When you think of the world of fashion, it’s easy to think of the typical job of an assistant with tons of tasks and disproportionate pay. In reality, the pay is better than what most would assume. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the median income of those in fashion is just over $63,000. From this statistic, it is telling that there are many fashion jobs that pay well. Here are five fashion jobs paying more than $50,000:
Sales Brand Representative
Representatives’ jobs are customer-based, as they pitch new products to buyers and work to get their fashion company’s clothes into stores. This takes a knack for identifying consumer trends & demands, as well as the ability to lead meetings with wholesalers, retailers and boutiques that may purchase the clothes. Not only that, but a sales rep should also understand the company they work for inside and out in order to best represent and market the brand to customers. Research skills are a must— a degree in fashion merchandising, as well as an understanding of sales, branding, and PR (in addition to experience) will also be needed. An entry-level position makes an average of $59,000.
Associate Buyer
Buyers are responsible for selecting which items a store will include on their racks. They typically work with different designers and sales staffs while attending trade shows, and their median salary is around $55,500. Awareness of trends and consumer demand is a must in order to determine what items their stores will have available. Other necessary skills include analyzing market trends, price changes, and inventory management, so entry-level experience in retail can be beneficial.
Fashion Editor
Fashion magazine editors supervise and often are the creators of themes behind various stories and articles. Internship experience for a fashion magazine is necessary, along with a willingness and drive to work your way up. That means a commitment and enthusiasm for the smaller jobs along the way to ultimately earn the $66,400 median salary. Educational requirements are at least a bachelor’s degree. A fashion merchandising degree is common for fashion editors, but working on stories and articles mean writing experience is needed. A journalism degree can bolster required copy writing, editing and research skills.
Associate Designer
Associate Designers are responsible for analyzing and keeping up with industry trends in order to best determine demand for certain styles and clothing pieces. A technical background may be necessary to input information about designs – including measurements, sketches and layouts – into a system so that clothing samples are easily produced from the information gathered. Basic data entry skills are a must, and an education in fashion merchandising, with at least a bachelor’s degree, is helpful as well. Having that degree shows you have marketing, analytical, and research skills that the job requires. The average salary is $55,000.
Fashion PR Account Manager
Fashion isn’t just about buying, selling, and making clothes; it includes developing the marketing for them. Work experience is necessary for this job, since it involves maintaining relationships with clients and building ones with new clients. To earn the median salary of $59,600, you will also need a degree in PR. Like many of the jobs on this list, a fashion merchandising degree can go far. It means you have the marketing and PR skills for the job, as well as a fundamental understanding of the fashion industry itself. Working with clients means frequent follow ups and contact, so this is a job for those who are not afraid of rejection and are able to plan and develop strategies that translate into results.
Fashion entails many areas – publications, retail and others. Being able to find a job that is tailored to your skills, interests and niche doesn’t have to result in a low salary. It’s important to note that many of these jobs require prior experience, which, if you haven’t been working in the industry, can be gained by temping, volunteering, or seeking a start at smaller fashion industry businesses. Working in any of these jobs gives you the means to work in a competitive industry and still have a pretty flexible income. To get started, try searching on sites such as The Creative Loft— it caters specifically to fashion-related and creative job openings, making it easier to find the perfect fashion-oriented job for you; salary and all.