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What is a buyer in brand trade. Buyer profession

Summer course "Purchasing fashion collections" in Istituto Marangoni. In the classroom, students get acquainted with the features of the procurement process, learn to work with different store formats, determine the company's policy, and explore the audience by geographical and demographic principle. At the apparel buyer courses, students will master the tools of communication and branding, learn how to develop a strategic profitability model and build pricing. The participants of the program will consolidate the acquired knowledge in practice - students will visit outlets and showrooms to learn how to interact with fashion industry professionals.

Cities: Milan and Florence
Teaching languages: English, Italian, Portuguese
Course duration: 3 weeks

Master's course "Fashion Buying" in Istituto Marangoni. This program is designed for bachelors in marketing, economics, fashion design and professionals with experience in the field of procurement. During the year, students will learn how to analyze the fashion industry, develop purchasing strategies, control finance and manage supply chains. The curriculum includes strategic marketing and visual merchandising. The course lasts 1 academic year, and the program in Paris and London additionally includes an internship (12 weeks) and the preparation of a dissertation (12 weeks).

Cities: Milan, Paris, London
Teaching languages: English, Italian
Course duration: in Milan - 1 academic year, in Paris and London - 1 year and 4 months

Postgraduate program "Fashion Buying & Merchandising" in Istituto Marangoni. The first part of the course is devoted to the development of the buyer's personal qualities. Students will also learn about the influence of factors such as design, purchasing, technical subtleties and merchandising on the volume of profit. The second part of the course is occupied by practical work - students independently collect and analyze data to develop a procurement plan and forecast profits. This program helps to develop managerial skills and provides extensive knowledge in the field of retail, import/export, pricing strategy.

City: Florence
Teaching language: English
Course duration: 1 semester (20 weeks)

Are there many professions related to fashion and the Fashion industry that you can name? Designer, fashion designer, model, stylist - this is, perhaps, the whole list that a person far from the world of fashion can voice. But a specialist in this field will definitely supplement this list with another profession, new to Russia, but very much in demand in Europe - bayer. Moreover, he will remember the buyer even earlier than the designer, since the fashion trends and profits of many clothing manufacturers depend on the representatives of this profession to a greater extent.

Who is hiding behind such an incomprehensible word "bayer", what is the peculiarity of this profession, how and where you can get it, you can find out from this article

Who is a Bayer?

Name professions bayer comes from the English "buyer" (buyer), and this word fully characterizes the specifics of the activities of these specialists. In other words, a buyer is a specialist responsible for purchasing goods for a particular store (regardless of whether the store is branded clothing, expensive accessories or inexpensive analog watches) that meets the needs of the target audience of a particular outlet.

The prototype of this profession can be considered peddler merchants, who often went to overseas countries in search of rare goods, and merchandisers, more familiar to the Russian layman, who are responsible for the supply and sale of goods in Soviet stores.

Buyer is a "young" profession not only in Russia, where it appeared only a few years ago, but also in Europe, where buyers have been working for several decades. The first buyer can be considered the famous Armani, who began his career as an ordinary clothes salesman in a Milan department store.

The list of the main responsibilities of the buyer includes: analysis of sales data from the previous season, forecasting customer preferences, assessing the quality of goods, selecting and purchasing a range of goods, establishing contacts with suppliers, as well as visiting showrooms, various shows and presentations.

What personal qualities should a buyer have?

The professional success of a buyer depends almost entirely on such personal qualities as:

initiative;
innate sense of style;
craving for beauty;
good taste;
sociability;
developed intuition;
sociability;
creativity;
punctuality;
stress resistance;
teamwork skills;
pragmatism;
organizational skills;
developed spatial thinking.

In addition, the buyer must understand fashion trends, thoroughly know the features of the group of goods that he purchases (for example, if this fashion buyer, then he must know the brands of clothing, the properties of fabrics, understand the quality of cutting and sewing, be able to select the size range and color combinations, etc.), have the makings of a psychologist and stylist. The knowledge of at least one foreign language, the basics of management, economics, marketing, as well as a good command of modern information technologies will not interfere with the work of the buyer.

