Fashion merchandising

Atinéa by Jean Bernier and Léon Bakst

Fashion merchandising involves the production of fashion designs and distribution of final products to the end consumer. Fashion merchandisers work with designers to ensure that designs will be affordable and desired by the target market.[1] Fashion merchandising involves apparel, accessories, beauty, and housewares.[2] The end goal of fashion merchandising in any of these departments is to earn a profit.[3] Fashion merchandisers' decisions can considerably impact the success of the manufacturer, designer, or retailer for which they work.

Background

During ancient times, individuals shopped in markets for goods. The ancients were attracted to rare fashions that brought variation and excitement into their lives. These markets have transformed into today's department, specialty, and discount retailers. For many years, business people in the fashion industry were convinced that they could persuade consumers to desire their particular products. Fashion executives had no interest in the needs and wants of consumers. However, fashion personnel realized that they would have to adapt fashion items to the demands of consumers. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, understanding traits, motives, and desires of target markets became an essential method to fashion entrepreneurial success.[3]

Rights of merchandising

Fashion merchandisers follow the five rights of merchandising, or 5Rs, to ensure that they properly meet the needs of consumers; thus, turning a profit.[3]

The five rights of merchandising include:

By researching and answering the five rights of merchandising, fashion merchandisers can gain an understanding of what products consumers want, when and where they wish to make purchases, and what prices will have the highest demand. Both fashion retailers and manufacturers utilize the 5Rs.[3]

Manufacturers

Clothing manufacturers practice fashion merchandising differently than retailers. Manufacturer merchandisers forecast consumers' preferences for silhouettes, sizes, colors, quantities, and costs each season. When making decisions, manufacturer merchandisers must keep retailers and end consumers in mind. Following the forecasting stage, manufacturer merchandisers meet with designers to develop products that consumers will purchase most. By referring to the five rights of merchandising, manufacturer merchandisers determine the best fabric, notions, product methods, and promotions for products.[3] These decisions all contribute to final retail costs, which must be affordable to end consumers.

Retailers

Kleider Bauer Flagship

In comparison to manufacturer merchandisers, retailer merchandisers also begin their process by forecasting industry and fashion trends with their target markets in mind. Sales are predicted in retail dollars and beginning of the month (BOM) stock. Similar to manufacturer merchandisers, retailer merchandisers must make all decisions regarding the final consumer. Decisions are made based on the past, present, and future of the economy, sales, industry and fashion trends, region and world events, and the fashion cycle. When selecting merchandise to offer, retailer merchandisers will consider their target markets' color, style, size, and cost preferences. Once accurate decisions are made, retailer merchandisers will order goods from vendors or produce private labels.[3] Following shipment, ordered seasonal apparel assortments are strategically arranged on sales floors, or visually merchandised.

Education

Individuals interested in building a career in fashion merchandising should earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising or a related field, such as marketing. Relevant courses include, but are not limited to, fashion, accounting, marketing, advertising, management, and psychology. In addition to schooling, those aspiring to work as fashion merchandisers should gain retail work experience.[2][4]

Careers

Fashion merchandising careers are as follows:

References

  1. Rangel, Cynthia (April 28, 2011). "What Exactly is Fashion Merchandising Anyway?". IADT School of Design at Sanford-Brown College.
  2. 1 2 The College Board. "Fashion Merchandising College Degree Programs". bigfuture.collegeboard.org. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Steele, Valerie; Stone, Elaine (2010). The Berg Companion to Fashion. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 296–297 via Berg Fashion Library.
  4. "What Training Is Required for a Career in Fashion Merchandising?". Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. "Exciting Careers in Fashion Merchandising & Marketing Await!". fidm.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
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