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?
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Dublin Design Institute is a really great college, amazing location on Leeson Street and really friendly staff. I completed a 1 year part-time Fashion Buying course with Neil McCarthy and Niamh Lynch. They’re amazing teachers, always available to help students and give guidance. It’s a great course if you’re looking to get into fashion buying and build a professional portfolio of work.
Lucy Concannon
Fashion Buying Student 2022/2023
I loved studying at DDI! I've learned so many things through this course, It was an amazing experience for me! I would highly recommend it!
Izabella Dragone
Fashion Buying Student 2022/2023
In January of 2022 I made the decision to up my skills and enrolled into the Fashion Buying course while working full time in the retail industry. I loved every aspect of this course and found it the perfect fit for me as it consists of a mix of both the business side of Fashion but also highly creative. I really enjoyed being introduced to new skills such as Adobe Illustrator and developing my Microsoft Excel skills by building range plans and critical paths. I felt alot of support from my tutors Niamh and Neil who were a massive help and gave us great advice throughout the course. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who is thinking about getting into the Fashion industry and building their skillset. Within 2 months of finishing the course I have secured a Trainee Buyer position.
Claire McQuaid
Trainee Buyer
I enrolled in the Fashion Buying Course in September 2021. From day one I knew this was the course for me and is the course for anyone looking to get into the fashion industry. The knowledge learned is invaluable and you get such an overview of how the buying cycle really works. I never thought I would learn so much and also enjoy every second. Not only that, the lecturers are there for constant support and guidance. You’re never on your own and you make connections that last a lifetime. Anyone looking to get into the buying industry, this is the course for you.
Laura Kirby
I enrolled in this course in 2021 as someone who was hugely passionate about fashion. This course was so much more than I ever expected. The knowledge and skills you gain from just one year, is something I couldn’t imagine finding anywhere else. You do not only get to learn what a Fashion Buyer does, but you undertake so many exciting projects, bringing out creativity you never even knew you had. The tutors are a constant support and although my course was based online, I made so many connections and felt like I knew everyone for years. From developing my own ranges, learning CAD, Trend Forecasting and so on - I loved every second of this course and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to gain experience in the Fashion Industry – whether it is Buying, Merchandising or Design you are interested in, you will learn all aspects of the fashion world
Jodie Lynch
I enrolled in this course while working full-time in a retail setting as I always had an interest in fashion buying, but it has taught me so much more than that. I have discovered a creative side in me that I never knew existed, from drawing & designing pieces using CAD Adobe illustrator & creating my own range plans. My confidence has also grown massively since the beginning of the course, and it has taught me excellent time management skills. There are so many exciting projects throughout the year & the lectures could not be more helpful, and they do a great job in setting us up for success in the future. For only a year-long course the skills & knowledge I have gained are amazing & I cannot wait to utilise them in the future! I highly recommend this course to anybody looking to get an insight into the buying industry, as it sets you up perfectly for working in that environment. In fact, I have since secured a job as an assistant Buyer in Penny's head office.
Chloe Wynne
Through this course I discovered a creative side I never knew existed in me. I made friends and have also gained huge amounts of confidence in myself, my work and presentation. The lecturers work extremely hard throughout the year to bring out the best in us to create some amazing projects as well as giving some amazing advice from their previous experience.
Zara Brennan, Fashion Buying Graduate 2020
Fashion Buyer at Bestseller
This course was a broad insight to the fashion industry and is delivered in a
practical manner which prepares students for the work environment. From
trend forecasting and analysis, range planning, and even using CAD software
which is a highly advantageous skill to have in the workforce, this course has
a fantastic balance between logistical skills and exploring creative elements.
Rebecca Molloy
Intern with Mytheresa.com, Germany. Graduate 2020
I have always had a love for fashion, but with no prior experience in this field I never had the confidence that it could be something I could have a career in - how wrong I was!
The fashion buying course has been absolutely fantastic, and I have learned such a variety of skills from both Niamh and Grace. This included (but definitely was not limited to) brand research, shop reports, customer profiling, competitor analysis, trend analysis, swot reports, range planning, as well as learning how to use Illustrator. Learning these skills has made me feel prepared for when I start interviewing for roles. Not only this, it has also influenced how I shop as an individual, looking at the fabric composition, the quality of the garments, the merchandising, but also the sustainability aspect of the pieces.
What I enjoyed the most about this course is that even though it is focused on buying, there is a also a very creative element to it. This is something that really appealed to me, and has resulted in me looking at going down the design route in fashion. Without doing this course this would never have been something I would have thought possible and is very exciting for me.
I could not have asked for more supportive and helpful teachers and classmates, and highly recommend this course to anyone who is considering doing it.
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.
At a Glance
Part-Time Evening (PTE)
Part-Time Evening: Online
Tues & Thurs Online: 6.00 – 9.00pm