The advantages of the profession of a buyer

Become a buyer almost all fashionistas and fashionistas dream of it, since this profession is inextricably linked with visiting fashion shows and viewing the latest collections. In addition, the profession of a buyer has such advantages as:

almost complete lack of competition in the labor market - in Russia this segment is empty, so young professionals have great prospects for development and self-realization;

a high level of income - since in our country professional buyers very little, and the demand for their services is quite large, boutique owners are ready to pay impressive fees for a well-chosen assortment;

the opportunity to dress fashionably and, most importantly, cheaply - even if the buyer is not buying clothes, but, for example, watches, he always has the opportunity to pick up a fashionable wardrobe at affordable prices during business trips abroad.

The disadvantages of the profession of a buyer

You shouldn't think that bayer's work- a continuous holiday and a lot of fun. First of all, this is a rather complicated, very nervous and responsible work, the results of which determine the profitability of the outlet. In addition, the work of the buyer has such disadvantages as:

irregular working hours (it would even be more correct to say that such a specialist works 24 hours a day);
regular business trips that take up most of the working time;
great financial risks, especially if the buyer's own funds were invested in the purchase of an assortment for stores.

Where can you get a profession of a bayer?

Unfortunately, standard programs for the preparation of buyers have not yet been presented in Russian universities. Therefore, you will have to master this profession on your own, both in theory and in practice. Good start Bayer's career can become a sales assistant in a boutique. If you certainly want to get a professional education, then you can turn your attention to universities that teach the basics of marketing, economics and management (for example, the Faculty of Economics of the Higher School of Economics).

You can get specialized education only in such foreign educational institutions as:

(Fashion Business program)
School of Fashion and Design "Istituto Marangoni" (program fashion business & brand management)
London College of Fashion (Buying and Merchandising program)

Greetings dear friends!

Cycle 1.

Duties:

Participation in orders;

Formation of collections;

Assortment planning within the regulated budget;

Analysis of current sales of collections;

Carrying out seasonal orders;

Now let's look at it in order. As for the age, according to the current legislation of our country (Labor Code of the Russian Federation), the employer company does not have the right to indicate the age for its candidates in the description of vacancies. In my opinion, this concept has more disadvantages than advantages. Age for an employee is proportional to his professional experience. With the exception of young talents and rare talents in this field. And practical experience for a buyer is simply necessary. Learning to anticipate demand and meet it with a proposal is not easy in professions that especially require the candidate to have an artistic taste. Therefore, either you have such experience, or you automatically become not a buyer, but an assistant buyer, or a junior buyer. Whoever likes it. Hence the conclusion - any buyer needs practice. Artistic taste can be developed in various ways. Start with the elementary - look at how people in your city are dressed. Start dressing your friends and family, try working as a stylist or photographer. A sufficient number of books have been written on this topic and entertainment programs have been filmed on TV. Dare! But, do not overdo it, do not chase the idea of dressing everyone with your collection, combine your own style and consumer demand. Let your vision align with the buyer's. The balance here is simply necessary, even if you are an innovator at your core. Going further: the company considers 2 years of experience in this field acceptable. Let's see if this is the case. If a buyer is your calling, then this experience is suitable. But here, for the employer, what matters is HOW this experience was. Imagine that you are the owner or mistress of a boutique, will you entrust the assortment of your store into the hands of another person? Difficult, isn't it? Therefore, first of all, you must be sure that you will be able to sell your collection. If you doubt your own abilities, then believe me, the employer will see these doubts first. And you won't see a job. It is important here not to confuse “I know that I will sell because I have already done it” and “I know that I will sell because I really want to try” or “I know that I will sell, but I didn’t succeed last time, maybe it will work now." Simply put, when applying for a job as a buyer, you REALLY need a positive previous experience in this field. Or, start your career in less responsible positions, such as an assistant or assistant to a senior buyer. There is no need to be ashamed of a lower position or salary, it is much worse if you make mistakes to the detriment of the company's financial resources.

