My name is Shamani Patton, I am 18 years old and I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I’m getting a degree in Fashion Marketing (AAS), at The City College of Technology which houses the Professional Studies program that my major is apart of. While it might sound strange that fashion is a part of business, it actually makes sense, because the business area of fashion is just as complex as the designing part. With this major I am prepared to be a part of the fashion and business world at the same time. I would get to work with a corporation, which are full of different artistic people. I will also acquire my own company and partner with retail stores as a buyer, working with different firms and designers. This career comes with traveling the world, learning about fashion all over the globe. Since I shop from places like in Europe and Asia, I can tell a lot about various styles. It helps to be a stylist working in this business related career. This career best fits me because, I have a passion for fashion, I intend on having a business of my own and retail stores are like my second home, I am able to look at an outfit and know where someone got it from or how much it retails for. I see myself eventually opening up my own boutique later on. In this essay I will discuss the following topics about the business of Merchandising, design/textile in Styling and my take on Fashion, I will provide some background information about my major and I will also tell you more about how I plan to excel in my major and extend my future career.

Fashion Merchandising, is the business side of fashion, not only having a eye for style but also have a mind for business. It’s focused on the retail industry, another name for it is fashion buyer. The name is self explanatory, a buyer, which I intend to become, selects what items will be stocked in a store, based on the latest trends, of which have to be kept up with. Merchandisers works with designers, sales representatives, and other buyers. What’s great about this career is being able to travel to different places, going to fashion shows, attend trade fairs, wholesale showrooms and work closely with many designers who I admire. While observing the latest trends, Merchandisers also accompany big magazine companies, such as VOGUE, InStyle and Glamour. This career entitles to work with department stores, chain stores or boutiques. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Purchasing managers and Buyers evaluate suppliers based on price, quality and delivery speed and maintain and review records of items bought, cost, delivers, product performances, and inventories (United States, Purchasing Managers, Buyers and Purchasing Agents, What they do par.1).

In major fashion stores there may be different levels of seniority, such as trainee, assistant, senior buyers, buying managers and buying director.  A Fashion Merchandiser can work in department stores or clothing outlets as a fashion designer, fashion buyer, catalog production managers or merchandise display artist. The responsibility entitles to purchase fashion items that can be promoted and sold by the outlet. Which is acquainted with market demands and fashion trends. Store decoration and merchandise displays are the responsibilities of fashion merchandisers where the latest apparels and items are on display to align with the store’s branding and image. According to the New York City College of Technology College catalog 2015-2016, my coursework will prepare me for an, “insight into many subjects that help to explain sociological and psychological factors which influence fashion interest and demand in today’s global market” (College Catalog 125). This explains that I will learn to take a cognitive approach to customers and other buyers on their reasoning and their decisions, related to my research in Merchandising. The New York City College of Technology College catalog 2015-2016, states “ students in fashion marketing are introduced to buying and management careers in fashion related manufacturing firms, showrooms, retail stores and electronic commerce” (College Catalog 125). This will help me to understand what other careers in management and buying are related to fashion firms and retail stores, I would gain knowledge about different firms that I would want to be apart of in the future.

A fashion merchandiser may work for a textile manufacturer, a designer or a fashion retail outlet such as a department store, children’s clothing store or a discount store (SUNY Oneonta, Fashion Merchandising Job Description). After I graduate, first I would love to work with a company as a Fashion Buyer, then manage my own Merchandising business, and later on obtain my own boutique. On the New York City College of Technology College catalog 2015-2016, “graduates are employed in business organizations in the U.S and Europe as executive or administrative trainee. Some also operate their own business” (College Catalog 125), this states that people that graduated, became employed as an executive and administrative employee or opened their business in the U.S and Europe, which motivates me to work harder towards my goal and get my degree to become a Fashion Merchandiser and establish my own business. “Some graduates work with Saks, Macy’s, J.C Penny, Dolce & Gabana and Victoria Secret” (College Catalog 125). I would like to work with one of these businesses to gain experience, and one day open a boutique in the City of New York, which is the home of Fashion.

My interest in fashion is lifelong, as I was growing up I was inspired by different people’s style, as I matured I developed my own sense of style being all about fashion. My passion for fashion flourished when I started middle school and other people’s outfits first mesmerized me. At the age of twelve, I began to care about my appearance and personal fashion to such a degree that, I feel as if I was born to love the fashion world. I began dressing myself in unique ways, which earned me compliments on my outfits. I knew my talent and wanted to turn it into a career.

