Course Title: Fashion Merchandising

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Fashion Merchandising

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

MKTG1207

City Campus

Undergraduate

315H Architecture & Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 2 2010

Course Coordinator: Karen Webster

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2782

Course Coordinator Email:karen.webster@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 8.10.01


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course will allow the student to develop an understanding of retail fashion buying. It will provide an introduction to the role of a retail fashion buyer encompassing- research and analysis, range planning and selection, buying office roles and processes, promotional planning and the role of support services and agencies.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

The objectives of this course are to enable the you to:

- Understand the relationship between merchandise, marketing and buying
- Develop skills in analysing the retail potential of merchandise
- Understand target markets within the fashion retail sector
- Understand the responsibilities and functions of a buying and merchandising team in a retail fashion organisation
- Understand the planning and budgetary strategies involved in a retail fashion organisation
- Understand fashion range consolidation from a retail perspective
- Understand retail and merchandising concepts and strategies.



Overview of Learning Activities

This course consists of lectures and tutorials. Learner directed hours include the development of projects and an oral presentation during class time.
As part of the course program students will be engaged in field trips, interactive class activities, peer reviews in addition to class presentations.
Lectures and assignments will develop the your understanding of:
- Researching fashion target markets
- The Planning process and sales budgets
- Open to buy strategies
- Range and assortment plans
- The work of a buying office
- Merchandise procurement, sourcing (local and global)
- Merchandise selection
- The role of a fashion agency
- The purchasing process
- Administration and distribution within a merchandising department
- Promotional planning
- Market analysis from a retail perspective


Overview of Learning Resources

D.R. The Fashion Business - Thomson Publishing London
Womens Wear Daily - Fairchild Publications New York
Viewpoint - UK
Apparel Magazine - NZ/Australia
Ragtrader - Australia


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will be based on group and individual work in the form of projects and tests and some peer evaluation and reflection on your own work.