How to Choose Your Career Path in Fashion, Vol. 3
Nearly 90% of fashion's workforce serves in commercial roles, overseeing and managing the operations of this trillion-dollar business across supply chain, manufacturing and distribution.
Written by Maya Avram
In the new article series, “How to Choose Your Career Path in Fashion”, we share insight into different roles and functions within the wider fashion business, as well as advice from experts across our network on how to strategise your professional journey.
Explore The Glowth Academy’s courses to learn how to land your dream job in fashion and set yourself up for success in the industry.
A possibly surprising fact about fashion is that the industry is mostly run by corporate, rather than creative, professionals. Indeed, nearly 90% of the business’ workforce serves in commercial roles, overseeing and managing the operations of this trillion-dollar business across supply chain, manufacturing and distribution.
In this instalment of our article series, we take a deeper look at these functions which are entrusted with the smooth operation of the business. Learn the necessary skills required for a career in these supporting roles and read expert advice to help you plan your fashion journey.
Dating back to the 1960s, trend forecasting is the art of predicting future fashion trends based on a wide range of factors, from customer sentiment to political or economic climate. Today, as the acceleration of the fashion cycle led brands to churn out more product than ever, the practice has become the foundation of all procurement, production and merchandising strategies.
“Trend forecasting is very intuitive because it’s based on the fashion industry and culture,” says Victoria Camilleri, a fashion and trends contributor based in Paris. “You have to have extensive knowledge about all the players of the industry, from conglomerates like LVMH, Richemont and Kering to small [independent] designers.”
Indeed, an in-depth understanding of the industry and its players is elemental for trend forecasters to produce qualitative analyses that look as far as two seasons ahead. Also important is the ability to contextualise that knowledge within the relevant regulatory landscape, social environment and even the weather. Recent years have seen the introduction of AI models which help forecasters study huge data feeds more easily.
“TikTok trends are totally different to industry trends — [you need to] have your own interpretation... You have to have the nose and the eyes.”
The core skills required of a trend forecaster, according to Camilleri: “The main skill will be observation… start by going to the museum, seeing [fashion houses’] archives. When a new creative director starts at a brand, the first thing they’re going to do is go to the house archive, and as a trend forecaster, you have to pick up on the clues in the garments. For example, at Margiela, it’s the discreet stitches on the back. For Dior, it’s the tailoring — very structured, very retro. So historical knowledge starts with… going to the museum, opening a book, examining past trends, because fashion is cyclical.”
“Another skill will be [market] analysis. From marketing to merchandising to the creative director, analyse the roles of all industry players during Fashion Week… You have to know which designers are showing in each city, who is showing on Friday and not on Monday — the schedule is really important; if Louis Vuitton is staging the runway on the last day of Fashion Week, it’s a calculated move [to] get attention from the public.”
Finally, Camilleri recommends diversifying your sources of inspiration beyond conventional ones. “The new generation of students has to understand that TikTok trends are totally different to industry trends — [you need to] have your own interpretation. Take a distance from what you see on social media, [be] sensitive to critics in both mainstream magazines and niche ones. You have to have the nose and the eyes.”
While famous for its creative and artistic nature, success in the fashion industry is heavily dependent on brands’ and companies’ corporate governance. Dubbed “Business Partners”, these roles support the regular operation of the business, for example in human resources, legal and finance.
“In payment and risk, things keep moving constantly, so there’s lots of learning you need to be prepared [for],” said Pedro Benassar, Head of Payment at second-hand luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective, in a recent Insiders Talk event. Still, even if you are working on the business side, you need to harbour a passion for the industry and your company’s mission. “For Vestiaire Collective, [you must have] passion for the role you’ve been hired for, and also show your… interest in sustainability.”
“In payment and risk, things keep moving constantly, so there’s lots of learning you need to be prepared [for].”
Benassar’s advice to fashion finance professionals is to “be persistent and patient… because you have a lot of dependencies from different departments, so if you want to do something you might need [the help of] credit guys, engineering guys, who can support you in the direction you want to go.”
Speculating about where fashion finance is headed, Benassar highlights creating simple and enjoyable user experiences. “The different partners I work with are always trying to bring you the latest technology that the payment [part] goes super fast, without much friction.”
E-commerce is an umbrella term for a variety of functions responsible for the design and management of web-based shopping platforms. Ensuring a smooth and engaging shopping experience, these roles range from technical ones such as product and IT; to operational ones like logistics and distribution; and creative ones, for example, copywriting and online styling.
The direct-to-consumer (DTC) revolution of the 2010s was heralded by the likes of Glossier and Net-a-Porter, who introduced and popularised the online shopping experience as we know it. Then, the pandemic starkly illustrated how crucial it is for brands to develop their own online shopping channels — first, to control their image, product assortment and distribution, and secondly, to acquire and analyse user data to inform their consumer acquisition strategies.
This sector is suitable for professionals who are tech-savvy, analytical and passionate about the customer journey. It requires out-of-the-box thinking and an openness to experiment with novel technologies such as web3 and AI, which 73% of fashion executives consider a priority for 2024, according to McKinsey & Co’s State of Fashion report. E-commerce also requires a deep understanding of the consumer psyche, with influencing and social shopping growing in popularity among young consumers.
Over the next few months, we will share insight into other roles in fashion and luxury. In the meantime, head over to our wiki to learn more.