whose abilities are in demand.  There are so many facets to the field and you will need to educate yourself about all of them, first in order to narrow your own career field choice: manufacturing, selling, promoting or buying, then to be knowledgeable in your field.  The more educated you are in your field, the better able you will be to hold your own in the exciting and competitive world of fashion.

How Do I Get Started in Fashion Merchandising?

As you can see, you are going to have to know a lot about a variety of fashion and business subjects to be successful in this field.  You need to find a good school, with a solid reputation.  Proximity to stores and shops is also a consideration.

So how do you get started?

Come to our website and get free information on fashion career schools in every area of the country.  No matter where you live or where you think you would like to go to school, we can supply you with information on an area school.  We deal with only the nation’s top fashion career schools, where you can pursue a career in fashion merchandising, accessory design, apparel design, fashion marketing, or fashion design.  Whether your goal is certification or an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree, we have the school for you.

This is what you need: a clearinghouse for information, so you can decide when you want to start working on your fashion career, where you want to go to pursue it, what field of fashion you want to go into and what level of education you want to pursue.

You can be ready to launch your career in as little as twelve months with training in one of our schools.  We offer information on many financial aid options, so you can begin your education with no money out of pocket.  And remember: an investment in education is the way to those higher income jobs and an investment in your future.

We offer you information on fashion careers, schools, degrees and financial aid.  The only requirement is that you be eighteen years of age or older, and have your high school diploma or GED.

Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity!  We’ve done all the research and contact work for you, so that you can start NOW and make your dream of a career in the world of fashion merchandising a reality.

Fashion merchandising is largely for those who intend to spread their love for fashion.  It is a great career path for those who thrive in the shopping environment and it is perfect for those who have an eye for what will become hot and trendy in the future.  Fashion merchandisers are the key people in many department stores, boutiques, and even online shops.  Basically, they decide on what can be purchased for the store to be sold to the general public.  They also design the displays and the display windows so that they can attract a lot of buyers.  Behind every successful fashion store, you will find a skillful fashion merchandiser.

When you get into the fashion industry, there will be a lot of thought into the fashion merchandising salary.  Just like in any other field, the salaries will vary depending on the qualifications, responsibilities, experience and the range of involvement of a person in the whole fashion merchandising process.  Keep in mind that this industry is a lot competitive than others so the fashion merchandising salary will vary from one level to another.

At the moment, the average fashion merchandising salary is at US$ 47,000 per year.  If you would like to be in the visual department of the fashion merchandising industry, you can receive US$ 32,880 to 52,785 per year if you already have at least three years of experience. If you want to be a buyer’s assistant, you can expect to receive between US$37,310 to 46,036 per year if you have at least two years of experience.  When you move on further to the position of a senior merchandise buyer assistant, you can expect to receive US$ 47,378 per year.  If you move on up further the ladder as a merchandise buyer with at least four years of experience in the field, you can receive US$ 91,800 per year.  The last post that you can handle is the senior merchandise buyer who can receive US$ 91,000 to 116,750 per year.

Again, these are just estimates and they are just examples of the current fashion merchandising salary.  They may vary from one fashion house to another, from one department store or boutique to another.  It is important that you are able to bump up your credentials and experience so that you can bargain a higher salary if you wish to.

Being in the fashion industry can be a fulfilling job and it can also be a lucrative job too. Just like any work, you need to put in the right number of hours and the right amount of effort so that you can get the job done and make sure that you are working towards personal development, career enhancement and for the betterment of the company that you are working for.

Look up the names of successful designers and other big wigs in the fashion world and surely you will see fashion merchandising schools as something that is written in their resume.  You will then notice that it goes to show and that it pays to go back to school to learn about fashion merchandising.  There is so much to learn about the field and somehow you will also find inspiring people within those fashion merchandising schools who can be your mentors as you trod along the path of fashion.

Fashion merchandising schools offer varying qualifications to their students, just like in a regular college or university. A graduate from the fashion merchandising schools may earn certifications, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree.  There are even some fashion merchandising schools who offer a doctorate degree.

There is a lot to learn in fashion merchandising schools. It is just like a regular course but of course, everything is centered on fashion.  You will discuss the long history of fashion, theories, key people in the industry, clothing technology, the past and the latest trends, as well as trying to find what will be a hit in the future.  You will also have courses that will discuss the economics of fashion so you will look into pricing or costing, promotion, distribution and other statistical analysis of sales.  You may even touch topics such as the impact of clothes in the consciousness and the subconscious of the consumers.  You can discuss consumer behavior or factors of purchasing decisions.  You may even try to examine what the best window displays have in common so that you will know what to put up when it is your turn to design a window display in top fashion brands.

There are a number of fashion merchandising schools in the United States and some of them are the following:

• Digital Media Arts College, Boca Raton, FL
• Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA
• Parsons The New School for Design, New York, NY
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA
• The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA
• Ashland University, Ashland, OH
• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

If you want to go abroad, you may want to try:

• Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia
• Esmod – Sao Paulo, Brazil
• KOEFIA – Academia Internazionale, Milan, Italy

Needless to say, whichever fashion merchandising school you choose, it is important to remember that a school can only give you as much direction and instruction on what to do.  It is still important to put in the right amount of hard work and fun while you study so that you get to achieve your goals.