Buying and merchandising are specialist retail functions, which lie at the heart of a fashion brand’s ability to respond effectively to fast changing fashion trends. You will gain the insights and practical knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a fashion buying or merchandising career. Industry knowledge and skills are embedded across modules and are achieved in different ways. These include learning about textiles and clothing manufacture, competitor shopping and analysing trends and sales patterns to make commercial decisions. You will develop and strengthen many skills including numeracy for buying and merchandising, presentation, team working and negotiation. Why should I choose this programme? The fashion industry continues to grow in size and significance, as brands and retailers expand their ranges and markets. Fashion buying and merchandising lie at the heart of a fashion company’s ability to respond effectively to fast moving trends with commercially successful seasonal collections. This programme will provide you with the specialist knowledge and skills associated with adapting trends and developing fashion ranges, commercial understanding and industry insights to access a range of positions in buying and merchandising. Key skills, aims and objectives knowledge of how fashion trends emerge, and ability to exploit associated market gaps ability to edit and select seasonal collections ability to identify commercial product opportunities and plan a merchandise range retail pricing and margin management competitor analysis teamwork presentation and negotiation skills

This programme will provide you with the specialist knowledge, skills and commercial understanding to kickstart your career in fashion buying and merchandising. Typical entry level jobs open to graduates of the programme include: Buying Assistant Buying Admin Assistant Buyer’s Clerk Assistant Buyer Trainee Buyer Merchandising Assistant Merchandising Admin Assistant Allocator Distributor Supply Chain Coordinator Marketing Assistant