The gender of the employee is also omitted in the job description, all because of the new legislation. Well, this item can really be skipped. The fact is that the buyer profession is versatile, and from my own experience I will say that I know people, both female and male, who have proven themselves to be real professionals. The fact that there are clothes, shoes and accessories for women, men and children gives us options to choose the direction that you like the most. There are no criteria here: a man can be an ideal buyer for a women's collection or shoes, and a woman for men's or children's.

At the end of the first article about the bayer profession, I will add on my own behalf that all the facts listed above really take place. The fact that the profession is not easy enough, I think you have already seen. Therefore, if you think that a buyer is your calling, go for it and just go ahead! But be prepared for the fact that you will have to constantly look for a balance, be able to prove your case, not be afraid to take risks, constantly control the situation and keep your finger on the pulse. Moreover, the feeling when you meet people wearing your collection on the street can only be compared with the feeling of a designer at a show of his brand! Pride and satisfaction from a job well done.

The decision is yours, dear friends. Stay with me in order to learn more about the specifics of this profession and avoid mistakes in your work! Follow the news.

For almost two years, Sasha has been preparing for this position - she went to fashion shows, got acquainted with how collections are purchased in BOSCO DI CILIEGI stores. And now she herself is the buyer and manager of the youth multi-brand BOSCO Pi. Sasha decides which brands will be presented in the new season, chooses the most interesting models from the collections. Not only women's, but also men's brands! Everything that happens in the store - from the choice of strategy, to merchandising and the work schedule of salespeople - is under her control.

Alexandra Varchuk found time in her busy schedule to chat with the readers of the site in our group and answer all questions in the online conference mode.

— Very complex, extensive and often almost opposite definitions of the profession of a buyer are given on the Internet and various articles. Could you briefly describe what this profession is? Did you purposefully settle for it or is it a matter of chance?
- In a nutshell, a buyer is a person who buys collections for the store he works for. What we see in stores is far from the entire collection that designers produce. This is the choice that the buyer makes when he comes to the showroom. This choice was realized and supported by a lot of analytical work carried out throughout the season: what was sold in the store, what was not, what are the needs of the client, how quickly the collection was sold, and how the consumer perceived it, what fabrics were successful or not very good, and many others. aspects. Therefore, the collection selection process is only a small, perhaps the most enjoyable part of the workflow, behind which are long months of numbers.

When I started working for the company, I could only dream of the position I hold now. But the circumstances were such that they chose me for the youth project. For my management, this step was a certain risk, because I had never worked in trading. In order to take office, I trained for more than a year.

This job is my dream! How to achieve this goal? How to become a successful buyer? I'm 18 and I'm interested in fashion, I'm studying to be an art critic, I constantly try to develop my taste and follow the trends. Where to begin? Who to study?
- In my opinion, the successful components of this profession are flair, good taste, healthy pragmatism, the ability to work with numbers, analyze, communicate and defend your point of view. To my great regret, we do not yet have a professional education in the field of buying, this is not taught anywhere, because. The profession is relatively recent. While doing an internship, I started as a salesperson, because the whole process must be known from the inside, from the basics. You must know who your client is, be able to communicate with him and understand what he needs in order to bring it. I had the best teacher and leader imaginable. She, a high-class professional, took it upon herself to teach me everything, simply because she saw sprouts in me that could be developed. She supports and helps me until now, and is the best example for me not only in the professional field, but also in life.

- Where do you need to study for this and where to go to get a job as a buyer?
- Unfortunately, we do not yet have a professional education in the field of baing. This area of activity has emerged relatively recently and the specialists actively working in it now come from different areas - someone received a financial education, someone artistic. The best way to learn is while working. Every company has its own quirks. As for where you can get a job, I would advise you to choose large companies with a good reputation that are engaged in retailing.

- What and what colors in clothes will be fashionable in 2013?
- If speak about winter 2013, then the most popular palette is the muted colors of precious stones: emerald, ruby, sapphire. After a riot of colors in the summer of 2012, black returned again and took the main positions, which had been in disgrace for several seasons. Not far behind black and blue in various interpretations. By the way, most of the models from the winter collection of Stella McCartney are built on the combination of blue and black. Main trends: baroque, masculine style and leather.

