Fashion Buyer
Fashion buyers will use their knowledge of style and fashion trends in order to create an impressive selection of apparel, goods which can be sold to either clothing or retail stores around the country. Because it takes a long time for a designer to fulfill their orders, many buyers will make purchases a couple of years in advance. Therefore, the job of the fashion buyer is to understand the fashion trends of the past, present, and future. In addition to this, fashion buyers must also have good budgeting skills, as they will be required to plan inventory so that the proper selection of apparel is always ready for the customers.
Fashion buyers will often work for department stores, but they may also work with clothing distributors or retail outlets. Fashion buyers will need to both purchase and pick clothing and accessories from manufacturers or designers themselves. The fashion buyers who work with larger department stores will generally specialize in specific lines, and an example of this would be specializing in denim for women or suits for men. The lines that the fashion buyer specialize in will often be suited to their interests. Fashion buyers are very high in demand, and they can command as much as $100,000 per year.
The job outlook for fashion buyers is very good. While the number of positions available are expected to be reduced, new positions will become available as a result of promotions within companies. The opportunity for advancement in this career is also very high, and if you start at the assistance buyer position, you will have a great chance of becoming a true fashion buyer within three to five years. Within this industry, work experience is everything, because a person who has been in this industry for 3 to 5 years will have an advanced knowledge of various fashion trends, as well as the ins and outs of the industry.
Fashion buyers are expected to have obtained a college degree within the field of Fashion Merchandising. They will also be expected to have an advanced knowledge of fashion design and business. Those who have experience in retail are also highly desirable in Fashion Buying, since their ability to understand customer buying behavior is highly valuable in the field of being a Fashion Buyer. It is also critical that those interested in this career have a love of everything that is fashion related.
Filed under: Fashion on March 6th, 2008
When a job-seeker is interested for the job of the fashion buyer he must to understand the fashion trends of the past, present, and future, and must have a fashion culture - he must to know a lot of world fashion history.
I graduated from a 4 yr university with a BS in Fashion Merchandising, and I am having a hard time trying to get into a buyers program. I don’t know what I am doing wrong or what resources that I need to get into. My university was no help to me so I am really frustrated that I have wasted my 4 years on a degree that I love and can’t do anything with it. So I was hoping to can direct me in the right direction, thanks.
hey , i just wanted to know what other masters can i do instead if fashion merchandising to get into the same field?im already a bachelors in commerce and want to be a fashion buyer.what should be my next move?
I don’t know what I am doing wrong or what resources that I need to get into. My university was no help to me so I am really frustrated that I have wasted my 4 years on a degree that I love and can’t do anything with it. So I was hoping to can direct me in the right direction.