Fashion Merchandising

1
Fashion Merchandising

• The Major
• School
• Museum
• Library
• Careers
• Computers in the
• Industry

2
Focus

• Students in fashion merchandising learn how to
  manufacture, buy, promote, and sell fashion
  items, from clothing and jewelry to cosmetics and
  furniture.
• Students also learn about the fabrics and
  textiles used to make these products.

3
Competencies Developed in the Major

• Fashion Theory
• Development and Marketing of Fashion goods
• Retail Operations
• Management and Buying
• Visual Merchandising and Display

4
Additional Coursework

• Administrative Science
• Economics
• Foreign Language
• Accounting/ Marketing
• Advertising
• Professional Speaking

5
Transferable Skills

• Forecasts and promotes new styles of dress for
  consumers
• Understands fashion and directional trends in
  consumer apparel preferences

6
Problem Solving Skills

• Operates within a given budget
• Selects apparel that fits a specific cost,
  comfort, function, and fashion criteria

7
Research Skills

• Studies current fashion trends and forecasts
  consumer buying based on these trends

8
Communication Skills

• Promotes merchandise through various means of
  advertisement
• Negotiates business transactions with
  manufacturers and wholesalers
• Gives special attention to details

9
Fashion Merchandising at Kent State

• Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of
  Fashion Design and Merchandising
• Located in Rockwell Hall

10
The School

• In 1981 businessmen and partners, Jerry Silverman
  and Shannon Rodgers, announced the donation of
  their privately-owned 5 million collection of
  costumes and decorative arts to Kent State
  University.
• The University then agreed to the creation of a
  museum to house and provide educational access to
  the collection and of a school of fashion design
  and merchandising intended to serve as a center
  for fashion education in the Midwest

11
Building and Founders

• Rockwell Hall

• Jerry Silverman and Shannon Rodgers

12
The Museum

• Opened in 1985
• The Kent State University Museum's costume
  collection encompasses American and European high
  fashion from the 18th century to the present day.
  
• The majority of early garments in the collection
  were part of the original Shannon Rodgers/Jerry
  Silverman gift.

13
Collections

• The original Silverman/Rodgers gift included
  4,000 costumes and accessories, nearly 1,000
  pieces of decorative art and a 5,000 volume
  reference library.

14
Other Pieces

• Although the Museum's holding consist mostly of
  20th century garments, the 18th and 19th century
  pieces it possesses are of remarkable quality and
  one of it's great strengths
• Many American and European designers have their
  archives, sketchbooks, and samples to the museum.

15
The Library

• When Rockwell Hall was renovated in late 1988 to
  accommodate the School of Fashion Design and
  Merchandising, space was created for a resource
  room, or library, to serve students.
• In September of 1997, the June F. Mohler Fashion
  Library, named in memory of the Fashion School's
  former dean, opened its doors for the first time.

16
It Contains

• An extensive Collection of printed materials on
  the history of mid-Twentieth Century fashion, the
  apparel industry, fashion retailing, fashion
  accessories, and fashion design.

17
As well as

• Fashion forecasting publications, complete with
  fabric swatches and color palettes are available,
  as well as recorded interviews with notables in
  the Fashion World.

18
Studying Abroad

• Along with these amazing resources to aid in the
  learning process, study tours to Europe and Asia
  are offered on a regular basis
• Fall semester classes are offered by the Fashion
  School in Florence each year

19
What can you do with a degree in Fashion
Merchandising?

• Boutique Owner
• Buyer
• Fashion Consultant
• Merchandising Researcher
• Many more

20
Computers in the Industry

• From product prototyping to accounting and online
  sales computers make the Fashion Industry run
  smoother than ever before.
• Computers make buying online more convenient than
  going to the store.

21
Software

• Altrigens Solutions Limited
• Design, Sales, and Inventory Management
• American Software Inc.
• Supply-chain and Warehouse Management, and
  Manufacturing Packages
• ApparelMagic
• Design, Production, and Distribution