Workplace a career in fashion

ohhMRmagazine

ohhMRmagazine

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Aug 7, 2006
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#1
i plan to have a career in fashion, my ultimate goal is to work at a styling firm or being a buyer.

i need some help on some tehnical terms though

ive always said i want a degree in fashion merchandising but i never technically knew what i meant and i cant find a good definition for it.

if i get a degree in fashion merchandising or marketing what kind of jobs does that entail ?
do those have anything to do with styling ?

im filling out an application to go to fashion camp at the galleria in dallas
i will be able to meet a lot of important people in the industry (from the brochure)
i just dont want to sound like a dumbie when i talk about what i want to do though

so if anyone has a degree in fashion and/or a career in the fashion industry could you help me !

TIA :flowers:
 
#5
If you plan to become a buyer, getting your Bachelor's is what you should aim for and doing a fashion merchandising degree is a great place to start. Going into the fashion merch degree is, in my opinion, where most people start if they want to try and get into the buying field. There are some department stores that are also a great place to start because they hire from within: Nordstrom is a great place. Neiman Marcus also has an executive program but I'm not exactly sure what it entails.

Getting a degree in fashion merchandising and/or marketing can lead to jobs such as buying, marketing, merchandising, and even management.

Hope I helped a bit. Good luck!
 
#6
I have a degree in Textiles and Apparel from the Univ. of MD. I graduated in 1979 and they no longer offer that curriculum, but it was designed to prepare one for a position in fashion merchandising. I went to work for Hecht's (now defunct, but a well-know chain of stores in the area at the time).

I began in their management training program, became a dept. manager and then an assistant buyer. Had I continued with the company the next step would have been buyer.

Other students that majored in the same thing found positions as sales reps for clothing lines, but that often meant relocating to NY.

I don't know if times have changed, but it was a wonderful career. The real down side for me was the hours and the stress.
 
#7
If you really want to be a buyer and make true industry connections the answer is simple: FIT in NYC. This is really the best place to go and I know they have summer courses as well. Top firms in NY recruit mainly from there all the time. As far as styling goes, it is not really a major but certain large retail organizations do have those types of positions as do magazines of course. I am a former buyer and went to FIT and then became an assistant at a major specialty chain and then buyer. Be prepared to pay your dues and the industry is much much different than it used to be. YOu can major in Fashion Merchandising/Buying at FIT. Since you are in Dallas why not try to get a part time job at NM to get your feet wet. Good luck to you...oh and make sure to study your math!
 
#8
thank yall so much !
you really have helped alot

so far ive looked at the Fashion Marketing program (associates) at the Art Institute in San Francisco or Major in Fashion Merchandising Minor in Styling (bachelors) at LIM in NYC

really the only thing that will probably hold me back is the money issue the AI is affordable while four years in NYC at LIM is in my dreams

i am graduating this year which is actually a year early (im homeschooled) and i will dedicate all next year to working two jobs and trying to raise money.

im going to go research FIT now haha :smile:

thanks again all. im very open to more feedback !
 
#9
I agree, FIT is the place for you to go to major in FMM. They also have a pretty good placement program and internship program.

I went to FIt and majored in design, but had a few FMM friends. It is the most popular major there, besides Fashion design of course.
 
#11
I agree with the previous poster that said FIT is a good choice, since American fashion is so strongly centered around NY. Some of the best college-choosing advice I've ever heard is that you should try and go to school near the place you think you would want to work because it opens you up to a lot of networking and internship opportunities while you're still in school, and in addition to being really well-respected, FIT would probably open up a lot of opportunities, if only by virtue of its location.

I go to the University of Georgia and we have a fashion merchandising program here, and I have a friend that doubled in that and magazine journalism (which is my major) that got to intern at places like Vogue during college. It can open you up to a lot of great experiences and career paths.
 
#12
ohhMRmagazine said:
thank yall so much !
you really have helped alot

so far ive looked at the Fashion Marketing program (associates) at the Art Institute in San Francisco or Major in Fashion Merchandising Minor in Styling (bachelors) at LIM in NYC

really the only thing that will probably hold me back is the money issue the AI is affordable while four years in NYC at LIM is in my dreams

i am graduating this year which is actually a year early (im homeschooled) and i will dedicate all next year to working two jobs and trying to raise money.

im going to go research FIT now haha :smile:

thanks again all. im very open to more feedback !
Click to expand...

