Business Graduates in the Fashion Industry?

[nanners]

Hi everyone, I'm a business (finance) major, set to graduate in a year. I love business, but my #1 passion is fashion OF COURSE! Since I will be looking for jobs/internships soon, I would love some input from you guys, especially from the ones who do work in the business part of fashion!

Where would be a good position to start at?! Is an associate's degree in fashion merchandising (I have taken a few classes at a junior college- but no where close to finishing the whole thing) absolutely necessary?

Thank you

 

[SamanthaBNYC]

most of the big companies have finance departments, and the people who work in them don't have fashion backgrounds. so, a merchandising minor would not be necessary. if you want to get a good idea of what skill sets you'll need, you could look at Women's Wear Daily online every Wednesday to see the classified section (they post the most classifieds on Wednesday) and it will give you a brief description of the background you'll need for Finance positions. HTH.

 

[young_princess]

Hi all! I'm currently an undergrad business major and would love to work in the fashion industry. I'm just not sure if there is room for a business grad in that world. I'd really appreciate it if anyone can share their experience/career paths.

What was your major and what do you do in the fashion industry? Perks and downers of your job? Thanks a bunch in advance!

 

[fullfrontal]

Many of the people that I know in the fashion industry have business degrees or other degrees not related at all to fashion. that's the most basic degree you can have and can therefore be able to a multitude of positions and industries. The fashion industry is not just about clothes. There is a lot of business that goes down from marketing to sourcing to licensing to accounting.

 

[CelineChic]

Hi Young Princess,


I have a Bachelors Degree in Business with a major in Marketing; an MBA with focus in Marketing and have just completed a PhD in Business with a focus in Marketing. With all of these degrees I’ve worked quite a bit in the Fashion industry.

I’ve worked at Elle magazine, which I must say my education did not prepare me for. The best way to get into the fashion magazine industry is to start off as an intern. I’ve also worked as an advertising consultant for large fashion and cosmetic companies in the UK, Canada and France.

Now that I’m finishing my PhD I’m getting job offers from LVMH, Rolex SA and Gruppo La Perla.

You don’t have to go up to the degree of education that I did but studying business is a good way to get into these companies. They often hire graduates at entry-level positions (typically in marketing, finance or accounting).

All the people I know in the fashion industry have business degrees or studies fashion and art.

 

[styleoverfashion]

young_princess, i'm in exactly the same position as you. i'm a business major looking to break into the industry on the corporate side.

CelineChic, thank you for the information in your post! i found it to be quite useful and congratulations on your PhD.

 

[irresistable_loz]

I'm studying a bachelor of business majoring in marketing so i can save to start up my label... I'm doing a bachelor of design in fashion and textiles as well

 

[titania]

I'm in third year business management (though I'm also taking a few marketing and hospitality classes)... I've been making jewellery for the last four-five years, am working towards becoming a stylist and also hope to open up a boutique in the future...

I definitely think there's room for business graduates in the fashion industry (there'd better be otherwise, I'll drop out of uni now!). I've always been a very creative person at heart... I never imagined that I would end up studying business and trust me, I've contemplated dropping out many, many times! I think having a business background is something of a bonus to have when entering an industry such as fashion.

fullfrontal, I agree with your point too; fashion is one big money-making business. Without knowing all the facts and figures, you never know where you're gonna end up in this crazy world...

And congrats CelineChic on getting your PhD!

 

[style_savy]

Hi Young Princess,


I have a Bachelors Degree in Business with a major in Marketing; an MBA with focus in Marketing and have just completed a PhD in Business with a focus in Marketing. With all of these degrees I’ve worked quite a bit in the Fashion industry.

I’ve worked at Elle magazine, which I must say my education did not prepare me for. The best way to get into the fashion magazine industry is to start off as an intern. I’ve also worked as an advertising consultant for large fashion and cosmetic companies in the UK, Canada and France.

Now that I’m finishing my PhD I’m getting job offers from LVMH, Rolex SA and Gruppo La Perla.

You don’t have to go up to the degree of education that I did but studying business is a good way to get into these companies. They often hire graduates at entry-level positions (typically in marketing, finance or accounting).

All the people I know in the fashion industry have business degrees or studies fashion and art.

Yes, try getting some work as an intern. It is probably too late to apply this summer but visit uofdreams.com. They have internships open to anyone in post secondary and fashion is an option. Although you won't make any money and probably incurr many costs it is one opportunity I would not pass up. You can make so many connections and work in a City and Industry of your dreams. Far more valueable than spending the summer working in retail

 

[CelineChic]

I'm in third year business management (though I'm also taking a few marketing and hospitality classes)... I've been making jewellery for the last four-five years, am working towards becoming a stylist and also hope to open up a boutique in the future...

