Are you interested in the business side of fashion? Are you a problem solver and a great communicator? Fashion merchandising is right up your alley.
What is fashion merchandising
Fashion merchandising describes the overall process of taking a piece of apparel from the design stage through to mass production, and getting those fashions into stores. This may include working with the designer to select materials and fabrics that are in keeping with current and upcoming fashion trends, within cultural bounds, and able to be obtained in quantity for production.
The job
Buying and selling is a large part of fashion merchandising. A merchandiser selects the assortment of clothing and accessories that fill a store's shelves. Staying current on trends is essential for merchandisers to be able to select items that will be popular with consumers.
How much can you earn
According to payscale.com: "For experienced Department Store Buyers in Seattle, the median salary is $55,000, with top buyers earning $95,000/year. The median salary for an experienced buyer in New York is $63,000, with the high end above $110,000/year.
How to get started
Fashion merchandisers are required to have a certain level of education. The educational requirement is usually an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising.
There are over 300 accredited postsecondary schools that offer degrees in art and design, and many of which offer degrees in fashion merchandising. Check out this list of fashion merchandising schools.