1 Year Certificate in Fashion Buying

Course Description

This internationally recognised 1 year course will give you the creative and commercial skill-set required to succeed in today’s competitive buying environment. The course will allow you to combine creative flair with essential buying skills so that you will be well placed to work within a fashion buying role or head office position in a range of organisations including high street chains and owner/manager boutiques.

The course is led by highly experienced fashion buyers who have many years of experience in international fashion buying, fashion recruitment and fashion design for large multiples, high volume textiles, branded selection and in-house design.

The course team have an excellent industry contact base, and the course will feature guest lecturers and speakers from leading industry organisations. This course is ideal if you have an interest in the fashion industry, are considering a career change or progression. It is highly recommended if you currently work in a retail, administration or procurement environment and wish to progress your career into a fashion buying role or head office position.

Approximately 80% of our graduates have obtained employment within key global buying offices both in Ireland and abroad. You can read about some success stories below.

Why study with us?
  • 25 Years experience providing design education
  • Mature student friendly
  • State accredited Institution
  • Strong industry connections
  • Design education taught by experienced design professionals
  • Part time/ full time/ in class/ online options
  • High rates of graduate employment
  • Award Winning Institute
  • Range of payment plans available
Course Content
Module 1 - Introduction to Buying & Principles of Buying

Learn about the key reports used in the buying cycle. Analyse fashion brands, and investigate the brand’s current collection to create a shop report to understand the importance of brand identity and how to evaluate the brand DNA, competitor analysis and positioning. Learn the presentation techniques used to build and visually present a fashion range plan in Microsoft excel.

 

Module 2- Fashion trend Forecasting & Customer profiling

Learn about the impact of fashion trends and how they influence a fashion range and category development. Utilising WGSN the industry-standard trend forecasting platform, you will learn how to identify micro and macro trends, as well as explore the impact of key historic and contemporary insights influencing the fashion season. You will also gain a clear understanding of customer profiling including the development of your own customer profile.

Module 3 - Principles of Buying & Range Building

Build in-depth knowledge of the buying process understand the importance of buying the right product at the right time to develop your own fashion range plan based on a brand or retailer of your choice, and undertake market research, customer profiling and trend inquiry to form a trend driven collection based on market needs. And understand the importance of category analysis, range planning and budget planning for a particular brand or retailer.

Module 4 - Industry Software Excel & Illustrator

You will be introduced to range building using industry software Microsoft Excel and Adobe Illustrator to create both visual and excel range plans. Learning how to present your range using the industry standard software. Creating both visual and excel range plans using illustrator fashion flats on Adobe illustrator and your budget using Microsoft excel.

Module 5 - Garment technology and textile materials

Throughout this module, you will gain a detailed understanding of the manufacturing and construction of garments and textiles, yarns, fibres and how in today’s world sustainability, technology and supply chain are impacting the fashion manufacturing process.

Module 6 - Principles of Buying - Live project

During this module, you will further develop your range-building of category analysis, range planning, budget planning and presentation skills by creating a fashion range for a live retail company. Using the skills learned in previous modules you will produce a live company project using brand DNA, competitor analysis, Microsoft Excel, and Adobe Illustrator to develop a critical path associated with the fashion buying cycle, gain in-depth knowledge of the buying process culminating in the presentation of your work to an industry expert for feedback.

Module 7 - Professional Development

Gain an understanding of your strength’s weaknesses and opportunities needed to enter the fashion industry. Learn the key responsibilities, requirements and qualities associated with a fashion buying role or head office position. Investigate a role you would like to apply for and tailer a CV and final portfolio to secure the role. Learning how to market yourself and develop your professional presentation skills

Admissions requirements

Applicants aged under 23 must have successfully completed the Leaving Cert / comparable secondary school examination, or hold another qualification at Level 5 or higher on the National Framework for Qualifications (NFQ). 

Mature applications are welcome and highly valued at Dublin Design. We have a robust Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy in place to support our approach and acknowledge prior learning. For more information on this type of admission, and to request a RPL admissions form, please contact our Admissions Team by email at admissions@dublindesign.ie or by telephone on 01 6790286. 

Payment Options

DDI offer flexible payment plans for this course, which you can access here.  If you have any queries relating to course fees or our payment options please email or call on + 353 1 6790 286

Advanced Entry

Advanced Entry is where an applicant has previous work experience and/or educational achievements that are considered directly relevant to the programme they wish to apply for. In such cases, it is possible to gain module exemptions and / or entry to an advanced stage of a programme. Advanced entry is sometimes referred to as Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and a specific application form for admission through RPL is available here.

Language Requirements

We welcome international students to our courses. If English is not your first language, evidence of proficiency is required. This can be provided through a recognised English test result or qualified by experience e.g. where an individual has been working in an English speaking environment for 12 months +.

 Certification

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded a Certificate in Fashion Buying. 

Progression Options

We encourage our students to look at our short courses as a pathway to other options and courses as well as nationally accredited and internationally recognised degree programmes.

Career Opportunities

This 1-year course provides an insight in to the practical skills needed and commercial world of Fashion Buying. It is a popular course well received by our students and well utilised by our graduates. Upon successful completion of this course, 80% of our graduate’s secure work in the Fashion Buying sector. 

Practical Matters      

As some of our courses are online and others are in the classroom/onsite, please make sure you have checked this specifically for the course that you are interested in.   

Once you have registered for a course, additional information will be provided to you in our ‘Enrolled Student Information Packs’. This pack includes reading lists, materials lists and any other course specific information or equipment that may be required.    

For courses taking place online, please make sure you have access to a computer or laptop, Wi-Fi and that you can access Microsoft Teams. 

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At a Glance

Start Date w/b 25th September 2023
Duration 1 Year
Study Mode Part-Time Day (PTD)
Part-Time Evening (PTE)
Delivery Mode Part-Time Day: In-class
Part-Time Evening: Online
Class Schedule Tuesdays In-class: 10.00am – 5.00pm
Tues & Thurs Online: 6.00 – 9.00pm
Fees €3,100
Accreditation DDI Certificate in Fashion Buying