Fashion Careers Worth Considering
You know you want to work in the fashion industry, but you aren’t sure exactly where you fit. It’s a competitive industry; however, there are opportunities down every runway. There’s something for fashion conscious people of all skill sets.
If you’re pursuing a career in fashion, you don’t have to be a designer to break into the industry. The professions below are certainly worth considering if you want to make your mark in the world of fashion.
Fashion Merchandiser
One individual who works behind the scenes to properly position a clothing line, campaign and even displays is the fashion merchandiser. They blend sales savvy with fashion sense to help a brand, design house or store carve out a niche. A career in fashion merchandising can also put you in the position of being a chief marketing officer one day.
Things that can help you land a fashion merchandiser job:
- An eye for advertising
- A fashion merchandising degree
- Experience running marketing campaigns
- Experience working across departments
Fashion Buyer
Do you want to get paid to buy clothes? Then you’ll need to work hard to nab one of limited fashion buyer positions. A buyer is the person responsible for selecting which clothing lines and collections are sold in a store. For major department stores like Nordstrom’s, it’s a very illustrious and lucrative job position. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that formal education isn’t necessary for a buyer position, buyers typically have a degree and long-term on-the-job training.
Things that can help you start a fashion buyer career:
- Thorough knowledge of the latest designers, brands, and styles
- Niche specialty
- Degree in business or merchandising
Design Director
Design director (creative director) is the most prestigious role within the design segment of the fashion industry. But it’s a long road to get there. You have to work your way up through half a dozen jobs over a number of years before you can gain the experienced needed to lead the entire creative direction of a brand.
Things that can help you land a design director position:
- Fashion design background
- Formal fashion education
- Good communication
- Experience as a senior designer
Fashion Management
Fashion managers are like the CEO of a brand. They oversee a core department or the entire company and often take on more than one executive role. Fashion managers are often the decision makers, particularly when it comes to financial and marketing decisions.
Things that can help you land a fashion manager job:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Experience working in retail management
- Specialized focus or subject matter expertise
Fashion Stylist
Celebrities, political figures and high-powered execs that are always in the limelight have to look their best. But their frantic schedules make it difficult to shop for the latest looks. Enter the fashion stylist. This fashion aficionado finds outfit selections for clients that have special events coming up and also help stock their closets. Networking and building relationships is a critical part of finding the right clothes for the right client. You also have to build a solid reputation to make this a full-time career.
Things that can help you land a fashion stylist job:
- Good understanding of complementary colors and body shapes
- Customer service oriented
- Experience assisting clients in a retail setting
- Enjoy researching the latest runways, clothing collections, etc.
- Network of fashion professionals and store owners
Fashion Writer
One career that has really opened up in recent years is fashion writing. Fashion magazines have invested heavily in building out their websites and there are countless fashion blogs that are in need of content. You can make a career out of critiquing the latest looks and following the next big trend. Who knows – one day you could be an editor-in-chief, which is one of the most prestigious jobs in fashion.
Things that can help you land a fashion writer job:
- Journalism or English degree
- Experience doing profile pieces and covering live events
- Examples of work that are published online and in print
- Ability to manage your workload and meet deadlines
Brand Representative
Are you a social influencer with a knack for sales? Brand representatives are the ones who network with fashion buyers to get a fashion line in stores. Behind the scenes, in-house brand representatives are also among the first to preview collections and work with the marketing department to fine tune messaging. Although being a brand representative in sometimes considered an entry-level job, in-house positions pay well, and it’s a great way to start making connections that further your career.
Things that can help you land a position as a brand representative:
- Experience working in retail sales
- Excellent people and conversational skills
- Knowledge of current styles, trends, and retailers
This is just a small sampling of the thousands of jobs that are available in the fashion industry. As you can see there are many opportunities that go beyond design. If you have a strong work ethic, business savvy and sense of style, you can make it in fashion.
