Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Oliva:

Knowing trends ahead of other people sounds like heaven! But first, let's get the terminology straight. A fashion consulting firm would be a business that tells people what to wear. You are probably talking about a trend forecasting service.

The trend forecasting industry is a very small market. Generally the way in is to get an internship, then hope that you get hired. The entry level position would likely be administrative assistant, and you would have to work your way up through the ranks. Trend forecasting is a "pay your dues" kind of job. Eventually you would become involved in providing trend information. An example of a trend forecasting service is Here & There, which has a website at www.hereandthere.com.

Another aspect of the trend forecasting business is "buying services." They provide information to Buyers so that they can know what's going on in the market. Again, you would gain experience in this area by working as an intern, then gain an entry-level position as an Assistant Market Analyst, working your way up to Market Analyst. An example of a buying service would be Doneger (www.doneger.com).

If you're interested in becoming a Trend Forecaster, a good fashion college such as FIDM with a Merchandise Marketing major can provide you with the foundation of knowledge about the fashion industry that will make you an asset to a trend forecasting or buying service. Then, our pro-active Career Center can help you with internships and job leads in trend forecasting services.

Sincerely,