4 Jobs In The Fashion Industry You Should Know About

By Kristen Peuvion on July 3, 2014

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Many people these days are itching to find their place in the fashion industry–myself included–but many of us don’t have the knack for design like Diane Von Furstenberg, Gianni Versace and Alexander Wang. Not to worry, budding fashionistas, designing isn’t the only career path you can take.

While the fashion industry, to many, is this allusive world of creative individuals with their heads in the clouds, creating strange, avant-garde clothing that no person in their right mind would ever actually wear in daily life, the reality is that the fashion industry is so much more. This particular view of the industry as a whole only encapsulates a miniscule portion of what people in the business actually do.

In fact, there are countless jobs in this industry for people of all skill sets and interests. So if you’ve got an interest in all things fashion, here’s a list of four not so well-known jobs within the fashion industry that you should know about.

Stylist

image via fashionsystem.blogspot.com

This is one of the most creative jobs you can possibly have in the fashion industry because it’s all about putting together the perfect look. While you aren’t actually creating what the clothes look like as a designer would do, a good stylist creates looks that bring the designer’s work to life. After all, the clothes a designer makes are made to be worn by real people, so the way that stylists accessorize and style a look can make the clothing look great or absolutely awful.

Often times, stylists work with famous clientele. In order to start styling Hollywood stars though, you’re going to have to have some connections. This field within the fashion industry, like many others, is all about networking and knowing the right people. Internships are a good place to start forming these connections because you never know who you might meet!

Buyer

While a stylist works with the creative side of fashion, a buyer works on the business side. Many people have the misconception that fashion is solely a creative field, but this notion is wrong. Like any other field of work, fashion is a business.

A buyer’s purpose is to decide what clothes and how many of them will be sold in their stores. This may sound like a simple thing to do, but so many things must be taken into account. For example, a buyer must look at the numbers and see what sells well and what people are looking for.

Additionally, they have to be able to work with the budget of their store, so that they then can decide how much of each product the company or store can afford. For this aspect of this position, it is helpful to have a degree in business, but not mandatory. Bigger companies will certainly have more responsibility than smaller ones, so they may require a degree in marketing or accounting.

A buyer’s responsibilities are not all business related, though. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of their job lies in the ability to foresee trends at least two seasons into the future. Summer clothes typically hit the stores in the winter months, which means the clothes that the buyer has chosen for the store must have been purchased much earlier than that. The ability to know what is going to be hot two seasons in advance will make or break a buyer’s career.

Public Relations

A public relations representative is something every company, including fashion retailers, needs. A good PR rep will make sure that people are talking about whatever brand they are representing. Their job is to keep their company relevant. Not only that, but a PR rep will ensure that the image that a retailer is presenting is nothing but positive.

On the other hand, when something goes wrong with a brand’s image, it is up to the public relations representative to clean up the mess. Because of this, it is important to be able to keep your cool when you’re under pressure. Likewise, because your job is to promote the company and keep people talking about it, a genuine admiration and interest in the company is really going to do wonders for a career in PR. A college degree in marketing or communications, and internships along the way, is going to help you succeed in this field.

Journalist

image via www.fashionschooldaily.com

The fashion industry is filled with opportunities for writers. Fashion blogs are booming right now and are a great way to show your personal style through pictures and words. Many fashion bloggers can team up with brands and companies to help them promote their products by featuring them in their blog, which is lucrative for both parties.

Magazines, both online and in print, are also looking for fashion journalists to comment on the latest trends and other fashion news. However, because magazines and online publications receive more viewership than personal blogs, a degree in journalism is preferred.

So for all of you out there looking for a job in the fashion industry, don’t think that designing is the only way to go. This small list is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential careers in the fashion industry. With a little bit of searching, you’ll be sure to find where you fit in this growing industry!

Search through the Uloop job listings to find your next Part-Time or Full-Time employment or Internship opportunity. Employers are waiting to hear from you!

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