Become a fashion buyer - learn the essentials
What you'll learn
- Know the role of a fashion buyer
- Know the skills required to succeed as a fashion buyer
- The confidence to embark on a career as a fashion buyer
Requirements
- Have a pen and paper ready to take notes
Description
Become a Fashion Buyer - Learn the essentials.
This course will help you decide if becoming a fashion buyer is for you, and it will help you understand the key tasks of a fashion buyer and the skills required to become a successful fashion buyer.
By the end of this course you will be in a position to understand what a fashion buyer does. You will have the confidence to either embark on further study or take the steps to securing your first job as a fashion buyer.
Section 1:
Introduction
Section 2:
- You will learn the buyers main responsibilities
- You will gain an understanding of the key areas a buyer is evaluated on in their role (otherwise referred to as KPI's or key performance indicators), and
- You will understand the key skills required to be successful in this role.
Section 3:
- Structures of buying departments are discussed – from small to large sized businesses , different types of buying roles (brand buyers to product developers) and
- We will cover other staff roles in a buying department that work alongside a buyer.
Section 4:
- You will understand the steps involved in planning a fashion range
Section 5:
- You will gain an understanding on various sources used in predicting fashion trends for your fashion range and a checklist is provided for you to create your own trend board.
Section 6:
- You will gain a good overview of the financials involved in planning a fashion range, and gain an understanding of the considerations to factor in when building a fashion range.
Section 7:
- You will understand what to look at when sourcing a fashion supplier, how to evaluate a supplier and understand the different types of suppliers.
Section 8:
- Understand the steps involved in negotiating with a supplier.
Section 9:
- You will understand the term landed cost price and how this is calculated.
- You will also understand the importance of strategies involved in setting the retail price.
- Gross Profit calculations are also included in this section as it is important financial part of a buyers role.
Section 10:
- You will understand the fundamental analytical functions in a buying department and gain an understanding of what an open to buy is.
- There will be basic calculations and examples of an OTB.
Section 11:
- You will gain an understanding of the key sales reports reviewed in a buyers role.
Section 12:
You will gain tips on the best way to land your first role. We will cover work experience, qualifications, finding available positions, cover letters and CV presentation, and interview preparation for meeting with a company.Who this course is for:
- This course is suitable for students, recent graduates or people seeking a career change into buying.
- Suitable if you are seeking a short course on buying, to help you decide whether you embark on further study in buying
- Please note: this course is probably not for you if you are seeking to learn more advanced and in depth studies on fashion buying.
Instructor
Fashion Buyer, Fashion lecturer and Business owner, Diane Curtis has a wealth of knowledge in buying departments for both small and large International fashion brands. Qualifications include BA Business, Diploma Teaching, Professional Certificate MBA, and Masters of Strategic Fashion Marketing.
Diane's passion for becoming a fashion buyer began in the womb. Her parents were manufacturing and supplying fashion footwear across Australia and New Zealand, and as a child her father would seek Diane's feedback on the range, where she happily gave her feedback on different styles and trends.
At age 10, Diane's innate passion for fashion was evident, with bookshelves full of fashion magazines, every month she would be sure to purchase a fashion magazine and spend hours scanning the pages to take in the latest fashion trends.
As Diane reached her adult years, she still had a deep desire to work in buying roles and expand her knowledge, and travelled to London to work in buying departments for large fashion brands.
Senior roles in buying continued with International fashion brands: Armani Exchange, CK Calvin Klein, and French Connection.
Diane is now a fashion lecturer as well as a business owner.
Diane's approach is to educate people about the foundations of buying and the key skills required, knowledge and duties that are conducted on a buying floor. Diane's passion is in helping people to become confident in knowing what to expect in a buying department and arming them with the knowledge to succeed in the industry.