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| Survival of the Trendiest: The Evolution of Fashion Merchandising Careers |
| by Dawn Papandrea |
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"In the Fashion Merchandising industry you have to evolve," insists Kim Bolufé, a well-known Boca Raton, FL fashion merchandising and retail pro. "You can never stand still. As fashion changes, so do you."
Kim knows what she's talking about, having developed her own career successes over the years. The now 46-year-old first took an interest in fashion merchandising without even realizing it when she used to visit her mom on the job at New York City fashion houses. Today, she's the founder of Bolufé, South Florida's premier independent fashion house, which carries high-end labels in denim, tops and accessories, and is frequented by celebs from LIONEL RICHIE and PAULA ABDUL to KID ROCK, and MONTEL WILLIAMS.
How can you evolve into a fashion merchandising success? Find out from Kim what it takes to fashion an "always in style" career ...
Get educated in fashion merchandising programs.
Kim earned her Fashion Marketing and business management degree from Kingsboro College (Brooklyn, NY), and is grateful for the fundamentals she picked up. "It gave me the book knowledge of the composition of fabrics and textiles," she says, plus equipped her with fashion merchandising resources and industry contacts.
When choosing from among fashion merchandising schools, look for those that offer a combination of creative courses and business skills. For instance, at International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) -- which has campuses in Orlando, FL; Schaumburg, IL; Sacramento, CA; and Toronto, Cananda -- the school's fashion marketing curriculum addresses the economic aspects of merchandising and consumer psychology along with the know how to spot trendy hot-selling fashions.
Learn how to wear the many (stylish) hats of fashion merchandising careers.
Daily job responsibilities in Kim's career include everything from being a buyer, negotiater, trainer, troubleshooter, and salesperson. A key aspect, she says, is maintaining a presence at the store to constantly build up her brand.
Fashion merchandising careers requires many soft skills, too.
"Perseverance, being relentless, and staying focused," Kim says, are vital attributes for success in fashion merchandising. "Just go with your gut as a buyer and a merchandiser, be a loyal employee, and do the right thing."
Hands-on experience and commitment are vital for success in fashion merchandising careers.
"You have to have the absolute love and desire for fashion and buying and travel," says Kim. "You can't be weak in any one of those ingredients or the entire recipe will be a failure."
Enjoy the ride -- fashion merchandising career perks abound.
In addition to getting to wear your own fashions once you're established, says Kim, some of the fringe benefits of fashion merchandising careers include getting to travel to countries you never thought you'd see and hanging out with celebrity clients. The best feeling? "Being known wherever you go because people know and love your store."
About the author:
http://www.collegesurfing.com/blog
Dawn Papandrea is the Managing Editor of The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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| QUICK FACTS |
| More than half of all photographers are self-employed, a much higher proportion than for most occupations. |
| Freelance and portrait photographers need technical proficiency, gained through either a degree program, vocational training, or extensive photography experience. |
| Growth of Internet versions of magazines, journals, and newspapers will require increasing numbers of commercial photographers to provide digital images. |
| (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Photographers) |
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