Course
The Master in Fashion Merchandising & Buying is a comprehensive program designed to shape professionals in the intricate field of fashion buying and merchandising, offering students a deep insight into customer preferences, an evolving comprehension of fashion trends and a lucid perspective on contemporary industry changes.
The program offers a unique approach by allowing students to anticipate and respond to the changing fashion dynamics, instead of just adhering to traditional fashion weeks. It also emphasizes a broader understanding of global fashion shifts, exploring new markets, acknowledging individual preferences, recognizing the emergence of gender fluidity and understanding the significance of both data-driven insights and cultural awareness.
In the Master in Fashion Merchandising & Buying program, students will immerse themselves in advanced production and buying techniques, gaining insights into how lifestyle trends merge with fashion. The program also places a significant emphasis on understanding the intricate balance of staying current with trends while preserving a brand’s authentic identity. Additionally, students are trained to draw valuable consumer insights from a blend of data analytics and cultural understanding.
Within the curriculum, students undertake two main projects: devising a re-merchandising strategy and crafting a buying plan tailored for multi-brand retail. Both projects result in comprehensive outcomes suitable for a distinguished portfolio.
The course includes a total of 700 hours of instructional activities and grants 80 Polimoda credits. The acquisition of credits is contingent upon passing individual subjects.
Upon successful completion, there’s an opportunity for students to gain real-world experience through internships with established fashion institutions.
Mentorship
Mentors share tools, guidance, motivation and resources with students throughout their program. They play an important role in the professional lives of young students.Â
Bruce Pask
Senior Editorial Director of Neiman Marcus
Bruce Pask, the Senior Editorial Director of Neiman Marcus, possesses an exceptional track record in the fashion industry. Before his current role, he held the esteemed position of Men’s Fashion Director at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus for almost a decade.
Furthermore, he has contributed as a distinguished fashion editor and stylist at renowned fashion publications for over twenty years, holding fashion directorial posts at: T – The New York Times Style Magazine, GQ Magazine and Cargo Magazine.
His extensive styling and costume work with Annie Leibovitz has included numerous covers and celebrity features in Vanity Fair, as well as campaigns for The Sopranos and American Express. He has styled campaigns and runway shows for top clients over the years and has been a stylist/creative consultant for magazines from Fantastic Man to Hercules and Wonderland.
Bruce Pask received Emmy honors for his designs for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors television broadcast and co-costume design, along with Oscar-nominated designer Julie Weiss, the 85th and 86th Annual Academy Awards.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the course includes a range of subjects that will help students develop their skills and knowledge in the field. Some of the key topics covered include:
- Fashion Analysis: Delving into the essence of fashion, the focus is on analyzing and researching influential players and groundbreaking fashion items over time. Emphasis is placed on trends and data analysis across diverse international markets, allowing students to understand various cultures and gain consumer insights
- Fashion Buying: Techniques are offered for selecting merchandise to feature both online and in physical stores. The process is underpinned by comprehensive market research and the evaluation of the performance metrics of various products
- Fashion Merchandising: Centering on forecasting the rising popularity of shapes, materials, and colors, the topic also involves estimating the required sizes and quantities and formulating pricing strategies. Overall, fashion merchandising supports the overarching fashion design process.
- Fashion Retail: Analysis of retail concepts is rooted in brand values. These values are then manifested in various facets of both physical and digital consumer experiences
- Product & Production: Combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the focus is on market-oriented product research and development. Additionally, the intricacies of supply chain management are explored
Requirements
In order to be eligible for this course, you will need to be selected after the admission process.
Basic requirements are:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) with motivation letter
- English language proficiency
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) or professional work experience in a related field
Careers
Based on individual character and acquired skills, you can become the next:
Fashion Merchandiser
Fashion Merchandisers work at the intersection of fashion, business, and marketing. They identify and capitalize on fashion trends, decide which items will sell, plan and obtain inventory, and determine product presentation strategies. By monitoring sales data and customer feedback, they adapt purchasing plans to consumer tastes. Their role ensures that fashion items are available at the right time, place and price.
Retail Merchandiser
Retail Merchandisers ensure that products appear in the right store or on a website, at the appropriate time and in the correct quantities. This involves working closely with the buying teams to accurately forecast trends, plan stock levels and monitor performance. They optimize the amount of merchandise available and its visual appeal, ensuring that retail spaces are stocked efficiently and effectively to maximize sales.
Fashion Buyer
Fashion Buyers are responsible for purchasing stock for retailers. They analyze market trends, identify products that will sell, negotiate with suppliers and manage budgets. Their decisions have a significant impact on the commercial success of a retail operation.
Visual Merchandiser
Visual Merchandisers design and set up displays in retail stores. Their primary role is to create an enticing shopping environment that reflects the brand, engages the customer, and maximizes sales.
