Examples of Career Paths in the Industry

Design – Assistant Designer/Intern

Creativity is one of the key elements of design. With the correct interpretation of fashion trends, people in the design field utilize artistic skills and knowledge to create and develop fashion products. Design is a process of creating and assembling.

Assistant Designer ($44,000-$55,000)

The role of an assistant designer is to assist the designer creatively and provide practical support. Some of the duties of the assistant designer is to research current trends, create new product ideas, attend fittings, and prepare mood boards.
Typical Skills Required- ability to work well in teams and take directions, excellent communications skills, computer illustrator knowledge (CAD), awareness of current trends, some design background

Patternmaker ($37,000-$65,000)

The role of the patternmaker is to create a pattern either by free hand or with computer illustrator software. Patternmakers use their knowledge of fabrics, sewing, and altering garments to create a pattern that replicates the design concept.
Typical Skills Required- sewing skills, detail oriented, freehand drawing skills, familiarity with computer illustration programs (CAD)

Stylist ($35,000-$80,000)

The work of a fashion stylist involves creating strong fashion images and looks to promote trends in newspapers, magazines, on television, in film, in the music industry, in advertising and promotions such as fashion collections, exhibitions, and trade events.
Typical Skills Required- Awareness and understanding of fashion trends, strong vision and ability to create exciting images, ability to prepare for photo shoots, good networking skills, ability to work within budgets, and excellent communication skills.

Textile Designer ($60,000-$75,000)

Textile designer involves the creation of woven, knit, and printed fabrics. Textiles are designed and produced for clothing, accessories, branded merchandise, and are also used for interiors in the design of fabrics for soft furnishings.
Typical Skills Required- Excellent technical understanding of construction techniques with the ability to develop new interesting fabric structures, good understanding of color and texture, awareness of current trends, ability to liaise with customers to plan and develop designs, understanding and proficient use of CAD.

Technical designer ($63,000-$82,000)

The role of a technical designer is to look over the specifications of a garment, insuring that the fit and function are correct for mass production.
Typical Skills Required- expertise in CAD, design knowledge, ability to understand specification packs, strong communication skills, knowledge of quality and tolerance standards.

Design Director ($115,000-$140,000)

The role of the design director is to lead creative employees and management teams to create a profitable product. A design director oversees strategic design projects and manages individuals in both design and marketing/management. Design directors are used in a variety of companies and fields, such as apparel, fashion, graphic design, public relations, interior design and marketing companies.
Typical Skills Required- Excellent managerial and leadership skills, strong communication skills, able to priorities projects, has a good eye for detail, well organized, knowledgeable about design/illustration software, excellent knowledge of the design process and production, up to date on current market trends

Product Development – Assistant Manager/Intern

The main purpose of product development is to deciding if a product is marketable by researching and analyzing its target consumers, trends, competitors and market opportunities. It is a process of developing a product or a product line from a general concept to a comprehensive launch plan through different activities.

Product Development Assistant Manager ($62,000-$95,000)

The product development assistant will work very closely with the product development manager. They assist in coordinating projects to create a final prototype.
Typical Skills Required- Ability to assemble technical packs, understanding of garment construction and textile knowledge, ability to build and maintain relationships with vendors, awareness of current trends.

Product Development Manager ($106,000-$142,000)

The role of the product development manager is to identify potential products to be produced. The product development manager will conduct market research, develop marketing strategies, determine specifications, create production timeline, and pricing strategies.
Typical Skills Required- Product management, people management, understanding the customer, product development experience, analytic skills, organizational planning, strong understanding of marketing strategies

Trend Forecasting ($50,000-$100,000)

Trend Forecasting is a very competitive business that involves researching and predicting international seasonal trends 18 to 24 months in advance of the marketplace. Trend information is used in the fashion, textile, interiors, cosmetics, and product design industries and usually gives guidance on thematic stories, color palettes, styling detailing, fabric, prints, yarns, trimmings, and graphic design.
Typical Skills Required- Good knowledge of the international marketplace, understanding of trends: films, theater, television, fabric, yarn, and trimmings, excellent research skills, good written and verbal communication, a good eye for color and texture, and CAD skills.

