ENG. Fashion is inspiration and creativity, but it also involves organization, strategy and management. These sets of elements seem very different and contrasting but they have to work together so a business can be successful. As I have told you in previous entries, I worked as a Merchandiser who is responsible for making these two elements work together in a cohesive way. The Merchandiser has the difficult job of managing creativity and business without hindering either. For that reason, the merchandising division has become one of the main forces of an apparel company to increase profitability.
Merchandising means buying and selling goods for a profit. In the fashion industry there are two types of Merchandisers: the Retail Merchandiser and the Apparel Merchandiser. The Retail Merchandiser is the one who selects and buys products for a company and sells it to the ultimate consumer. You may know this person as the buyer.
On the other hand, the Apparel Merchandiser is the one who manages the development, execution and delivery of a product line. The Apparel Merchandiser usually works in the manufacture and style office environment, for companies who solely manufacture and sell goods to retailers or for companies such as Gucci who not only manufacture but also own DOS (directed operated stores/ retail stores).
The responsibilities of an Apparel Merchandiser may be performed by other divisions of a company depending on the company format. For example: if a company is a retailer that has its own private label (products that are developed and produced exclusively for their store) such as Anthropologie, the activities of the apparel merchandiser will most likely be performed by a Product Manager. Also, in a brand such as Roberto Cavalli, the company I now work for, where the manufacture and sales of its young line Just Cavalli is licensed and therefore managed by Staff International, the one who carries out the role of the merchandiser is the Brand Manager. And this is actually my new job now! It is of great importance to learn the general concept of apparel merchandising since it’s a function performed by all types of fashion companies even if they are managed by different divisions.
