Fashion Blogs

Whilst trawling through recruitment websites looking for some good advice on fashion buying jobs I found an article on The Independent's website which has some really good insight. The article is an interview with Lindsey Friedman, a buyer with John Lewis, and looks at some of the aspects of her job. She speaks about what the job involves, which is a mixture of vision and market research and logistics and networking. Apart from just knowing what is fashionable, or what is going to be, she stresses the need to consider your market and make sure you're well stocked with classics as well as more quirky clothes. Ensuring that everything arrives on time and that your relationships are good with your client is another feature, but equally as important as the vision needed to know what to buy.

Speaking about what gives her a buzz from her job she says; "When you've spent months planning a new collection, seeing it hit the shop floor is so exciting. It's amazing when we take a gamble and include a quirky, unusual look and it takes off and sells really well." Much of the satisfaction designers get appears to also be present in buyer jobs, I guess even though you're not designing what looks good, it is just as skillful knowing what will sell and picking your lines carefully.

The really interesting question for me though, was 'What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a buyer?' Lindsey had some good advice for those looking for fashion careers, and buying jobs in particular. Retail experience was her first tip, which is pretty universal as nothing beats universal. But for someone like me who has this experience, what else is there? Lindsey points to in-house training with employers, many of whom run executive training porgrams. This is something I haven't had an opportunity to do, nor had I even thought of it, so I make that pretty good advice! Lindsey also recommended keeping well on top of fashion, and of course that means reading plenty of fashion magazines, thats the kind of advice I think anyone who wants to work in fashion will like to hear!

The interview with Lindsey is on the Independent's site here: http://ind.pn/NwAzk