Build yourself a dynamic career in fashion merchandising with a degree from one of Colorado's vocational or technical schools.

By Gabby Hyman
RWM Columnist
March 27, 2007

In Colorado, fashion merchandisers work in Denver department stores, Aspen resort hotels, and Boulder boutiques, connecting fashion vendors and consumers in a win-win environment. If you're looking to set trends and help stores present goods to the public, Colorado trade schools can prepare you for a career in fashion merchandising.

What Are You Going to Do?
Fashion merchandisers use their technical and artistic training in all sectors of the industry, from creating new designs to presenting finished products on the sales floor. By identifying trends, the fashion school graduate helps designers create products to meet consumer demand. As a fashion merchandiser, you will assist in tracking down and buying raw materials to make new creations, and you can contribute to the marketing plan that delivers and tracks sales of new apparel.

Mile-High Fashion at Colorado Trade Schools
In the greater Denver area, major vocational schools offer comprehensive fashion merchandising degrees. A bachelor's degree program in fashion merchandising provides students with a solid education in consumer behavior, retail marketing and management, and business technology. This last point can be especially important when making technical presentations or marketing through online merchandising--the new frontier of fashion sales.

Fashion-specific courses focus on trend measurement, color design, fabrics and textiles, product development, and portfolio creation and review. Other courses cover business math, market research, mannequin dressing and draping, fashion coordination skills, and vocational niches (apparel, footwear, accessories, and jewelry).

How's Business?
Fashion merchandisers are traditionally well-paid. Experienced merchandisers can earn anywhere from $50,000 to over $80,000 a year, with annual pay at the top range of the industry well exceeding $100,000.

If the idea of presenting fresh fashions to the public in Colorado appeals to you, local trade schools are ready to help you leap into the profession.

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.