Careers in Fashion Merchandising

Embarking on a career in fashion merchandising begins with gaining valuable experience through hands-on internships. Internships allow you to apply your classroom knowledge in real-world settings and help you develop key industry connections and practical skills.

LIM’s undergraduate Fashion Merchandising students have interned at hundreds of leading companies, including: 

• Amazon
• Barclays Center
• Gap
• TJX Companies
• Tod’s
• Tory Burch
• Ulta Beauty
• Zara

Our graduate Fashion Merchandising students have interned at companies such as: 

• American Express
• Bloomingdale’s
• Condé Nast 
• Hearst Magazines
• LVMH
• Macy’s
• Nordstrom
• Ralph Lauren

Fashion merchandising goes beyond retail and store management, providing a wide array of exciting opportunities. With a Fashion Merchandising degree, you can tailor your career path to your passions and interests. 

Some of these areas include:

• Digital merchandising: Enhancing shopping experiences on digital platforms
• Event production: Planning and executing fashion events, from runway shows to product launches
• Fashion forecasting: Predicting future trends based on consumer behavior and market research
• Product development: Creating and demonstrating new fashion products, including clothing, home goods, and beauty and wellness products
• Retail and store management: Overseeing the day-to-day operations of retail stores, ensuring customer satisfaction and meeting sales goals
• Retail buying and planning: Managing inventory and selecting the products stores carry
• Showroom management: Coordinating and presenting collections in a showroom, working closely with buyers to secure orders
• Styling: Curating and presenting clothing and accessories to create compelling visuals for advertising or editorial purposes
• Sustainability and corporate social responsibility: Promoting and ensuring ethical and environmentally friendly practices within the fashion industry
• Textiles: Designing, testing, and producing fabrics for fashion and lifestyle products

LIM’s Fashion Merchandising students graduate with a comprehensive understanding of the field and a solid resume reflecting real-world experience. 

Our graduates’ expertise at the intersection of business, fashion, and lifestyle means these alums thrive in various roles.

The following are just a few of the positions 2023 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising from LIM secured:

• Assistant Buyer, Burlington Stores
• Associate Merchant, Calvin Klein
• Merchandise Coordinator, Levi Strauss & Co.
• Operations Associate, Louis Vuitton
• Planner, Saks Fifth Avenue 
• Supply Chain Coordinator, Kering USA

LIM’s master’s degree in Fashion Merchandising & Retail Management graduates have gone on to career positions that include:

• eCommerce Senior National Account Manager, Coty
• Manager Global Business Planning, Tom Ford Beauty
• Production Manager, Calvin Klein Performance at G-III Apparel Group
• Senior Manager eCommerce, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté
• Inventory Analyst, Coach
• Operations Director, The Luxury Marketing Council

Fashion merchandising requires a versatile skill set because you must navigate the ever-changing landscape of style and consumer behavior. You need to be able to craft compelling narratives around fashion products, anticipate market trends, and guide strategic decisions that shape the fashion industry.

At LIM, you will learn important fashion merchandising skills, including:

• Communication: Learn how to convey ideas, collaborate with teams, and engage with customers.
• Mathematics: Explore inventory management, financial analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
• Product lifecycle management: Acquire knowledge of the entire product development process, from concept to creation and distribution.
• Research and analysis: Analyze market trends, conduct consumer research, and translate insights into effective merchandising strategies.
• Sales and marketing: Learn how to promote and sell fashion products by learning about omnichannel strategies, digital marketing principles, e-commerce platforms, customer journey mapping, and more. 
• Sustainability and ethical practices: Develop the ability to understand sustainable and ethical practices so that you can make responsible business decisions

In the world of fashion merchandising, proficiency with industry-standard tools is key. 

At LIM, you can access and master essential resources, including:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Enhance your design and visual communication skills with proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Microsoft 365 Suite: Utilize the full capability of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for a range of business functions.
• Higg/Wordly Materials Sustainability Index: Access this tool fashion businesses use to evaluate the environmental impact of product materials.
• Gerber/Yunique Product Lifecycle Management: Collaborate and create fashion products in real time using this cloud-based software program trusted by global retailers and fashion brands.

Membership in professional associations and regular consumption of influential publications can empower you with valuable insights and connections to excel in your fashion merchandising career.

Fashion merchandising professional organizations include: 

• American Apparel & Footwear Association
• American Society of Magazine Editors
• Fashion Group International
• International Textile and Apparel Association
• National Retail Federation (NRF)

Key publications that report on the fashion merchandising world include: 

• The Business of Fashion
• Home Furnishing News (HFN)
• National Retail Federation (NRF) Smartbrief
• The New York Times
• Sourcing Journal
• The Wall Street Journal
• Women’s Wear Daily (WWD)