Where Can a Degree in Fashion Take You?

It’s an exciting time to work in fashion. The retail landscape is evolving, with the high street shifting from big department stores to smaller independent businesses, and the transition to a digital-first mindset accelerated by the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.

Opportunities in fashion have never been so varied or dynamic, and a degree in fashion with the FRA is the ideal way to take the first step and get your foot in the door.

What skills do I need? 

Here at the FRA, we offer a huge choice of degrees and courses covering all aspects of the fashion retail industry, from marketing and communications to buying and merchandising. Each degree requires its own specific set of skills, but there are a number of universal attributes you’ll need to make a successful application.

Firstly, an interest in fashion and an awareness of current trends is essential. No matter what role you ultimately go for, enthusiasm and passion for retail will get you far. It’s also crucial to keep up-to-date with trends and developing innovations in the industry to give yourself the edge when it comes to applying for graduate jobs. Working in fashion also requires strong analytical skills, particularly when it comes to roles in business management or merchandising. A good head for figures is also a key asset, as is a knowledge of the digital landscape including social media best practice.

What jobs could I get?

After getting your degree in fashion from the FRA, there are a number of retail job roles you could go for. Read on for a brief overview of each, and to find out which might be the best fit for you.

Buyer

Buyers are responsible for the procurement of products for a particular brand or fashion house. When selecting the right products, a buyer needs to consider a range of key concerns, including trends in the market, price points, customer demand and current stock. A buyer works closely alongside a merchandiser to decide on the distribution of stock to guarantee appropriate levels both in-store and online. Other responsibilities might include predicting future trends using historical data, negotiating contracts with suppliers and attending trade fairs.

Merchandiser

The key role of a merchandiser is to maximise profits for a brand by optimising product distribution. Essentially, a merchandiser uses strategic data, competitor analysis and knowledge of current trends to get the right product to the right customer at the right time. On a daily basis, a merchandiser’s responsibilities might include analysing the demographics for different regional stores, helping to design shop displays and working with designers to create concepts for new products based on data evidence.

Digital Marketing Executive

In our current climate, successful selling online is more important for fashion retail brands than ever before. Digital marketing is an exciting and ever-expanding field to get into, with great job prospects at the end of your degree with us. Digital marketing executives are in charge of maximising e-commerce sales and managing a brand’s online identity. In this role, you might be responsible for creating social media campaigns, working with journalists and influencers, and writing copy for the website.

Business owner/entrepreneur

Following a degree with the FRA, you might choose to set up your own label or brand using the business knowledge you’ve gained. Launching your own label requires you to be agile and adaptable, with a strong brand vision and the ability to effectively market yourself. You’ll also need good business acumen and a head for numbers to manage your own accounts and profit margins.

How can I get there?

One of our degrees in fashion with equip you with all the essential skills you need to succeed in a fashion retail career. Our degrees are the only two-year course of their type in the UK, meaning they only take two-thirds of the time of a traditional degree without compromising on course content. We also focus on giving you ‘real-world’ experience using our strong industry connections as well as classroom learning, so you’re ready to step straight into a retail role following graduation. Not only will you have an industry mentor throughout your degree, but you’ll also take part in an unrivalled head office work placement with a high street brand. This equips you with key contacts to take with you on your first steps into a retail career.

Business Management for Fashion Degree

Our BA (Hons) Business Management for Fashion degree has been created in partnership with Falmouth University, and is designed to give you a comprehensive and well-rounded knowledge of business in fashion retail within a condensed two-year period.

During your degree, you’ll focus on business economics, learning the practices of both domestic and international brands through economic theory. You’ll explore policies impacting the fashion sector, as well as how individual companies operate within the four market structures. There’s also an emphasis on how to lead and manage others in the fashion environment, including overviews of IT technologies for communications and business strategy. Other topics covered include innovation, product development and research skills. You will also have the opportunity to take part in live industry projects and a three-week industry experiences with a well-known high street brand.

Buying & Merchandising Degree

A BA (Hons) in Buying & Merchandising from the FRA delivers all the skills you’ll need to thrive as a fashion buyer or merchandiser. This course has an 88% employment rate after graduation, so you’ll also be primed to step into entry-level positions upon completion of your degree. This course is highly practical, and adaptable to keep up with the retail landscape as it evolves at an unprecedented pace.

Your studies will cover the entire product lifecycle from concept to consumer. The degree reflects the intertwined nature of buying and merchandising roles, so that you’re equally equipped to pursue whichever you show the most aptitude for. You can also expect to learn about how to identify and translate seasonal trends, how to manage range development and about every aspect of the supply chain. As with all our degrees, you’ll also be given the valuable opportunity to take part in a three-week industry experiences to test your skills in a ‘real-world’ environment.

Marketing & Communications for Fashion Degree

Designed in partnership with Falmouth University, our BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion degree covers a broad range of key knowledge areas, from consumer behaviour to data and analytics. You’ll have a specialised mentor throughout the two-year duration of your degree and be taught by industry professionals. As well as theoretical classroom learning, you’ll practice hands-on skills during live projects, workshops and a three-week industry experience.

You’ll learn all about how to successfully market a fashion brand, covering social media best practice, audience segmentation and analysis and specialist PR skills. Our focus is on future-proofing you to give you the best possible chance of succeeding in our marketing and communications career.

Find out more about the FRA and our central London campus, or check out the full range of degrees and other courses we offer.