Course Description
BA (Hons) in Fashion Buying and Merchandising
This BA (Hons) in Fashion Buying and Merchandising degree awarded by London Metropolitan University qualifies you to work within the business environment of the global fashion industry, launching your career as a fashion buyer and merchandiser.
Are you interested in becoming a fashion buyer or merchandiser? Portobello Institute’s BA (Hons) in Fashion Buying and Merchandising is an international qualification that will allow you to advance your career in fashion. This degree programme develops your knowledge of how to work innovatively within a Global Fashion Industry. The programme supports and teaches the essential skills to equip you to apply for buying and merchandising roles.
BA (Hons) Fashion Buying & Merchandising Course
This Fashion Buying and Merchandising degree programme encompass the skills and knowledge that are necessary to succeed as a top fashion buyer or merchandiser in today’s competitive environment. Areas of study include sustainability, trend research, product development, supply chain management and trading, fashion marketing, ethics, the leadership of people and organisations and more. The future of the fashion business is a significant focus.
Flexibility to switch to Fashion Management after year 1
This degree offers you career flexibility and the option to change to fashion management should you discover you prefer that area of study. We have designed this degree with the first year common with our BA (Hons) Fashion Management, giving you the option to switch to fashion management at the end of first year.
Learn about the digitalisation of the fashion industry
The digitalisation of fashion companies has had a significant impact on this sector and the required staff skills and competencies. This degree, through the analysis of literature and business practices and creative learning, will support you in attaining skills that will be attractive to major fashion companies. This course prepares you for the challenges that technological changes pose to companies in terms of organisational culture and that our focus on fashion education and training systems must exist to support this new way of working.
Become a fashion buyer and merchandiser.
While fashion trends change from season to season the fundamental role of the fashion buyer and fashion merchandiser remains the same. As a fashion buyer, you will play an integral role within the infrastructure of the retail team, tracking and analysing seasonal trends, ensuring production costs are kept within budget and most importantly, ensuring profit and growth for the company. This course covers the key modules for those interested in a career in fashion buying and merchandising.
| College | Portobello Institute |
| Course Location | Dublin |
| Location Postcode | Dublin 1 |
| Course Category | Fashion & Design |
| Course Qualification | Honours Bachelor Degree |
| Awarding Body Details | BA (Hons) Fashion Buying & Merchandising Awarded by London Metropolitan University |
| Course Duration | 3 academic years |
| Course Time | Two intakes per year, Spring and Autumn. Delivered via both Blended and Fulltime delivery. |
| Course Fee | 4135 per academic year |
| Entry Requirements | With a Leaving Certificate Leaving Certificate requirements – Minimum of grade C or O6 in English and Maths with a pass in 4 other subjects. Students may apply and be granted a “Conditional Offer” prior to completing the Leaving Certificate. Step 1 – Submit application Step 2 – Review of application and confirmation of eligibility criteria and entry requirements Step 3 – Conditional Offer issued on the basis of successful achievement of LC requirements Step 4 – Confirm acceptance of a place and pay deposit as detailed Places cannot be held open for applicants awaiting leaving certificate results, however, should a student accept a place and then choose not to progress with this course having received a CAO offer, a refund of 75% of fees paid will be made. Refunds must be requested in writing within 48 hours after the first-round offers have been made. This will only be accepted by emailing refunds@portobelloinstitute.com. Evidence of CAO offer acceptance must be provided along in order to apply for a refund. Applicants who have previously completed the Leaving Certificate; Minimum of grade C or O6 in English and Maths with a pass in 4 other subjects. Without a Leaving Certificate Students are accepted on to this programme without a leaving certificate however applicants must meet one of the following criteria; QQI level 5 major award preferably but not essentially in retail, design, business or finance. Alternative retail, business, design or finance qualification. An undergraduate degree in another subject. Experiential Learning in retail, business, finance or a related field with a QQI Level 5 or equivalent award in any subject. Mature entry at 21 years. Mature student applications are reviewed on a case by case basis and entry is via interview. Those who do not meet any of the above criteria, must complete a QQI Level 5 Fashion Buying single award or equivalent course to confirm academic capability. The QQI Level 5 Fashion Buying award is available through Portobello Institute and is delivered frequently through various modes of study. Confirming Eligibility Criteria We also seek to understand that applicants have a genuine interest in working within the fashion industry, they understand the sector, and the requirements of the programme. Meeting each applicant offers both the student and our team the opportunity to explore the programme and that this programme and Portobello Institute is the right career choice. This meeting happens (online) at a time convenient to applicants and is with a member of our programme management or advisory team. Places on this programme are limited and early application is advised. Following our confirmation of eligibility and an offer of a place to you, we reserve a place for you for 14 days. Thereafter, unconfirmed offers are released and your place may be offered to another applicant. |
