Fashion Designer and Fashion Merchandiser - Essay Example

Comparison and Contrast between Fashion Designer and Fashion Merchandiser Fashion designers and fashion merchandisers are two very important professionals in the fashion industry. Their role in the development and introduction of new fashion trends to the public in general and the clientele in particular is vital. Although both these professionals participate in the selection of the accessories and garments to be sold to the clients, yet a fashion designer’s job is more related to the creation of these items whereas a fashion merchandiser’s job is more about making these items’ sale more profitable.

Fashion designers study popular trends among the public and accordingly design their accessories and garments. Their target groups include people of all ages and classes in general. Fashion designers work in close collaboration with manufacturers to acquire the embellishments and fabric for designing and supervise the production as well. Since marketing is very important for their business, most fashion designers also work closely with creative directors and plan fashion shows. While acquiring a degree is not a prerequisite for being a fashion designer, yet having a diploma in fashion designing at least is recommendable.

Fashion designers’ salaries vary depending upon their popularity. Fashion merchandisers offer their services to the fashion retailers and choose the accessories and garments to be sold at their stores. One of their functions is to develop attractive displays to motivate the public to shop. Fashion merchandisers negotiate with the designers and wholesalers to acquire the accessories and garments at a lower price to make the business more profitable for the stores they represent. While there is no established education requirement for an individual who wants to become a fashion merchandiser, some employers might prefer fashion merchandisers with some education in fashion which would reflect their theoretical knowledge and understanding of the latest trends.

It is recommendable to have a bachelor’s degree in merchandising to optimize the chances of getting employed as a fashion merchandiser. Common elements between the two professions are that both fashion designing and fashion merchandising are very competitive fields. Number of people in search of opportunities generally exceeds the number of opportunities available. Both professionals frequently go to trade shows to learn about the latest fashion trends. Both professionals try to analyze these trends so that they may be able to make informed decisions about which garments and accessories are more likely to be sold than others.

While fashion designers conceptualize clothing and introduce innovative ideas and items to the public, fashion merchandisers search for the products to sell among the existing items. The income of fashion merchandisers is generally more than that of fashion designers. It is more important for a fashion merchandiser to be highly educated to be able to get employed than a fashion designer. Both professionals differ in the kinds of skills they require to be successful as the skills of fashion designer are more technical whereas those of a fashion merchandiser are more managerial.

For example, while a fashion designer needs to acquaint himself/herself with good sewing skills and experiment with colors and fabrics, a fashion merchandiser needs to have critical analysis skills to identify the right items to display and sell.