Design a future in fashion merchandising

The work of apparel merchandising and marketing is an important part of the fashion business, writes Usha Albuquerque

Fashion dominates our lives. The pages of the daily newspapers, the stores, shopping malls and hoardings scream down the latest trends, and fashion models are the new poster boys/girls. With increasing incomes and standards of living has come the demand for new clothes, styles and fashion accessories.

The Indian garment industry is less than 30 years old, yet one of the fastest growing sectors with a multicrore annual turnover. India has not yet built a reputation as an international fashion centre, although a few gifted designers are beginning to break into the global world of haute couture. Nevertheless, the major segment of the industry concentrates on high-volume production and caters to the tastes of large numbers of people. With growing internationalisation, styles and colours in the market are changing, and increasingly influenced by worldwide trends. Therefore, the size and scope of the fashion industry has generated innumerable employment opportunities for talented, skilled and qualified personnel.

Work in the fashion industry broadly involves the design, fabrication and marketing of clothing that is attractive and in tune with current fashions. While designers handle the actual design and styling of different kinds of garments, marketing and merchandising involves the sales and distribution of the finished product. This is big business, and the competition is keen. All those working in this sector must therefore keep constantly in touch with the latest developments in India and abroad.

The domestic market is also expanding fast and outlets for clothing and accessories range from exclusive boutiques to market stalls, large department stores and chainstores. The ready-to-wear sector is the biggest sector with the largest number of openings for new entrants. With the domestic market fast changing from tailored to readymades, the industry has been growing at a phenomenal 25 per cent per annum. Several domestic companies have also tied up with foreign brands for the manufacture of branded items in the country.

Women's wear is still a major segment in this market and includes everything from undergarments to evening dresses. Men's wear is also a growing market, as men become more conscious of their appearance and the number of outlets catering to their needs is on the rise. There is also children's wear which covers the range from baby clothes to teenage fashions that are often retailed at their own shops under appropriate brand names, and sports and leisurewear which are specialist areas in the lifestyle category with a growing market in India. This is a youthful, lively segment where new fabric developments strongly influence designs. Marketing and merchandising of garments, therefore, offers tremendous potential to those with a feel for fashion, a basic knowledge of production and a good sense of the markets.

Merchandisers are co-ordinators who are involved in every stage of the garment's development from concept to sales. Merchandisers, therefore, combine an eye for design with an instinct for what will sell. Merchandisers study buying trends and the buyer's needs, and then liaise between the market and business end of fashion and the creative, production process. They are involved in business planning and analysis, buyer management and order fulfillment. Merchandisers are also required to steer product development, thereby enhancing competitiveness through the value addition route.

The merchandiser works with the designer to come up with a product for the buyer, or market, provides feedback to the designer on market trends, produces samples, procures raw materials and then ensures that the garments are produced according to the client’s requirements. The merchandiser also provides feedback on market trends and ensures that consignments reach the stores on time, whether India or abroad.

Fashion designers can also work in garment export organisations as merchandisers, or fashion coordinators, making fabric selections, meeting buyers and taking decisions regarding design, colour and fabric, and keeping abreast of market trends.

Fashion coordination is another area where a fashion merchandiser can find an opening. An export house recruits fashion coordinators who ensure that fabric and trimmings are of the correct shade, quality and design, keep production schedules, sort out day-to-day problems, meet with buyers and take decisions regarding fabric, colour, design.

In this creative field, intrinsic interest is a major pre-requisite. Unlike the fashion designer, the fashion merchandiser does not necessarily require to have drawing skills. As this is a largely marketing job, a business and commerce background is preferred. A good business sense, a feel for current fashion trends, the ability to get on with people and an overall interest in the sociology of fashion is also a good pre-requisite to be successful in the industry.

There are now courses in fashion merchandising offered by many fashion institutes, which combine creative skills with knowledge of fashion and marketing trends. Courses offered by institutes such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology and Pearl Academy of Fashion are four-year undergraduate as well as two-year post-graduate courses in fashion or apparel merchandising open to students from any discipline. The course includes a basic understanding of fabric, fibres, weaves, as well as cutting, sewing, finishing along with a knowledge of international marketing and trade, advanced merchandising application, supply chain management and management information systems (MIS).

Trained fashion merchandisers are like the MBAs of the fashion world and can work with any domestic or foreign lifestyle or fashion company. Jobs are largely with domestic ready-to-wear production companies and large retailers/chain stores. Export fabrication companies and export houses also take on merchanisers to coordinate between the foreign retail stores or designers and the production houses that stitch the garments for export. With some experience, fashion merchandisers can even set up one’s own export house.

Visual merchandising is a new area of work, marketing fashion items through display in shop windows, haute couture shopping outlets, high fashion boutiques, emporia etc. Exhibitions, fairs, shopping stores are places where window and floor displays are very popular, and window display has emerged as an impressive marketing strategy.

Merchandisers also work in retail management and are responsible for selecting the merchandise for a store and then physically displaying the goods. As the fashion industry expands, there are growing opportunities for fashion merchandisers with retail departmental stores, boutiques, clothing wholesalers, importers, designers and manufacturers. But the garment industry is not as glamorous as it might appear at first sight. It takes hard work, long hours and a fairly thick skin to cope with the keen competition to succeed. However, the stimulation and challenges of a job that is at the cutting edge of the latest in fashion trends can be extremely satisfying. Moreover, the growth and momentum in the industry, ensures there is no monotony in the work undertaken.

Today, the demand for trained professionals in this industry far exceeds the numbers being produced by the training institutes. And as the demand for ready-to-wear continues to increase in both the domestic and international markets, a career in the fashion industry offers great scope for those creatively inclined, looking for a place in the vibrant fashion scene.

The writer is a noted career expert