Fashion Career Advice Want to be a buyer Q. I am very interested in becoming a buyer for a major department store or catalogue. Could someone give me more information on the type of background or credentials I would need to pursue this? Also, what would be a good way to get a start? A.You need either a solid retail background or a merchandising degree to be a buyer and preferably both. Requirements vary by retailer, and e-commerce start-ups may want a "fresher" eye since the medium is so new so you might want to think about that. Buyers need solid math skills (depending on who you work for, you'll be dealing with numbers a large part of your job) and a great ability to translate the trends into salable merchandise. Check out jobs and schools.

Exporting Q. I am trying to start an clothing exporting business. I live in the USA. In Europe they like everything that is American and I am looking for the designers/brandnames.How do I start, what do I have to do? A. I don't know what point you are at in starting your business, but About.com's Global Business site is a great resource for export info. For the labels you are looking for, I'd start at http://www.fashioncenter.com/main.html because NY is the center of the fashion world. Check out their Gov. links which include export information. New buyer questions Q. I am a new buyer and I will be attending a show at the end of this month. I am in the process of creating a list of questions to ask the company reps at the show. Will you give me a headstart on the relevant information that I will need to ask? (i.e. Minimum # per/order, shipping info., payments, returns etc.) A. Sounds like you have it down: - Delivery is probably the most important -- I always write an in-house date (in my house) in the shipping info so I know when I'm going to get my goods. -Price -- line prices are often negotiable. Ask for off-price, incentive pricing, "inside" price, etc. This takes finesse, but you'll get the hang of it. Don't let anyone intimidate you -- small business is still business! -Payment info (some companies won't do COD, and will ask for a prepayment or a partial prepayment, which is basically a horrible way to do business. If you have credit, it's a breeze.) Your other questions are good too. Tip-- Always ask to touch the item -- true garmentos always have to see what it feels like. Most of all -- don't be intimidated. People in the industry are pretty decent when it comes down to it and everybody was new once! Opening a shoe store Q. I have always loved shoes and lately I have been contemplating the idea of owning a shoe store, but have no idea on where to look for information on where to buy or select the styles I wish to sell. A. First, you should look at an apparel market site.They have lots of info about show dates, showrooms and how to register. Dallas even has a New Buyer's Kit -- and also check out California. New York is a great resource, but it's harder to shop because it's such a huge market. Contact one of the above apparel marts and get some initial info. Hot labels are notoriously picky about who they sell to, but there are always plenty of smaller brands that are terrific.If you have a "good eye" you can pick up new labels and looks and have a wonderful independent boutique. You should also check out all the industry information. Becoming a fashion critic Q. I am interested in getting into the field of fashion. I love to critique peoples' outfits. Any suggestions on how to get into professional fashion critiquing? Keeping in mind the fact that I'm only a sophomore in high school and I am doing research on my own to find out exactly what I want to do after high school. A. You might want to start reading about some of the different jobs that are available in the fashion industry. I have some job descriptions listed at  under "Cool Jobs" You might have more fun being a buyer than a critic, as there is much more call for people who can take their good fashion sense and turn it into $$$$$$ than those who can critique an outfit. I have some fashion schools listed if you are interested in going that route. If you are really interested in being a fashion critic or journalist, I would suggested taking some writing classes (good taste doesn't matter if you can't communicate it clearly) and maybe getting a college degree. You definitely want to start thinking about working part-time in the retail industry soon. This is the best place to develop an "eye" as they say in the business, for fashion. When you see hundreds of displays, and thousands of customers and how they actually try on, buy and wear clothes it will be some of the best education you can find. Becoming a fashion designer Q. I am a 14 year old designer wanna-be PLEASE HELP! Can someone my age be a designer ? Where do I start? A. I think it's great that you want to be a fashion designer. You're still a little young to be working, but that doesn't mean you can't make lots of sketches, play with fabric and read and surf the net about design. First of all, you might want to think about checking out schools to go to in a few years -- here's a list.   Also, in the meantime, you should definitely look at and read anything that interests you in the world of fashion, including looking at other designer's stuff and fashion shows. Also, don't forget to study up on fashion history. Once you get to be 16 or so, you might want to think about working in a retail store to find out how customers try on clothes, decide what items to wear, put colors together, etc. It's the greatest training. What's a stylist? Q. I was wondering if you could tell me exactly what a fashion stylist does and how you get into that profession. Would a degree be needed? How much experience? A. A fashion stylist can work for a designer/manufacturer, individuals (including celebrities), magazines, photographers etc. They create looks with their keenly developed eye for fashion, mixing the different clothing pieces and accessories to make a statement. A top-notch fashion stylist has to be so far ahead of the curve, most people wouldn't have a clue what he or she is talking about! The individual stylists develop a total look for a client. Phillip Bloch is probably the highest profile celebrity stylist, but these folks create the total look, run the errands to get all the pieces together, etc. Like most things in this industry, a fashion degree isn't as important as experience and contacts. (Although I always strongly recommend a liberal arts or business degree -- will come in very handy in building a business!) Retail would be an excellent place to start building a clientele. Especially very upscale boutiques or trendy stores, where you can show off your ability to find fashion that suits individuals (it's a very unique and difficult art to master)