Have you ever wondered what a fashion buyer does? Or what it takes to become a fashion buyer? If you’ve been curious to know more about the exciting world of fashion buying, then you’ve come to the right place!
In this blog post, we’ll look at the role of a fashion buyer, including the qualifications, salary, duties, skills needed, and how to become a fashion buyer. So, let’s get started.
What is a fashion buyer?
A fashion buyer is someone who is responsible for purchasing clothing and accessories for a fashion store or retail brand. They often work with designers to create collections, attend trade shows to find the newest trends, purchase products to sell in their stores and scour the fashion landscape for in-demand products. They are essentially the link between fashion designers and retailers.
They must have a keen eye for styles and trends, and they’ve also got to be able to judge which items will sell in the store and which won’t. They must also be able to negotiate prices with suppliers, manage inventory and work with a budget.
Fashion buyers may work at a store, a fashion retailer, or at the office of fashion brand, but they often travel around the world to meet suppliers, manufacturers, designers and more.
The job description of a fashion buyer
The job description of a fashion buyer can be quite varied, the role can be different depending on which company they work for.
For example, in one junior fashion buyer job post, the company states that they will work closely with an online womenswear brand that also has concession stands across a number of high street retailers.
The junior fashion buyer will work closely with the company directors to build a range of exciting packages across clothing, accessories and footwear, travelling every few weeks to Europe to source new products.
In addition to this, the job description states that they must also be able to analyse sales and trends in order to determine which items will be successful in the online store.
That’s just one example of a fashion buyer job description, but others can be quite different. Maybe the role will focus on footwear or jewellery, and it might not include travel. So, if you’re thinking of becoming a fashion buyer, it’s a good idea to think about the area you want to work in and look for a company who can offer that.
What qualifications do you need to become a fashion buyer?
The qualifications to become a fashion buyer vary depending on the company you’re applying to. However, most companies will look for applicants who have a formal education in fashion. That could be at a college, apprenticeship or degree level.
In addition to a qualification, experience in the fashion industry is also helpful. If you’ve ever worked in retail, or at a fashion house, you’re more likely to get noticed. Other experience that could set you apart could include internships or volunteer work.
It’s also important for fashion buyers to have strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills. If you can demonstrate this based on previous roles, or through a fashion-related course, you’re getting off to a good start.
The salary of a fashion buyer
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a fashion buyer in the UK is around £39,000 per year. However, the salary can vary depending on the company they work for and their level of experience. Generally, an entry-level fashion buyer can expect to make around £20,000 to £23,000 per year. With a few years of experience, that salary could go up to £30,000 and above. In general, salaries for fashion buyers can range from £20,000 – £70,000 per year..
The duties of a fashion buyer
The duties of a fashion buyer are quite varied and can include researching trends, selecting items to purchase for the store, negotiating prices with suppliers, managing inventory, and creating relationships with vendors and suppliers.
The role of a fashion buyer might also include some or all of the following duties:
- Assemble new collections and ranges
- Work closely with in-house sales, design and merchandising teams
- Work with the eCommerce team
- Meet suppliers
- Negotiate terms of contract with suppliers
- Maintain relationships with existing suppliers and identify new ones
- Review and analyse existing items
- Stay up to date with current and future trends
- Research competitors
- Product development
The skills needed to be a fashion buyer
To be a successful fashion buyer, you must have strong communication and interpersonal skills. You’ll be talking to people all day, whether that’s suppliers or internal teams, so you’ll need to bring your communication A game!
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are also a must. Fashion is fast-paced, so being able to understand what is happening and when, as well has how to quickly fix problems that arise, is super important.
Organisation is a key skill, too. You’ll be managing multiple tasks at the same time, so staying organised and on top of your work is vital.
Additionally, fashion buyers must have a good eye for style and trends and be able to think critically. This is one of the hardest skills to develop, as it often comes with experience.
How to become a fashion buyer
If you’re interested in becoming a fashion buyer, it’s a good idea to gain as much experience in the fashion industry as possible. This could include apprenticeships, internships, part-time jobs, full-time jobs or volunteer work.
An important step is to get a qualification in fashion, business or a related field under your belt. This will give you a better understanding of the industry and help you to stand out to potential employers, showing you’ve gone through some of the fundamentals of fashion.
Once you have a qualification and experience, you can start applying for jobs. You may need to start in an entry-level position, such as an assistant buyer, and work your way up to a fully-fledged buyer, but with hard work and passion, you’ll get to where you want to be.
Ready to get started?
To become a fashion buyer, it’s important to gain much-needed experience in the fashion industry. A qualification will really help you stand out, and there are plenty of fashion courses that can help you get your foot on the ladder.
Big Creative Education’s fashion T level is a great starting point for budding fashion buyers, so if you have any questions about that contact us today and we’ll help you kickstart your fashion journey!
