Intro to Fashion Retail: Trends, Buying & Merchandising Basics

LAPT

London Academy of Professional Training

Certificate

Workshop Level

REF: FS-FBM-W • Fashion Centres • Fashion Business, Buying & Merchandising

6Subjects	18Chapters	72Classes	440Total Marks	60%Pass Mark	LifetimeValidity

At a Glance

Reference	FS-FBM-W
Award	Certificate
Assessment	440 marks — 264 to pass (60%)
Prerequisites	None
Validity	Lifetime
Awarding Body	LAPT — London Academy of Professional Training

Curriculum

How the Fashion Business Works

3 chapters · 12 classes 90 marks

• 1 The Fashion Industry Map — 4 classes

› 1.1 What the Fashion Industry Includes

› 1.2 Designers and Design Houses

› 1.3 Fabric Mills and Manufacturers

› 1.4 Wholesalers, Agents and Suppliers

• 2 From Factory to Store — 4 classes

› 2.1 Fashion Supply Chain Steps

› 2.2 Lead Times and Delivery

› 2.3 Retail Formats: Stores and Online

› 2.4 Brands Versus Private Labels

• 3 The Customer Side — 4 classes

› 3.1 Who Buys Fashion and Why

› 3.2 Price Levels and Market Segments

› 3.3 The Customer Journey in a Store

› 3.4 Online Shopping and Returns

Spotting Trends and Seasons

3 chapters · 12 classes 65 marks

• 1 Fashion Seasons — 4 classes

› 1.1 Spring Summer and Autumn Winter

› 1.2 The Fashion Calendar and Key Dates

› 1.3 Seasonless and Core Items

› 1.4 Festive and Occasion Seasons

• 2 Where Trends Come From — 4 classes

› 2.1 Runways and Fashion Weeks

› 2.2 Street Style and Social Media

› 2.3 Colour and Fabric Trends

› 2.4 Celebrity and Culture Influence

• 3 Trends Reaching the Shops — 4 classes

› 3.1 Stages of a Trend Life Cycle

› 3.2 Fast Fashion Versus Slow Fashion

› 3.3 Judging a Trend's Staying Power

› 3.4 Making a Simple Trend Board

What a Buyer and Merchandiser Do

3 chapters · 12 classes 90 marks

• 1 The Buyer's Role — 4 classes

› 1.1 A Day in the Life of a Buyer

› 1.2 Choosing Products and Suppliers

› 1.3 Negotiating Price and Terms

› 1.4 Buying Budget Basics

• 2 The Merchandiser's Role — 4 classes

› 2.1 A Day in the Life of a Merchandiser

› 2.2 Allocating Stock to Stores

› 2.3 Visual Merchandising Essentials

› 2.4 Replenishing Fast Sellers

• 3 Working as a Team — 4 classes

› 3.1 Buyer and Merchandiser Handover

› 3.2 Talking to Designers and Suppliers

› 3.3 Planning Meetings and Reports

› 3.4 Choosing Between the Two Roles

Reading Basic Sales Figures

3 chapters · 12 classes 65 marks

• 1 Simple Sales Numbers — 4 classes

› 1.1 Units Sold and Sales Value

› 1.2 Best Sellers and Slow Sellers

› 1.3 Stock on Hand and Sell Through

› 1.4 Reading a Weekly Sales Sheet

• 2 Price Maths — 4 classes

› 2.1 Cost Price and Selling Price

› 2.2 Mark-Up and Margin Basics

› 2.3 Discounts and Markdowns

› 2.4 Worked Pricing Examples

• 3 Acting on the Figures — 4 classes

› 3.1 Spotting Problems in the Numbers

› 3.2 Reordering and Clearing Stock

› 3.3 Planning Sale Events

› 3.4 Presenting Figures Simply

Building a Mini Product Range

3 chapters · 12 classes 65 marks

• 1 Know Your Customer — 4 classes

› 1.1 Defining the Target Customer

› 1.2 Customer Needs and Occasions

› 1.3 Setting a Budget and Price Band

› 1.4 Studying Competitor Ranges

• 2 Choosing the Items — 4 classes

› 2.1 Core Items and Statement Items

› 2.2 Colours, Sizes and Fabrics

› 2.3 Balancing the Range

› 2.4 Selecting Items From Samples

• 3 Presenting the Range — 4 classes

› 3.1 Naming and Grouping the Range

› 3.2 Planning Quantities by Size

› 3.3 Creating a Range Board

› 3.4 Pitching Your Mini Range

Fashion Business Careers and Next Steps

3 chapters · 12 classes 65 marks

• 1 Jobs in Fashion Retail — 4 classes

› 1.1 Sales Associate and Store Roles

› 1.2 Assistant Buyer and Merchandiser Roles

› 1.3 Visual Merchandiser and Stylist Roles

› 1.4 Online Fashion Roles

• 2 Getting Started — 4 classes

› 2.1 Skills Fashion Employers Want

› 2.2 Building a Fashion Portfolio

› 2.3 Fashion CV and Interview Tips

› 2.4 Internships and Entry Routes

• 3 Your Next Steps — 4 classes

› 3.1 From Workshop to Foundation

› 3.2 The Foundation Certificate Overview

› 3.3 Setting Your Career Goals

› 3.4 Workshop Review and Reflection

LAPT — 85 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LT, London, United Kingdom
info@lapt.org • +44 7513 283044 • lapt.org

UKPRN 10067351 • Company 4984798
Curriculum current at the date of issue.

Intro to Fashion Retail: Trends, Buying & Merchandising Basics — Certification Brochure