Category: Buying, Merchandising and Supply Chain

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

London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in sourcing:

• BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising
• BSc (Hons) Fashion Management

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

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

London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Merchandising:

• BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising
• BSc (Hons) Fashion Management

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

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

London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in supply chain:

• BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising
• BSc (Hons) Fashion Management
• BSc (Hons) Psychology of Fashion

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

Buying is one of the most popular career pathways in fashion. A career in fashion buying involves selecting the right clothing and accessories for stores or online platforms to meet customer demand and sales targets. Buyers work closely with suppliers, designers, and internal teams like merchandising and marketing to plan and build ranges that align with current trends, price points, and sustainability goals. They analyse sales data, attend trade shows, and negotiate with vendors to ensure the right products are delivered on time and within budget.

They then oversee the product life cycle from start to finish, often working towards sustainability objectives. While the role of a Buyer often seems glamourous, entry-level roles in buying are often desk jobs which focus on inventory management, market research, trend forecasting, and supplier communication. As buyers gain experience, they may take ownership of specific product categories and work their way up to roles like Senior Buyer or Head of Buying.

Examples of roles within Supply Chain:

• Buyers Admin Assistant
• Junior/Assistant/Senior Buyer
• Buyers Clerk
• Branded Buyer

London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in buying:

• BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising
• BSc (Hons) Fashion Management
• BSc (Hons) Psychology of Fashion

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