Fashion Design
The Role
Designing and developing seasonal ranges that are relevant to key trends.
Involves trend forecasting, market research, production innovation, sketching, sourcing fabrics and trims, liaising with patternmakers, sample cutters and machinists to create and develop designs of a high quality.
A designer would oversee the development, fitting and production of sale sample collections.
Experience Needed
Sample cutting, patternmaking, knowledge of production process, computer skills, design assistant experience.
Personal Skills
- Creativity
- Love of fashion and trends
- Eye for detail
- Interpersonal skills
- Organisational skills
- Very determined
Stepping Stones
Diploma of Fashion Business and Design.
Design assistant internships or Workplace Training within a fashion label.
Portfolio development.
Design room assistant.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
- Design qualification
- A course in Fashion Business
- Computer skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
- Sewing Skills
- Pattern Making and cutting skills
Research
Get to know key designers and labels.
Understand current trends and forecasting.
Understand concept of product development e.g. target market, price points, manufacturing processes, marketing material.
Fashion Styling
The Role
Styling for Magazines, Campaigns, TV, Personal Styling.
Experience Needed
Develop a portfolio- You will never be hired without a portfolio.
Get in touch with models, photographers, hair/makeup and create a test shoot.
Personal Skills
- Creative
- Good communication skills
- Hard working
Stepping Stones
Retail experienceâ¨
Styling merchandise all day.
Getting to know different bodies and what suits their shape.
Knowing what sells and what appeals to specific tastes.
As much Workplace Training in Styling as possible
Establishing contacts – Photographers, Models, Stylists.
Always be available for any shoots that arise. A lot of the time opportunities will come up at the last minute. Reliability is the key.
Get a kit together
Every Stylist needs to have a kit on hand. Be prepared for anything that can go wrong on the day.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
Complete a hair and makeup course
The more skills you have the less people that need to be hired for shoots. Also the more control you have over the entire look.
Do a design course
Clothes never fit models, hems always break. You need to have basic sewing and design skills to alter and make clothes work the way you need them to.
A course in Fashion Business
Get your driverâs license
Stylists will be forever driving to remote locations, lugging around merchandise etc. A license and a car are really a necessity.
Research
Research stylists
Know who is out there styling and be familiar with their signature looks. Be up to date with trends and looks for the seasons. Read magazines and blogs, anything to be up to date with the Fashion Industry.
Public Relations
The Role
In-house PR / PR Agency
Some brands choose to have the PR done in-house as this means they have absolute control over all their marketing. This also means that they need to pay a wage. In-house also means that the brand is the soul concern. PR agencies represent different brands.
Experience Needed
Workplace Training in PR.
Personal Skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Creativity
- Good writer
- Organised
- Able to negotiate
Stepping Stones
As much Workplace Training in PR as possible
Workplace Training is the best experience someone can get.
Retail experience
Getting to know why people buy certain pieces.
First-hand experience with how a brand is marketed and the audience that is attracted.
What marketing strategies do and donât work.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
- Writing Course
- A course in Fashion Business
Research
You can never do too much research when it comes to working in PR. Research PR companies – know what they do and who they represent.
Yearly plan for what magazines/ media are doing. You need to be working in advance. Timing is crucial.
You must understand your target market and where everyone sits. Know where they shop, what magazines they buy, where they live. These are all aspects you need to know so you can successfully market your product to them.
Fashion Agencies
The Role
An âAgentâ is someone who acts on behalf of someone else. In this case, the Fashion Agent acts on behalf of the Fashion Designer by liaising with buyers and selling their range or collection to stores, boutiques and department stores.
Sales agents are paid on a commission based on what they sell.
Experience Needed
Retail sales experience
Internships within Sales and Marketing
Personal Skills
- Good communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Strong ability to understand brands and their market
- Professional characteristics
- Ability to work alone and set and meet sales targets as well as give constructive feedback on ranges
Stepping Stones
Workplace Training at a Fashion Agency or within an internal Sales Department.
Retail experienceâ¨
Customer service.
Getting to know why people buy certain pieces.
Establishing Industry contacts â Designers, Buyers.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
Marketing or Communications Course could be beneficial.
A course in Fashion Business
Get your driverâs license
Agents occasionally travel to different boutiques to present different ranges.
Create a good reputation in the Fashion Industry and have a strong selling history.
Research
Know what brands are stocked in which stores.
Keep up to date with trends and collections.
Fashion Magazines
The Role
There are two main avenues within a Fashion Magazine:
Styling: Fashion Department
Journalism: Editorial Department
Experience Needed
Fashion Department
Workplace Training.
Editorial Department
Journalism degree or course.
Personal Skills
- Initiative
- Hard working
- Very determined
Stepping Stones
Fashion Department
Workplace Training
This is purely performance based. There are hundreds of students who intern at Magazines. The ones who are outstanding are the ones who get hired. You must be outstanding, better than every other intern.
Use your initiative to stand out.
Example; clean, tidy, do everything with a smile on your face etc.
Editorial
Get your work together
Portfolio of articles.
Send articles to get published.
- Make sure that what you are sending is relevant to the magazine
- Any work which is published looks great in your portfolio
- Workplace Training
- Get as much hands on experience within an editorial department as possible. Take an avid interest and use initiative to stand out in the crowd.
- Any experience where you get to write Eg: PR- press releases.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
- Writing course
- A course in Fashion Business
Research
Get to know magazines- who works there, what their target market is etc.
Fashion Buying
The Role
The primary objective of buying is to purchase target market specific ranges and products in order to achieve budgeted sales.
It is crucial that you understand the needs and wants of your targeted customer.
Experience Needed
Any experience within accounts/ figures is an advantage. As a Buyer, you will be constantly working with figures. You do need to enjoy statistics.
Experience within a head office environment/ administration role.
Fashion retail experience – knowing why people buy certain pieces/ what sells and what doesnât and why/getting to know target markets.
Design Course.
Often Buyers will assist in Product Development eg. David Jones brand.
Knowing cut, textures, fabrics, what suits certain body shapes etc.
Personal Skills
- Diplomatic
- Assertive
- Organised
- Intuitive in what will sell
Stepping Stones
Workplace Training in a Buying Office
This can often be difficult to come by. There are many other ways to get relevant experience.
Marketing/ PR /Head office/ Fashion Agent.
Appling for Assistant Buying Positions
Often students with other relevant experience can apply for junior or assistant buying roles.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
- Tertiary education- a course which is relevant
- A course in Fashion Business
Research
As a Buyer, you need to know your target market back to front and inside out. You need to know how much they will spend, where they shop, where they will wear these clothes etc.
Fashion Events
The Role
Organise functions, events, fashion shows.
Experience Needed
Previous experience in organising or being part of the running of events.
Personal Skills
- Extremely well organised
- Methodical and precise
- Work to timelines
- Good communicator
Stepping Stones
Workplace Training
Whether this is through FBI or contacting companies themselves.
Any experience where you are assisting or organising and event is extremely beneficial.
Develop Skills & Knowledge
- Develop great industry and media contacts
- Marketing course
- Event Management course
- A course in Fashion Business
Research
Have an excellent idea of target market and marketing.
Get to know who the events people are in the fashion industry.