Summer collections 2013 already purchased and the fashion weeks have passed, so we can safely say that the main color of the summer of 2013 will be yellow, which flashed on the catwalk more often than others. An equally active trend will be black and white graphics, on which the entire Louis Vuitton summer collection is built. The theme of sport chic and cropped tops will move from last summer season. Those who love romance will be happy with the number of ruffles and floral prints that appeared in the summer collections.

- My height is 158 cm, what will suit me to visually look taller?
- I'll start with the fact that, in my opinion, you are lucky, because your petiteness has forever made you feminine and beautiful. I will not list any basic rules here, such as “do not wear horizontal stripes or skirts below the knee”, all this has been written a million times before me and is actually not entirely relevant. My advice: open your legs, wear heels and you will always look great.

- Soon there will be sales in stores: what things to buy? I want to make purchases that you carry for more than one year. And what clothes to ignore? After all, it happens like this: you buy something, but you never wear it.
- In my opinion, there is such a basic set of things that can be worn for more than one season and on which you should not save. That's exactly what you can look for at sales, because our Moscow prices are often worthless. So, these are: high-quality jeans (it is better to buy those brands that specialize in denim), a cashmere sweater, a white shirt, shoes, a bag, a coat. These are the things that simply must be of high quality. Everything else is up to your taste. The main thing: remember that the thing you buy must be worn with something, quickly come up with several sets and imagine that you will wear them over the next few days. If you scored at least 3, feel free to buy. Practice shows that if you buy a thing in the hope of later picking up something for it, it will lie in your closet, waiting in the wings for more than one day. Although there are exceptions.

- They say that style begins with small things. Tell me, what "little things" will be relevant this winter?
- I would focus on a few details:
1. Removable collar. Now you can find a great many of them. Embroidered with pearls or stones will give a completely new look to an ordinary dress, plastic can be worn with a denim or plaid shirt.
2. Gloves. And forget about the rule bag-belt-gloves-shoes of the same color. Check out Tommy Ton's streetstyle photos of Fashion Week guests. He knows how to emphasize the beauty of details.
3. Shoes and bags. This season, many designers have decorated shoes and bags with fur. Pay attention to models of colors that are relevant this season: deep blue, cherry, emerald, as well as small bags stylized as military tablets.
4. As for shoes, you can forget about heels for a while. It is better to give preference to men's style boots, as in the Marc Jacobs or Burberry Prorsum collection.
5. Large decorations are required. Chandelier earrings, voluminous multi-row necklaces with large stones, large rings and bracelets.

— Fashion and style are different things, but they are closely intertwined. Where is the golden mean in order to always look relevant?
- Coco Chanel answered this question best of all: “First of all, it is style. Fashion goes out of fashion. Style - never! From myself I can add - never wear something that does not suit you, even if it is very fashionable. You look best in clothes that you feel comfortable in.

What shoes are in fashion this winter?
- In my opinion, preference should be given to men's style boots. Pay attention to loafers. In such models, there may be a heel, but, as a rule, it is stable and low. These shoes will serve as a great addition to the men's style that is relevant this season. If heels are your thing, look for richly decorated baroque shoes, like in the Alexandr McQueen and Dolce&Gabbana collections. But the trend in general is that this winter the heel becomes more stable and wider.

What shoes will be in fashion next spring?
“I can say with confidence that the pointed toe is making a comeback. This is an almost obligatory detail of shoes, ankle boots and sandals with heels. Ballet flats and sandals still have a rounded toe. The hottest color is metallic. A stable heel passes from winter, which in summer is very often made of transparent plastic. One of the main trends will remain "men's" shoes, but, of course, in a lightweight version: moccasins, loafers with thin leather soles in bright colors. Architectural shoes with many details will be more relevant than ever. I advise you to pay attention to shoes on the platform: it is desirable that the platform be decorated with applications or prints.

Photo from the personal archive of Alexandra Varchuk.