Colorist ($67,000-$95,000)

The position of a colorist varies from company to company, whether it is working in a forecasting company or a fabric/yarn manufacturer, printed textile company or color laboratory.
Typical Skills Required- Awareness of the impact of color and the influences that inspire seasonal development, an excellent understanding of color theory, an understanding of the Pantone color system and other similar systems, ability to produce inspirational mood boards, CAD-literate, ability to keep accurate records relating color ways, and a good understanding of technological processes in dyeing.

Merchandising – Merchandising Analyst/Assistant Buyer/Intern

Merchandising mainly involves strategic planning and decision making for retail purposes. Statistical and financial analysis usually needs to be applied into merchandising. By analyzing and organizing data, merchandisers develop profitable marketing and selling plans for a specific product line.

Merchandiser ($40,000-$125,000)

The role of the merchandiser is to work closely in liaison with the buyer in developing a marketable and profitable product line that will sell, meeting the sales targets and financial forecasts of the company.
Typical Skills Required- Commercially astute with excellent numerical and analytic skills, understanding of consumer trends, good team skills, strong organizational skills, ability to communicate at all levels, and computer literacy: word processors, spreadsheets, and databases.

Merchandising Allocator (distribution analysis) ($60,000-$90,000)

The role of the merchandise allocator involves liaising with buyers, merchandisers’ suppliers and monitoring stock flow, with responsibility for maximum stock availability.
Typical Skills Required- Commercially minded, numerate, computer literate: word processors, spreadsheets, databases, strong administration skills, and excellent organizational skills. Having strong administration skills and excellent organizational skills.

Visual Merchandiser (in store visual) ($25,000-$36,000)

The role of the visual merchandiser is to create and produce window/in-store displays, promoting retail brands and introducing new trends to inspire the customer and attract them into the store.
Typical Skills Required- Excellent visual/spatial awareness, strong creative and practical skills, awareness of current trends, ability to work under pressure, and ability to work within a budget.

Buyer ($90,000-$140,000)

A buyer must have a good understanding of design, the retail industry, and an understanding of forthcoming trends. Buyers usually work in buying teams and work closely with management and merchandisers, who assist in developing a marketable and profitable product line that will sell.
Typical Skills Required- Knowledge of market trends in order to develop an exciting fashion line appropriate to the target market, financial acumen with good negotiation skills.

Planner ($80,000-$125,000)

The role of a planner is to develop seasonal plans by store for specific business areas. The primary focus of a planner is to control inventories and allocations for a particular department or classification of products.
Typical Skills Required- Having excellent organizational skills, knowledge of market trends, ability to work within a budget, and strong administration skills, as well as being commercially minded, numerate, and computer literate: word processors, spreadsheets, and databases.

Sourcing/Procurement – Assistant Production Manager

Many companies outsource materials or production, so a sourcing and procurement role is needed in those circumstances for overseeing the production process and maintaining supplier relationships. A sourcing and procurement specialist needs to work closely with the company’s suppliers and manage their performance in order to ensure that a product is executed correctly and completed within a required timeline.

Production Assistant Manager ($45,000-$50,000)

The role of a production assistant manager is to support the production manager in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of all production functions of a garment or apparel product.
Typical Skills Required- Knowledge of garment production processes, experience and knowledge of modern production systems, ability to plan and organize the production line to meet deadlines, good time-management skills, ability to multi-task and work under pressure, and ability to work to a given brief and meet deadlines.

Production Manager ($72,000-$90,000)

A production manager oversees all aspects of the production of a garment line, from samples and prototypes to the finished garments.
Typical Skills Required- Knowledge of garment production processes and modern production systems, ability to plan and organize the production line to meet deadlines, good time-management skills, ability to multi-task and work under pressure.

