Now on a monday afternoon replacing critical studies is PPD1 sessions. Today we were taught by Ian, and we were put in pairs to research a particular job that was in the fashion industry. We looked at fashion Buyers. All pairs then had to present the research they had found out about the job and also a A3 mood board of images relevant to the job assigned to you. so heres what i found out about fashion buyers....Fashion Buyers
Traditionally buyers have to be more visually creative often skilled in both garment construction and design, now thought I.T analytical and negotiation skills are considered equally important for both.
A job of a buyer varies from company to company according to the type of business e.g.
stocking the store with well known brands of designer clothing (womenswear buyer at Selfridges)
Whereas a buyer for a multiple retail brand such as Topshop, will be responsible for overseeing the complete product development process before arranging delivery of the finished products.
Similarly the owner of a boutique or independent clothes retailer will also be involved in buying stock often from wholesales to sell in their shop.
Other facts about a fashion buyer...
They decide on the styles to be bought and negotiates production with suppliers.
A well established fashion buyer can earn between £40,000- £70,000 a year depending on the size of the company, But you will nearly always have to start at the bottom of the ladder and work your way up, interns or P.A'S will be on a basic rate of £12,000 to start with.
Different jobs within the Fashion Buyers role -
Buyers Admin Assistant
Assistant Buyer
Junior Buyer
Buyer
Head Of Buying
Good Points about the Fashion Buying job -
*Extensive travel to worldwide destinations
*working closely with many other areas/sectors of a business for example Fashion Merchandisers, Garment technologists, Imports & Exports, Suppliers, Fashion designers in house, Retail Branch Managers.
Bad Pints about Fashion Buying job -
*Away alot, not home always moving to were you can get work, or needed to work.
*Lots of responsibility, If you choose the wrong line or items to invest a lot of money on that don't sell its on your head!
*Constantly you mind is on the job, You work will not stop in normal office hours!
Listening to other presentations heres some other information i found out about jobs within the Fashion industry
Product Developer
A product developer would oversea the whole designing process from initial designing to the clothing actually being in the shops. side line jobs that are included in a product developers job. Marketing, Fashion forecasting, suppliers, invloved in retailing the product.
A junior salary would tend to start at between 15,000-20,000 and a fully trained and working product developer between 30,000-70,000
Processes involved with a product developer
1. Planning a line
2. Creating the design concept
3. Developing designs
4. Planning production
5. Production
6. Distribution the line.
Fashion Photographer
This involves always being at the top of your game, being aware of new alternative ways of taking photos, new technology, new techniques etc. Its free lance work so only the photographers at the top of there game get work.
Its competitive and exciting getting to travel to often exotic places to take shoots, working in lighting studios, Shoots on show, skin tones, film and digital photography.
A junior photographer would earn between 12,000-20,000 a year and a senior photographer could earn up to 50,000 a year.
Some disadvantages to the job are irregular and insociable hours. working outdoors with un predictable weather conditions which may deter you from being able to capture photos you want.
Advantages to the job are lots of traveling be it locally or abroad.
Other people you will have to work with if you are a photographer are stylists, hair stylists, models, companies. Free lance photographers can earn £150-£600 per day.
Fashion PR Public relations / Personal Relations
Salary ranges from 10,000 - 50,000
Fashion PR tasks include Appeal companies to retail stores, build and maintain a favorable public image. Because they do not have to pay for publicity or media coverage.
jobs within PR Promotions Assistants- Public relations specialists to public relations co-ordinator to director of public relations
Perks of the job are free clothes,shoes,accessories and other fashion related produce.
Other jobs you may have to do is preventing bad press, or stories that may portray an image that is not suitable or damaging to a brand.
I started my digital photography elective a couple of weeks ago, I am really interested in fashion photography so thought this would be a good elective to take. First week went not to plan. I was sat in the room waiting for the tutor to turn up with 4 other people but she didnt turn up after waiting 1hour so we all left. turns out she was waiting in the corridor. So the next week went a bit more to plan and we were inducted into using the digital camera. On my foundation and national certificate i had previously done black and white photography and digital photography but because im not using the digital cameras on a regular basis i tend not to be able to remember how to use them, so i thought the elective would help but im still not having much luck. anyway... I really enjoy styling for photography aswell. So i had been trying to rope somebody into modeling for me and harriet agreed so here are some pictures from harriet taken in the lighting studio. I have some more pictures taken out on location i will up load soon... But to be honest i dont really feel like this elective has been much use to me or helped me learn anything from it : (