The business part of fashion is interesting to me because its not what a lot of people expect from the fashion world. Once I began to say the word “fashion”, people automatically think about designing, sewing, etc, but buying, advertising, promoting and marketing is what makes the money. After the garments are made, they will have to be sold, so this is where the business comes in, there is a strategy to get someone to buy a product. A class that is a major part of my degree in Fashion Merchandising is MKT 1102, Principles of Selling, as stated in the the New York City College of Technology College catalog 2015-2016, “the theory and practice of customer-centered selling including techniques of handling objections, demonstrating merchandise and closing sales” (College Catalog 127). I would like to obtain my own company in the future, my business would be to merchandise, advertise, promote, buy and even sell products. Once I start off working with a company, I can meet a lot of people interested in the business of fashion as well and this will expand my knowledge in fashion design. This will help me to create my own boutique. When I dress up, people ask where I get my clothing from and this has been happening since the ninth grade, I tell them and this gives the store business. It is the art in how you put clothing together which makes people want to purchase and this is a gift that I am able to turn into a career, that I enjoy doing. Since I am advanced in the latest fashion trends, being a fashion merchandiser will be effortless.

Retail stores rely entirely on fashion merchandisers, buyers, and purchasing agents. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Purchasing agents and buyers consider price, quality, availability, reliability, and technical support when choosing suppliers and merchandise (United States, Purchasing Managers, Buyers and Purchasing Agents, What they do par.4). Since I admire how a lot of the stores I visit are set up, I can already seen how it will be working to decorate and promote sales in stores. It’s not easy to sell products, but you can set up the stores in a way, that encourage people to want to buy them. Schielke and Leudesdorff, tells us, “Store design as one aspect to amplify brand image and identity plays a vast role in today’s retail environment” (Schielke and Leudesdorff 672). Meaning people are more likely to make a purchase, if they admire the design and atmosphere in the store. In retail stores, people are mostly influenced by the mannequin’s outfit. They collect everything the mannequin has on from head to toe and buy it. This is what makes the sales, people are attracted to how well the display is dressed and they know they could achieve the same look from the store. I compare myself to a mannequin, or someone who dresses the mannequin, which is a stylist, advertiser or merchandiser. All these positions are a part of Fashion Merchandising, this is a big part in the sales which leaves customers satisfied with the quality, style and pricing of the clothing.

I aim to constantly keep up with the latest trends, and engage in internship programs with companies like Victoria Secret, Zara and H&M while studying my major as a Fashion Merchandiser. Also, I would distinguish myself from others in this career by doing extended research. Since I am one of those people who appreciate fashion for the art that it is, I know how customer’s think, which will benefit me to promote, buy, and control how sales are being made in my career later on. I am dedicated to fashion, so merchandising and buying will be intriguing. I plan to put all my effort into my work and work as many hours to achieve my goal and help retail stores. For the next five to ten years, I desire to get on-the-job training for more than one year, learning how to perform basic duties, including monitoring inventory levels and negotiating with suppliers. Then I plan to start my career as a Fashion Merchandiser, and work with as many retail stores as possible. I will then commence a business of my own, and look for workers who exceed my expectations and has a passion related to mine. I will travel all around the world to fashion shows, trade fairs, wholesale showrooms, and meet different designers, while learning distinctive fashion apparel all about the globe. Later on I will launch my own boutique, selling my designs and other designers merchandise that I found refreshing. Also, I will teach others about the career as a fashion merchandiser when I am older and decide to settle down, while still owning my businesses.

Work Cited

New York City College of Technology – College Catalog 2015-2016 (City Tech). New York: New York City College of Technology, 2015.PDF.

Schielke T, and Leudesdorff M. “Impact of Lighting Design on Brand Image for Fashion Retail Stores.” Lighting Research Technology: 47 (October 2015): 672-673. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 October, 2015.

United States. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents.” Occupational Outlook Handbook.Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 January, 2014. Web. 24 October, 2015

The Department of Human Ecology Majors. “Fashion Merchandising Job Description.” SUNY Oneonta. Web. 26 October 2015