Author: Michelle Ashton

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Retail Operations

Sales and Logistics

Sales and logistics roles focus on getting products to the right place at the right time, while also driving revenue through effective sales strategies. The sales team builds relationships with customers, tracks stock performance, and works closely with marketing to boost brand presence. Logistics teams support this by managing stock movement, financial tracking, and ensuring products are delivered efficiently and on time.

These roles require strong organisation, communication, and analytical skills. Entry-level positions might involve supporting daily sales operations or inventory coordination, with progression leading to larger sales territories or roles in Buying, Retail Operations, or even HR. For students interested in commercial strategy, numbers, and fast-paced environments, sales and logistics offer a dynamic and cross-functional career pathway.

Examples of roles within Sales and Logistics:
  • Client Relations Intern/Assistant
  • Licensing Executive
Maja Quille in the studio, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Sales and Logistics:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

George Boyle working in the Studio, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson
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Retail Operations

Shop Floor and Showroom

Shop floor and showroom roles focus on customer interaction, product presentation, and driving sales. These are store-based roles where staff support customers with styling advice, sizing, and product knowledge, while also maintaining visual merchandising standards and assisting with in-store events. Showroom Coordinators play a key role behind the scenes, managing scheduling, admin, and supporting seasonal market plans to help present collections to buyers or press.

These roles are often entry points into the fashion industry, offering a foundation in retail, branding, and customer service. As experience grows, career progression can lead to store management, retail operations, or PR roles. Senior positions such as Area Manager involve overseeing multiple stores, coaching teams, and influencing store layouts and performance across a region. This pathway blends creativity, strategy, and people skills, ideal for those passionate about brand experience and retail environments.

Examples of roles within Shop Floor and Showroom:
  • Sales Executive
  • Style Consultant
  • Sales Assistant
  • Store Assistant
  • Personal Shopper
  • Store Manager
Ella Williams presenting, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in shop floor and showroom:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Rana Mohamed in the Studio, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson
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Buying, Merchandising and Supply Chain

Sourcing

The Sourcing department’s purpose is to find fabrics and components that make up a garment. The sourcing team ensures that these materials are high quality, cost-effective, legally compliant, and increasingly sustainable. They manage supplier relationships, contracts, and factory performance, playing a key role in ensuring products are made responsibly and delivered on time.

As the fashion industry evolves, sourcing professionals must also adapt to changing consumer demands, global market conditions and technology reshaping sourcing. Processes are becoming faster, more transparent, and traceable. Innovations like blockchain ensure materials are legally and ethically sourced, while reshoring, bringing production closer to home, helps reduce costs and lead times. Sourcing professionals are now expected to understand data, digital tools, and global supply chains.

Working in this field can lead to higher roles like Fabric Sourcing Manager, Sourcing Director, or Head of Sourcing. Over time, this field also offers the opportunity to grow into specialist or freelance roles, managing sourcing strategies for major fashion brands.

Examples of roles within Sourcing:
  • Sustainable Sourcing Assistant
  • Ethical and Responsible Sourcing Officer
  • Junior/Senior Sourcing Assistant
  • Sustainability Coordinator
  • Sourcing Specialist
  • Buying Admin Assistant
  • Production Assistant
  • Sourcing Assistant
Textiles work by Laetitia Forst, PhD Research Student
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in sourcing:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Zoe Zanon Rives in the studio, 2020 PGCert Fashion Buying and Merchandising, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
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Buying, Merchandising and Supply Chain Retail Operations

Wholesale

Wholesale fashion distribution refers to the global market of bulk clothing sales, in a primarily commercial, business-to-business (B2B) model. Wholesalers manage warehouses, handle large-scale product shipments, and ensure stock reaches stores on time. The goal is to help brands expand their reach by supplying products to multiple retail partners, both online and in-store.

They run warehouses, distribution centres and ship products directly to the Retailers. Strong communication skills and an ability to build client relationships are essential, especially when working with key retail accounts. Wholesale professionals often work closely with buyers, marketing teams, and merchandisers – providing a great opportunity to work with global clients while supporting the growth of fashion brands.

Work in this area can lead to Head of Wholesale within a larger brand, or Wholesale Account Manager when working for an external Wholesale Distributor.

