Undergraduate Preparation for Fashion Retailing Careers

Abstract

Survival of the fittest, an idea expounded by Charles Darwin in his theory relating to the evolution of Man, is especially applicable to the retailing field. Presenting the right goods, at the right time, at the right place, in the right quantities, and at the prices customers are willing and able to pay is the challenge that retailers must meet. For the fashion retailer the challenge of survival is more intense than for the retailer of staple goods. Those goods that the fashion retailer presents are dominated by one or more of the four basic fashion elements--form, detail of design, color, and texture. Therefore, they are subject to changes in demand due to changes in taste that occur at a constantly accelerating rate. It is those changes in fashion demand that require careful analysis and continuous study; knowledge and understanding of the principles relating to fashion and the ability to forecast future demand are required if a retailer is to survive. In discussing the subject of fashion retailing, several basic terms need to be defined for purposes of this study. The following definitions are those commonly agreed upon by recognized authorities in the field and will serve as a frame of reference for this study.