Fashion Buyers Rock the Fashion World

by Joe Cooper
Fashion School Review Columnist

May 4, 2007

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Fashion buying is a growing industry. With higher fashion tastes meeting budget markets (á la Target and Wal-Mart), there is much opportunity for fashion buyers to influence fashion using both style and business expertise to make informed choices for retail venues.

Fashion Buying Builds Hot Careers
Jonathan Faulkner is a Seattle native who has built his career around fashion buying. He works in a men's sportswear store, where he is in charge of selecting and facilitating the purchases of board shorts, t-shirts, jeans, and more.

A career in fashion buying is a great career option for fashion design school graduates. Even better, fashion merchandising degrees are perfect for this job, which requires a strong background in the business side of the fashion industry. Working in fashion buying means learning the following concepts:

Garment and Apparel Sourcing
Marketing
Advertising
Promoting
Displaying
Fashion Sales

A Day in the Life of a Fashion Buyer
Faulkner isn't stuck in some back office all day—he's making big plays in the fashion world. His finger is on the fashion pulse, and he enjoys representing fashions that aren't necessarily mainstream or commercial. As a fashion buyer, he relies on his personal style to find new ways to influence the fashion world.

Tips for Making It Big in Fashion Buying
Going to fashion design school in a design-minded city like Seattle and earning a degree can give you a solid background, and may even help you connect with an internship. Internships can often lead to full-time positions after graduation.

Developing a strong fashion network is also a wise move for tomorrow's fashion buyer. The more people you know in the industry, the better. Take advantage of student fashion shows, fashion contests, and fashion. Immersing yourself in the fashion culture is an absolute must.

Sources:

About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor's in American Literature from UCLA.

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