Fashion Buying
What are the Core Skills and Attributes Required to be a Successful Fashion Buyer? Craig Weighman
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out in order to explore the role of the fashion buyer and generate a greater understanding whilst also developing informed and insightful opinions on the key attributes required in becoming a successful fashion buyer in industry. The main findings were that the fashion industry is a highly competitive market place as much reliant on business flair and intuition as it is on creativity. Gehlhar (2008) goes to great lengths to reinforce the belief that the reality of the fashion industry is a far cry from “the glamorous image of runway shows, celebrities on red carpets and designers yachting in St.Barts” and continues, “the fashion world requires hard work, discipline, perseverance and passion.” A talented and capable fashion buyer is one of the most important assets any organisation can possess, and it is the role primarily responsible for the success or failure of company strategies. It became apparent that the most important qualities present in any successful fashion buyer could be divided into two areas, personal and intellectual. Personal skills are the perceived obvious traits such as a flair and enthusiasm for fashion along with strong knowledge of relevant markets, customers and competitors. However, the conclusions made deduce that equally as important are intellectual attributes such as versatility in pressure situations, effective interpersonal and communication skills as well as decision-making, analytical and numeracy skills. The combination of these characteristics is vital in distinguishing a fashion buyer, with an aptitude for logic, process, judgment and reason as well as target market and consumer knowledge; from a fashion designer simply displaying artistic flair and an eccentric attitude or a business-apt financial expert.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julie Fish and Jane
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out in order to explore the role of the fashion buyer and generate a greater understanding whilst also developing informed and insightful opinions on the key attributes required in becoming a successful fashion buyer in industry. The main findings were that the fashion industry is a highly competitive market place as much reliant on business flair and intuition as it is on creativity. Gehlhar (2008) goes to great lengths to reinforce the belief that the reality of the fashion industry is a far cry from “the glamorous image of runway shows, celebrities on red carpets and designers yachting in St.Barts” and continues, “the fashion world requires hard work, discipline, perseverance and passion.” A talented and capable fashion buyer is one of the most important assets any organisation can possess, and it is the role primarily responsible for the success or failure of company strategies. It became apparent that the most important qualities present in any successful fashion buyer could be divided into two areas, personal and intellectual. Personal skills are the perceived obvious traits such as a flair and enthusiasm for fashion along with strong knowledge of relevant markets, customers and competitors. However, the conclusions made deduce that equally as important are intellectual attributes such as versatility in pressure situations, effective interpersonal and communication skills as well as decision-making, analytical and numeracy skills. The combination of these characteristics is vital in distinguishing a fashion buyer, with an aptitude for logic, process, judgment and reason as well as target market and consumer knowledge; from a fashion designer simply displaying artistic flair and an eccentric attitude or a business-apt financial expert.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julie Fish and Jane