| Carear Path | Career prospects This degree is for people with a flair and interest in the fashion industry along with a desire to develop fashion business skills. This programme will be taught by experts in fashion buying and merchandising, design, marketing, visual media and display, business and marketing, supply chain management, finance, digital marketing, leadership and management, business analysis, communication and organisational skills, brand management and global trading. These experts will also have hands-on experience in implementing innovative approaches to management with good decision-making skills and actions, with a noticeably clear understanding of the world of fashion management, buying and merchandising. Some are phenomenally successful entrepreneurs in the eCommerce and digital branding world which allows them to be at the forefront of this fast-moving and ever-changing business of fashion. These skillsets and experiences will allow us to keep our students up to date in real-time for the best career opportunities. The difference between the role of the buyer and the merchandiser The Buyer A retail buyer is responsible for planning and selecting a range of products to sell in retail outlets. The buyer must consider the following factors when making purchasing decisions: Customer demand, including price, quality and availability assortment. Trend Forecasting. Sales analysis. Financial budgets. Buyers source new merchandise and review existing items to ensure products remain competitive. By fully understanding customer needs, they are able to maximise profits and provide a commercially viable range of merchandise at competitive prices. Keeping up to date with market trends and reacting to changes in demand are key elements of the role. Retail buyers have a considerable amount of responsibility and autonomy in what is often a pressured environment. Typical work activities can vary according to the season. This is particularly true for those working in fashion. For example, out of season, the majority of time will be spent in the workplace (in the office and on the shop floor), and during the buying season, a significant amount of time will be spent away from the workplace in order to assemble a new collection of merchandise. Starting salaries range from €26,000 per annum. Typical work activities analysing consumer buying patterns and predicting future trends; regularly reviewing key performance indicators, such as sales and discount levels; managing plans for stock levels; reacting to changes in demand and logistics; meeting suppliers and negotiating terms of contract; maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products; liaising with other departments within the organisation to ensure projects are completed; attending trade fairs, in the UK and overseas, to select and assemble a new collection of products; participating in promotional activities; writing reports and forecasting sales levels; presenting new ranges to senior retail managers; liaising with shop personnel to ensure supply meets demand; getting feedback from customers; training and mentoring junior staff. strong analytical skills; negotiating skills and the ability to network and influence people; teamworking and interpersonal skills; excellent communication skills; numeracy skills and proficiency using IT; good organisation skills and the ability to multitask; the ability to cope with the pressure of having to make important decisions and meet tight deadlines; the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and achieve targets; drive and determination; commercial awareness; leadership attributes; creative flair; confident presentation style; a passion for retail; The Retail Merchandiser Merchandisers are responsible for ensuring 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. While the buyer selects the lines, the merchandiser decides how much money should be spent, how many lines should be bought, and in what quantities. In smaller companies, the same person may be responsible for both buying and merchandising. Merchandisers play a key role within organisations, as profitability can be affected by how successfully they undertake their work. Merchandisers set prices to maximise profits and manage the performance of ranges, planning promotions and markdowns as necessary. They also oversee delivery and distribution of stock and deal with suppliers. Salaries start at €32,000 for this role. Typical work activities These vary depending on the company and the particular retail sector, but will typically include: planning product ranges and preparing sales and stock plans in conjunction with buyers; liaising with buyers, analysts, stores, suppliers and distributors; maintaining a comprehensive library of appropriate data; working closely with visual display staff and department heads to decide how goods should be displayed to maximise customer interest and sales; producing layout plans for stores, sometimes called ‘statements’; forecasting profits and sales, and optimising the sales volume and profitability of designated product areas; planning budgets and presenting sales forecasts and figures for new ranges; controlling stock levels based on forecasts for the season; using specialist computer software, for example to handle sales statistics, produce sales projections and present spreadsheets and graphs; analysing every aspect of bestsellers (for example, the bestselling price points, colours or styles) and ensuring that bestsellers reach their full potential; Salaries for buyers start at €26,000 whilst Merchandiser salaries start at €32,000 per annum. |
| Phone | 018920035 |
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Portobello Institute
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Portobello Institute
Dublin City North, Dublin
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