Fashion Merchandising Schools

Fashion merchandising schools combine art with business to produce professionals who know what consumers want, why they want it, and how much they are willing to pay. If you love fashion and enjoy shopping, few careers can satisfy you more than fashion merchandising can.

We tend to think of designers as the pinnacle of the fashion industry. However, in truth, it is the fashion merchandiser that truly brings everything together. He or she is responsible for selecting which designs and materials ultimately make it to the stores. He or she decides how, where, and to whom to market and push new products.

In order to fulfill these duties, fashion merchandisers must follow trends, conduct extensive market research, and develop a thorough understanding of what will and will not work. This is why so many turn to fashion merchandising schools to develop the requisite skills for this profession.

What Can You Learn from Fashion Merchandising Schools?

Not surprisingly, the actual design elements of fashion form an important component of your education. In order to coordinate buying activities, you must have a solid understanding of the sewing, composition, and material selection that go into new designs. However, business savvy and marketing knowhow are also essential for this field, so you can expect a number of courses in areas like:

• public relations
• advertising
• supply chain management
• wholesale and retail economics
• accounting
• market analysis and statistics

Only with sufficient training in the above areas can you hope to remain ahead of the demand curve, ordering the dresses, shoes, and accessories that consumers want before consumers even realize that they want them.

Fashion Merchandising Schools and Career Outlook

The fashion industry is expected to face stiff competition through 2019 due to an increase in the number of international players. In fact, according to the US Department of Labor, the US fashion market could grow as little as 1% over the next decade, compared to an average of 11% for most other industries. This trend highlights the importance of formal education. Each year of schooling under your belt increases the probability of your excelling in the fashion business.