Basic coursework for those on a fashion merchandising career path may include color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, and specializations within particular clothing types. You'll also be exposed to various business skills and mathematics courses. The end result? You'll be equipped to spot and analyze trends, develop new lines, and producing a finished product. That's because when you become a fashion merchandiser, your job is to market new fashions to wholesale an retail stores. As such, you'll work on the development of new products from conceptual design, budgeting, and manufacturing, to the final marketing stages.

Within fashion merchandising, you can choose to specialize in a number of different areas such as fashion buyer, retail merchandiser, licensing coordinator, store manager, boutique owner, fashion show producer, etc. Whichever route you choose, however, you should be aware that the nature of the fashion business requires constant communication with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers all over the globe, according the Occupational Outlook Handbook. In other words, gear up for lots of travel, trade shows, and interaction with a variety of people. People skills are a must. Add those to your trend-spotting skills, keen eye for fashion, and a solid education in fashion merchandising, and you've got what it takes to influence the fashion world and be successful while doing it!