Good Luck and Best Wishes Sweetie :heart:
 
#13
The following is the FM description that comes off my school's website.

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]"Fashion merchandising is part of the dynamic and exciting fashion industry and plays a central role in retailing. The merchandiser is responsible for understanding the needs and demands of the consumer. Consumers' needs are influenced by lifestyle and changes in the environment. The merchandiser is responsible for selecting and procuring merchandise from all over the world, ensuring that the store has a proper assortment of goods. Technology plays an important role by enabling merchandisers to predict needs, provide the merchandise in a timely manner, and insure an inventory that is well-balanced.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Fashion merchandising majors study retailing, merchandising, marketing, and management. They learn about fashion trends and design, fabrics and their use, and garment construction.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Positions in merchandising include buyers, department managers, merchandising managers, fashion coordinators, product developers, and merchandise planners."[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]FM students here can do a lot: intern with anthropologie, urban outfitters, Lacoste, Club Monaco, Limited Brands. FM at my school is primarily business based. A lot of students go with FM major and fashion minor or fashion design major and FM minor. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]There is also a major called FIM, which is fashion industry management. This major is more product development based and you take fashion and apparel classes. It's planning product lines and designing and marketing them. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]FIT is a great school and does not guarantee housing for students, but just because you go to school in New York does not mean you will get a job there- its how good you are and how hard you work. My school is not in New York, but students often intern there and are highly respected for their knowledge and creative skills. Whatever you do, make sure you are in a bachelor's program- it will be looked at better than if you have an associates. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Also, you could always get your degree in business and then minor in FM or FIM or get your associates degree in that. My school offers a FM masters program too, if that is a way you think you want to go. Or you could get a degree in PR with a minor in FM. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]There are lots of things to think about, PM me if you want more information. ;)[/FONT]
 
#14
maybe i can help ... i went to FIT graduated in 2001 with a bachelors in international trade and merchandising and an associates in fashion merchandising. the study of fashion merchandising is not what it sounds like. it sounds like you study the way to merchandise clothing , not really its the business of fashion ,an intro. i can tell you that you learn everything after graduation when you start working. i suggest you work retail , it will give you a great insight to the business especailly when you start to work for a vendor. if you become a buyer you will work for the retailer , so it very important that you know how to do planning and budgeting and retail math.

i worked as a dept manager in Nordstrom for 4 yrs , thought me alot! and they do hire from with . Saks and Neimans have a training program.

i can tell you that working in apparel / fashion is not as glamourous as people think.. we do not all walk around with CL's , Hermes and big sunnies on .. it's a lot of hard work and proving yourself. you will do a lot of grunt work .. you will definately be a girl friday for at least a year until they trust you or you prove yourself. I think you should intern at a company also so that you can see the many positions available. you have design , cad , production , soucing , technical design , marketing , sales.

i work in sales .. started off in production , then design , then sales .. i have worked for daisy fuentes , very wang , walmart and many other brands and private label accounts.

I have now made the venture to home decor and work for Paula Deen. Home decor is an industry that is very much occupied by x -apparel people. Apparel is a very though industry , very demanding , many people get tired and look for something else to do with ther knowledge and skills. many times you are still selling to the same retailers you did when you worked in apparel. also another thing to think about is what market you want to work in .. kids , coats , dresses , lingerie , sportswear , missy , plus size ,gloves / accessories , couture .. etc.

well good luck .. if you have any questions .. let me know , just PM me .. i know how overwhelming it is.
 
#15
You need to go to Parsons or FIT. I don't think "fashion camp" in Dallas (of all places to meet important designers, the city would be Manhattan, not Dallas) is going to be of much help. Those camps are largely set up to make a profit.

Fashion is highly competitive. I almost went to Parsons myself. You should arrive knowing how to sew, and start preparing your portofolio right this second if you haven't started it yet.
 
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