Examples of roles within Wholesale:
  • Buying Assistant
  • Warehouse Operative
  • Assistant Merchandiser
  • Sales Assistant/Sales Representative
  • Trading Clerk
  • National/International Admin Assistant
  • Wholesale Account Manager/Executive/Assistant/Coordinator
Textiles work by Laetitia Forst, PhD Research Student
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in wholesale:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Megan Morrish, 2021 BA (Hons) Graphic Communication Design, Central Saint Martins, UAL
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Retail Operations

Property

The Property department in fashion is responsible for managing the physical spaces where the brand operates, including retail stores, offices, and warehouses. Their work ensures these spaces are functional, safe, and aligned with the brand’s image and operational needs.

Day-to-day tasks include handling store maintenance issues, overseeing refits, supporting new store openings, and researching new locations for expansion. Entry-level roles typically involve logging and tracking maintenance requests, while more senior positions manage real estate strategy and new site acquisitions.

In larger companies, this team may sit within Operations or Corporate Services and may overlap with Legal teams when dealing with leasing, rent negotiations, or intellectual property (IP). As brands grow, the property team becomes increasingly strategic, playing a key role in aligning physical store presence with commercial goals and customer experience. Careers in this area can progress from support roles to senior management positions in facilities or real estate planning.

Examples of roles within Property:
  • Property Management Assistant
  • Property Strategy Developer
  • Facilities Coordinator
  • Property Accountant
  • Financial Analyst
  • Real Estate Coordinator/Assistant
  • Sustainability Manager
  • Store Designer
Camberwell, March 2016, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson, UAL, UAL student recruitment
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Property:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Camberwell, March 2016, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson, UAL, UAL student recruitment
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Garments, Textiles and Materials Development

Quality Assurance and Control

Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) ensures that a product provided is fit for purpose, meeting the required standards and customer expectations. QA looks at the processes behind product development to prevent issues from occurring, while QC focuses on identifying and correcting any defects in the finished product before it reaches the customer. These roles involve checking materials, construction methods, and manufacturing standards, and may include tasks like writing reports, analysing data, and communicating with suppliers to maintain high-quality production.

Professionals in QA/QC work closely with design, production, and technical teams to ensure clothing and products are safe, consistent, and well-made. Roles can lead to freelancing and Consultancy, or positions such as Technical Manager, Quality Consultant, or Director, and may expand into areas like health and safety or business analysis.

examples of roles within Quality Assurance and Control:
  • QA Technologist
  • Quality Controller
  • Technical Manager
  • Materials Testing Technologist
  • Clothing Production Manager
  • Product Testing
  • Control Rework Operative
Day 2, February 2016, LCF, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson, UAL, UAL student recruitment, UAL. LCF
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Quality Assurance and Control:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Alys Tomlinson, February 2016, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson, UAL, Wimbledon College of Art, Wimbledon. February 2016
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Education and Research

Professional Services

The Professional Service teams work behind the scenes in a school, university or public museum. Vital to the running of educational institutions, people in these roles contribute to non-academic operations, which support teaching, research, and student success.

Their responsibilities are varied, from providing student support, handling administration and operational support tasks, to running the building facilities or offering employability support. They enable the academic teams to focus on their core responsibilities. Their work extends beyond the immediate learning environment, impacting areas like alumni relations, fundraising, and community engagement. 

Those in a professional service role may also complete outreach work connecting with industry to build company networks. Progression within these roles can be linear or move sideways across different areas within professional services, as a lot of the skills required for these job roles are transferable.

Examples of roles within Professional Services:
  • Technicians
  • Outreach Officers
  • Student Services Officer
  • Recruitment and Admissions Administrator
  • Programme Administrator
  • Research Support Coordinator
CSM, March 2016, Photographer: Alys Tomlinson, UAL, UAL student recruitment
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Professional Services:
  • All LCF Courses could lead to a career in professional services.

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Regenesis Lab workshop for Earth Day, 2023, UAL | Photograph: Joe O’Brien
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Communications and Marketing Retail Operations Styling, Make-up and Production

Visual Merchandising

Visual merchandising is a creative and strategic role within the fashion and retail industries focused on how products are displayed to attract and inspire customers. Visual merchandisers design store layouts, dress mannequins, and create impactful window displays that reflect seasonal trends, promotions, and brand identity. They work closely with marketing, retail, and buying teams to ensure that visual storytelling aligns with business goals and enhances the customer shopping experience. This role blends creativity with commercial awareness, using both design principles and sales data to influence customer behaviour and drive profits.

