Fashion Merchandising Degree Careers
A fashion merchandising degree is just the first step in a career. Once you’ve graduated from a fashion merchandising college program, what are your options in the actual marketplace? Read on to learn about some of the fashion and retail industry jobs that a fashion merchandising degree prepares you for, and make an educated decision about your post-college career path in this field.
Fashion Merchandising Jobs
There are a number of career paths that are specializations within the field of fashion merchandising. These will likely be subjects that you studied while earning your fashion merchandising degree, so if you discovered a specific talent or affinity for one of these subjects in your coursework, you should seriously consider it as a professional niche:
- Visual Merchandiser and Display Coordinator are good fits if you discovered a knack for interior design and creating shopping environments.
- Market Researcher or Demographic Analyst are solid matches if you excelled in your classes on market research topics, promotions, and trend forecasting.
- Buyer or Sales Representative might be perfect fits if you did best with topics like distribution and trade laws, or if you are a great networker and outgoing “people person” who enjoys the excitement of making deals.
- Boutique Owner or Fashion Trade Show and Events Organizer would be appropriate if you did well in your classwork, but are most strongly attracted by the idea of pursuing your own vision, and feel comfortable managing other people.
- Fashion Designer is the occupation of choice if you were most excited by design topics, but may want to build on your retail knowledge by opening a storefront or running your own label.
Entry Level Fashion Merchandising Jobs
You can’t always start at the top of the ladder, but you can choose an entry-level job that makes sense for your larger career path. These early-career positions will boost your expertise and qualifications for more advanced fashion merchandising jobs:
- Sales Associate, which can lead to Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, and eventually a position of even greater responsibility, like a District Coordinator.
- Advertising or Marketing Intern, which can lead to increased status as a Market Researcher, Marketing Coordinator, or Public Relations Director within the fashion industry.
- Assistant Buyer, which puts you in the heart of the action at events like trade shows and market weeks, and can get you promoted not just to a buying or sales job, but into many behind-the-scenes positions in the trade or wholesale world
Fashion Merchandising Job Environments
A fashion merchandising expert can work in a variety of different kinds of places, and for a number of varied kinds of companies. Some of the work environments you might choose to pursue include:
- Boutiques and small retail shops.
- Large department stores, or chain stores.
- Fashion design houses.
- Marketing or advertising firms with an emphasis on apparel clients.
- Manufacturers and wholesalers in the fashion industry.
- Fashion magazines and trade publications or media outlets.
Whichever route of specialization you choose to pursue after earning your fashion merchandising degree, the more general training you receive as an undergraduate will help you understand and collaborate with colleagues throughout your field.
Article Resources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Fashion Designers
University of Georgia Career Center – Fashion Merchandising
U.S. Department of Education’s Education Resources Information Center - Fashion Merchandising