THIS MONTH’S QUESTION:
What kind of math is involved in Merchandise Marketing? Is the math really hard?
~ Kristin

Dear Kristin:

The math is not that hard, but there is a significant amount of it. It's based on formulas such as percent increases and decreases, markup percentages, and the relationship between the cost to make or buy the item from the manufacturer and the profit margin when sold.

If math is not your thing, being a Buyer might not be the path for you, but there are zillions of other careers to pursue in fashion and even within the field of Merchandise Marketing. You could get involved in the management of department stores or a chain of boutiques. You could get into Wholesale Selling for a manufacturer, or become a Field Merchandiser for a vendor. A Field Merchandiser goes out to stores in a region to make sure the brand’s merchandise is being displayed properly. For instance, the Guess merchandiser would go to all the Macy’s stores in a specific area to make sure the Guess merchandise is being correctly displayed.

These are just a few of the non-math-related careers you can have within the field of fashion. There are a lot of directions in which you can go, so don't give up on working in the fashion industry just because you don't like math, or drawing, or sewing.

From one fashionista to another...