I definitely think there's room for business graduates in the fashion industry (there'd better be otherwise, I'll drop out of uni now!). I've always been a very creative person at heart... I never imagined that I would end up studying business and trust me, I've contemplated dropping out many, many times! I think having a business background is something of a bonus to have when entering an industry such as fashion.

fullfrontal, I agree with your point too; fashion is one big money-making business. Without knowing all the facts and figures, you never know where you're gonna end up in this crazy world...

And congrats CelineChic on getting your PhD!

Thanks

Combining your business degree and your interest in designing jewelry sounds like a great entrepreneurial idea. Maybe an online store where you can sell your jewelry would be a good business venture for you. Afterall, working for yourself is always better than working for someone else.

 

[young_princess]

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the replies and Celine, congrats with your PhD. I'm actually an accounting major and hope to be a buyer for saks someday. However I dont have any retail experiences but I love fashion I just dont know if my passion is enough to be hired to get the job . I wish I have more time to get internships in retail but I'm already a junior and want my internships to be accounting related.

 

[Cicciolina]

Wow that sounds great CelineChic, congratulations!
I found this article quite interesting about the corporate side of fashion which I'm hoping to break into eventually (studying a combined B.A and B.Comm degree, majoring in Econometrics, Finance, Art History and English).

From Time.com, "Who's Got the Power?"
http://www.time.com/time/style/article/0,9171,1533542,00.html

 

[CelineChic]

I find that business students are wanted in every industry. I have a few business students who have started working at Tommy Hillfiger and L'Oreal and loving it. They're making great pay while combining their two interests.

From expreience I've noticed that in the fashion industry companies are looking for a lot of entry-level marketing, finance, and management students.

 

[cekla]

what about programs like parson's AAS fashion marketing? has anyone had any experience or heard anything about it?

 

[dior_me_not]

I'm not in the industry, but I presume that your degree would be quite useful as half the fashion industry is about business anyway

 

[CelineChic]

A lot of people have been asking for advice on how to get job offers from fashion, cosmetic and holding companies like I have.

First and foremost, at the PhD level you don't look for jobs, jobs look for you! Scouts are typically hired by large companies to find consultants, directors, managers and VPs in the fashion industry. The scouts I've met with were most interested in the fact that I had done extensive research in the field of luxury brand management and also the fact that I speak many languages.

The degree of education which I have completed is very rare in the fashion industry and typically only useful for executive level positions. For the jobs I've been offered I would be required to travel, research and analyze numbers. Nothing glamorous I assure you!

It's probably a lot easier, quicker, and more fun for new University grads to find entry-level jobs in the fashion industry. Experience in the industry and good networking contacts are the keys to get in. Also, since it is a competitive industry to work in the pay is not great. In fact, I've heard stories of interns working for years without pay (like myself)! Fortunately I've had my parents who supported me financially.

 

[kossoyan]

PhD's do alot of research based work. B.S./B.A. and MBA is where you will find your traditional positions.

 

[city girl]

i would love to get into the business side of the fashion industry. however i'm am quiet at heart and i was thinking of studying marketing as my best option to get into fashion..but i've been told you have to be hard hitting? can anyone doing a marketing degree tell me what it involves? i would also love to study luxury brands but there's nothing like that near me

 

[CelineChic]

i would love to get into the business side of the fashion industry. however i'm am quiet at heart and i was thinking of studying marketing as my best option to get into fashion..but i've been told you have to be hard hitting? can anyone doing a marketing degree tell me what it involves? i would also love to study luxury brands but there's nothing like that near me

When you do a bachelors degree in Marketing there is typically no focus on Luxury brand marekting/management. It tends to be very broad and will typically offer courses in Market research, advertising, sales, consumer behaviour, retail, direct marketing, online marketing, R&D, innovation, competitive strategy and so on...however you will most likely have to do a lot of reports and projects. You can choose to do your reports on the fashion industry. Then once you graduate you can indicate on your CV that you've done research in the industry. It would probably help you stand out from the rest.

If you choose to do your MBA and PhD then you get to choose what you want to research and study. From experince I find that females tend to focus more on services and fashion industries while men focus on finance and technology. That's not a fact but merely an observation.

 

[city girl]

^ thanks for the information is there a business course you'd suggest that would be more relevant to fashion? such as public relations, management etc?