Visual merchandisers also need strong trend forecasting skills, design software knowledge (like CAD or Adobe Creative Suite), and the ability to work collaboratively under pressure. As retail moves increasingly online, there is also growing demand for digital visual merchandisers to shape the look and feel of e-commerce platforms. This pathway is ideal for students who enjoy design, problem-solving, and creating visually engaging environments that connect with audiences.

Depending on your interests and expertise, you may choose to specialize in specific areas of visual merchandising, such as window displays, store design, product presentation, or digital merchandising. Progression in this field can lead to Head of Visual Merchandising or Senior Visual Merchandising positions that involve overseeing multiple locations.

examples of roles within visual merchandising:
  • Visual Merchandiser
  • Merchandise Coordinator
  • Store Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser Trainee
  • Visual Merchandising Assistant
Nadeen Elwi, 2021 BA Fashion Visual Merchandising and Branding, London College of Fashion, UAL
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in visual merchandising:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

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Buying, Merchandising and Supply Chain

Merchandising

Merchandising is a vital part of the retail industry that focuses on getting the right products in the right place, at the right time, and at the right price. Merchandisers use data and sales trends to forecast demand, plan stock levels, and work with Buyers to create successful product ranges. They track what’s selling well (and what isn’t), manage inventory levels, and recommend changes to improve sales. Different areas within merchandising, such as Core, Branch, and Direct, focus on stock allocation across stores, websites, and wholesale partners, all aiming to maximise profits and meet customer demand.

Early career roles in merchandising involve supporting planning and analysis, using tools like Excel and the WSSI (Weekly Sales, Stock & Intake) to monitor performance. Students entering this field should have strong analytical skills, an interest in retail and trends, and be comfortable working with data. Over time, this career can lead to senior positions like Senior Merchandiser or Head of Buying and Merchandising. Merchandisers also work closely with teams across the business and need to be aware of seasonal trends, product life cycles, and competitor activity to help the business grow and succeed.

Branch Merchandising:

The Branch Merchandising department allocates stock to stores and wholesale partners. Through analysis of business factors e.g. sales vs last year and like for like sales, they make accurate predictions of stock demand. This career path can lead to Senior Merchandiser in this area.

Core Merchandising:

These Merchandisers pull data to allow them to predict sales and maximise profits. Merchandisers work with Buyers to pull together stock plans and plan sales forecasts for new ranges. They track all sales, e.g. best and worst sellers, and make recommendations to increase sales. They monitor sales through a spreadsheet called a WSSI, therefore need strong excel skills. This career path can lead to Senior Merchandiser or Head of Buying and Merchandising.

Direct Merchandising

The Direct Merchandising department allocates stock to the company and third-party websites. Through analysis of business factors e.g. sales vs last year and like for like sales, they make accurate predictions of stock demand. This career path can lead to Senior Merchandiser in this area.

Examples of roles within Merchandising:
  • Junior/Assistant Merchandiser
  • Allocator
  • Merchandising Admin Assistant
  • Consumer Analysis
  • Digital Merchandiser
Closeup of Zoe Zanon Rives working in the studio, 2020 PGCert Fashion Buying and Merchandising, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Merchandising:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Vishala Chouhan, 2023 Business Pathway, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
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Buying, Merchandising and Supply Chain

Supply Chain

The Supply Chain Team follow the product life-cycle from start to finish. From sourcing the materials, to range planning, to getting it to the stores and the sustainable disposal of unsold items. This team’s purpose is to make that process as efficient as possible. Having good supply management can save the company money and increase competitor advantage.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) roles are often merged with the Supply Chain Team. They manage a brands social, economic and sustainable footprint.

Entry level roles across this sector often revolve around department maintenance. However, supply chain careers can lead to Head of Supply Chain Planning, Head of Sustainability or Supply Chain Consultancy roles.

Examples of roles within Supply Chain:
  • Corporate Logistics Assistant
  • Shipping Assistant
  • Analyst
  • Supply Chain Coordinator
  • Project Manager
Vishala Chouhan, Business Pathway, LCF, UAL | Photographer : Alys Tomlinson
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in supply chain:

This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.

Breaking Boundaries, Pallavi Verma, 2022 Graduate Diploma Textile Design, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Prasoon.J, Model: Kia L, Profile Model Management
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