Coordinator

Also called: Fashion Director

Job Description: Fashion Coordinators are responsible for creating a unified look and feel across all fashion divisions of a department store, design house, or fashion magazine. They are constantly monitoring industry publications and talking to designers in order to understand industry trends and keep up with the latest in fabric and textile development. Fashion directors need to assess the potential success of a garment or clothing line and determine the best plan for promotion and marketing. Fashion coordinators then share their analyses with retail salespeople and/or editors to guide them in making customer recommendations, and they also share their analysis with buyers to guide them in making inventory purchases.

Additional responsibilities of a fashion coordinator may include organizing fashion parades, supervising fashion photography shoots for promotions, and serving as a middleman with fabric mills, suppliers, and wholesalers to ensure that things are on schedule and colors, designs, and textiles are according to plan. Long hours and frequent travel are part of the job.

Salary Range: $40,000 to $100,000
Fashion Coordinators for smaller companies may receive between $40,000 to $60,000
Fashion Coordinators for larger companies receive up to $100,000+

Outlook: Fair to Great. There are only a limited number of Fashion Coordinator positions available since it is a high-level position. However, these are available in a myriad of areas such as media (e.g., fashion magazines), design houses, and department stores.

Qualifications:
Education - a minimum of a 4-year bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising or Fashion Design is often required for upper-level fashion coordinator or director's jobs. For entry-level and assistant positions, a 2-year associate's degree in fashion merchandising may be appropriate, as there is significant "learning on the job." With experience, assistant fashion coordinators can move up the ranks to a management position such as fashion director.

Experience - extensive experience in the Fashion industry, usually beginning at the retail sales level and progressing through other sales and merchandising positions.

Personal Characteristics/Skills - excellent understanding of fashion (e.g., fabrics, colors, styles, cuts, etc.); knowledge and understanding of fashion trends; a flair for style;in-depth understanding of consumer behavior; an interest in artistic and creative pursuits; great networking skills; great organizational skills; excellent communication, negotiation, judgment, and presentation skills.

Career Path: Retail Sales Associate > Buyer > Assistant Fashion Coordinator > Fashion Coordinator > Fashion Director

Sources:
RetailMoves
Department of Education, Science and Training (Australia)

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