Sourcing Manager (Procurement) ($113,000-$140,000)

The sourcing manager is responsible for handling the company’s end-to-end sourcing operations. This entails managing the company’s supplier portfolio, implementing efficient sourcing, analyzing cost of procurement, and negotiating to secure profitable deals.
Typical Skills Required- Familiarity with sourcing/vendor management and relevant software, understand market dynamics, sound business judgment, strong management/leadership skills, ability to negotiate and maintain vendor relationships.

Supply Chain Logistics- Import/Export Analyst

A supply chain is a network of all the organizations and people who are involved in the steps from material sourcing to product delivery to consumers. The main goal of supply chain logistics is to develop efficient and effective transportation and storage plans. By managing distribution and cost in the supply system, specialists in this field can increase the sustainability and productivity of the supply chain.

Import/Export Analyst ($40,000-$77,000)

The role of an import/export analyst is to communicate and arrange shipments between business and customers. The role of an import/export analyst varies between companies. For example, some companies have combined import and export teams and others are individual.
Typical Skills Required- Able to analyze import/export processes to determine efficiency, able to coordinate logistics for product to arrive on time, strong organizational skills, knowledge of import and export government regulation.

Distribution Manager ($74,000-$100,000)

The role of a distribution manager is to organize efficient storage distribution centers. The distribution manager oversees all aspects of a distribution center to ensure that orders are fulfilled correctly.
Typical Skills Required- Excellent managerial skills, ability to motivate team members, logical reasoning, IT skills, strong analytical and numeracy skills, ability to plan ahead and react quickly to unexpected changes.

Supply Chain Manager ($97,000-$115,000)

The role of a supply chain manager is to coordinate the logistics of all aspects of the supply chain. The supply chain manager makes sure the logistics of the supply chain are the most efficient by making sure to consider costs, sustainability, and productivity.
The role of a supply chain manager is to coordinate the logistics of all aspects of the supply chain. The supply chain manager makes sure the company’s supply chain is the most efficient by considering costs, sustainability, and productivity.

Retail Management (In Store) – Assistant Manager/ Retail Assistant/Intern

Retail management is another important part of merchandising. Specialists in this area usually work in physical stores to help and communicate with customers face-to-face. Their performance directly influences the sales of products.

Assistant Manager ($35,000-$62,000)

The role of the assistant manager is integral in the store management team. The responsibilities include providing leadership for the store in the areas of: associate development, execution of merchandise sales areas, communications, analysis of business operations, expense management and general management of the store or departments.
Typical Skills Required- Sales skills, ability to train and manage a sales team, excellent communication skills, excellent customer service, numeracy skills, being commercially minded with the ability to achieve sales targets, and being financially astute with good negotiation skills.

Retail Assistant ($45,000-$55,000)

Retail assistants work in a variety of outlets from department stores to independent retail outlets and market stalls.
Typical Skills Required- Excellent selling skills/customer service, good knowledge of merchandise, approachability, ability to work with a team, numeracy skills, and strong communication skills.

Retail Manager ($40,000-$55,000)

The role of the retail manager is to ensure that the day-to-day operational management of a department or store runs smoothly and effectively, working with both staff and customers, and ensuring that the store meets its sales goals.
Typical Skills Required- Sales skills, ability to train and manage a sales team, excellent communication skills, excellent customer service, numeracy skills, being commercially minded with the ability to achieve sales targets, and being financially astute with good negotiation skills.

Entrepreneur (Salary commensurate on profit generated)

To be a storeowner or entrepreneur you must have a good business mind, be multi skilled and have an entrepreneurial approach to your work, supported by knowledge of the workings of the retail industry.
Typical Skills Required- Knowledge of market trends, entrepreneurial skills, excellent managerial skills, strong communication skills, ability to multi-task, and financial astuteness with good negotiation skills.