Fashion Merchandising Degree

Fashion merchandising schools teach students much more than just how to market clothing, as the name might have one believe. In truth, a fashion merchandising degree prepares one for a busy career in which the ultimate goal is to get a supply of a specific clothing or accessory into stores and ultimately into the hands of the customer. Starting with a concept, fashion merchandising professionals work through the production phase, distribute the finished product, and then promote the goods to the intended market. There is much more involved in the profession than one might initially realize. 

Fashion Merchandising Degree Description

Students can opt to work for a certificate, a two-year associate’s degree, or a four-year bachelor’s degree at brick-and-mortar colleges or online fashion merchandising schools. While pursuing a fashion merchandising degree, individuals will learn about the various types of fabrics and textiles and the processes used to turn them into clothing items or accessories. They will also learn the different techniques and skills required to buy, sell, market, and advertise fashion related goods.

The types of classes that students can expect to take during a fashion merchandising degree program include; merchandising principles, visual merchandising, retail management, fashion buying, business law, pricing strategies, inventory control and merchandise planning, consumer behavior, history of fashion, textile design, trend forecasting, publicity and promotion. Some fashion merchandising schools also allow those pursuing this major to focus on a specific concentration to enhance their employability. Those concentrations include fashion marketing, fashion buying, visual merchandising, retail management or marketing, and textile design and production. Art, business, and computer coursework is also highly recommended. 

Fashion Merchandising Careers

Graduates of fashion merchandising schools who work within a fashion company often need to work with their employers throughout all stages of the creative process, assisting in the development and productions of items like suits, shirts, pants, dresses, shoes, belts, and jewelry. However, their primary responsibility is to bridge the gap from producer to consumer, making sure that the completed items are readily available to those who want them.

However, not all those who earn fashion merchandising degrees will work directly with producers, some are employed by retail chains and some can go to work as a fashion buyer. These individuals are responsible for purchasing fashion goods based on anticipated consumer demand, and then have to work to make sure the correct merchandise reaches the intended target market. In either case, the fashion merchandiser must have a keen artistic sense and be able to create appealing displays and/or advertising material that will attract customers to the products they are promoting.

There are other careers that graduates of fashion merchandising schools can pursue. Other career options include working as a fashion director, retailer or retail store manager, textile merchandiser, product developer, fashion advertising agent, fashion event planner, importing/exporting agent, catalog producer, account manager, boutique owner, fashion consultant, or merchandising analyst/researcher. These are just some of the many options open to fashion merchandising degree recipients, provided they master the skills needed to predict and promote industry trends, work within a budget, cooperate with others, communicate effectively, and harness their creativity.