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What is Fashion Merchandising and Management?

Have you ever noticed that a famous person wearing a good outfit immediately becomes a trend? You will see several ads for outfits or similar styles on your Instagram feed. You will also see the outfit on display at your favourite fashion store. This store will arrange the items in such a way that you can find the entire outfit easily. All these things aren’t a fluke. They are a result of proper planning and management by fashion merchandisers!

You may ask the question now. What is fashion merchandising? We all know about fashion designers and their work. But what do fashion merchandisers do? Are they responsible for mass-producing a fashion trend? If you think so, then you are on the right track.

The Mastermind Behind the Magic

Fashion merchandisers meticulously study the fashion trends around them. They study the psychology of their company’s consumers carefully. If you become a fashion merchandiser, here are your typical responsibilities.

From Idea to Reality: One of your jobs would be to help the fashion designer create designs the consumer is most likely to purchase. The designer’s vision will come to life when you provide them with all the information from your consumer study. For example, corset tops were popular with young women a few months ago. You will ask the designer to create more versatile outfits from this style.
The Trend Detectives: Consumers are more likely to buy trendy items. This is true, especially for GenZ, whose 68% of the population says they like buying trendy outfits. However, your job as a fashion merchandiser will be to predict a trend before it takes hold of the public. Once you figure out a trend early, your company can mass-produce the outfit and have a first-mover advantage.
Target Market Matchmaker: Your job will also entail predicting and setting new trends. Predictions are a high-risk game. Therefore, many fashion merchandisers study the consumer’s psychographics to understand any new style they want. Bodycon dresses have returned to fashion, and fashion merchandisers are behind the operation.

The Merchandising Mix

Let’s decode a few strategies that fashion merchandisers must know. These strategies are the mantra for running a successful fashion campaign. Experts call these the 5 R’s of fashion merchandising.

The five rights of merchandising are the right merchandise at the right price at the right time, in the right place, and the right quantities. All these attributes must be in sync to ensure consumers buy the product. After all, it is the job of the fashion industry to fulfil consumers’ aesthetic demands.

Let’s discuss these 5 R’s in detail.

Right Merchandise: The products must align with the target market. You must source quality products from suppliers that follow your chosen style.
Right Price: Your price must be reasonable for the target market. They must justify the price in their mind. Moreover, your price must be profitable.
Right Time: Marketing a product out of trend would be suicidal. Being too early is also not an option, as there must be some buzz around the product.
Right Place: You must choose the right place to display your product. It can be a mall, a boutique, or an online website.
Right Quantities: Only produce the right quantity of your product. Too much of the product can lead to wastage, while too little can earn lesser profits.

Fashion Forward with Tech

Like every other field, tech assists the fashion merchandising department in progressing. Data analytics and inventory management software enable quick decision-making. These tools help gauge the future trends in the fashion industry. Design technologies are used to create more chic clothes. Moreover, digital marketing and social media have made it easier to study the consumer. You can also effectively target your consumers and show them ads for your products.

Careers in Fashion Merchandising

A career in fashion merchandising will get you many lucrative opportunities. You will work with actors, influencers, and other celebrities who will be the brand ambassadors of your product. You will also get to work with the best fashion designers in the world and watch closely as they craft new art pieces for consumers. However, you must develop a few qualities before you become a fashion merchandiser. Here are the key traits that you should possess.

A passionate interest in fashion and not just treating it as a hobby.
A good fashion sense.
A keen eye for new trends and styles.
Great mathematical skills.
Ability to learn fast and comfortable with technology.
In-built business acumen in the fashion industry.
A degree in fashion from one of the best universities in India.
Great communication skills.

Working on these skills in a good fashion design school is very easy. You will acquire all these skills in your two-year master’s degree!

The fashion industry thrives on the unseen efforts of fashion merchandisers. You can join this exciting world with creativity, business sense, and tech know-how if this aligns with your skills and interests, as well as research fashion merchandising programs. It is time to start your journey of becoming a fashion mastermind!

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