1. The Buyer’s Edition
COMPOSURE MONTHLY INSET MAGAZINE
BY MARTYNA, MAEGAN, ALESSIA AND YAWA

2. WHAT IS A BUYER?
COMPOSURE| the job
As a Buyer, you select the items that will be stocked in store, based on both
fashion forecasting trends and what you predict will be popular with shoppers. A
fashion buyer must also negotiate the prices and details of delivery with garment
suppliers, to attain the targeted margin without compromising the quality of the
product. Most importantly, a buyer needs to stay current with fashion industry.
“The most important qualities that cannot be taught are enthusiasm and self-
motivation, all else can be taught on the job. If one has some of the above
qualities and is willing to learn the rest, they have the potential to become a
successful buyer.” Senior Buyer for Arcadia.
The most important
qualities are
enthusiasm and
self-motivation
“
”kEY SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

3. expected salaries| Composure
Buying
Manager:
45k+ per year
Junior Buyer:
26-29k per year
Buyer:
35-38k per year
Senior Buyer:
38-43k per year
Assistant Buyer:
20-25k per year
Buyer’s Admin
Assistant:
17-20k per year
Head of Buying:
anywhere between
50k and 90k per
year
We spoke to a number of sources, to find out the one thing nobody wants to
talk about: money!

4. If you remember, how did you feel the first day working within
the industry?
Scary, I was a graduate trainee and had never lived in London.
I started on the shop floor in aa department store called
Everything with Chips with some very lively characters called
Wilma and Lily who kept me very entertained. My feet really
hurt and at the time I had no idea about anything IT but
learnt a lot about London gay clubs!
What prompted you to choose this/that career path?
Saturday job in Boots which I loved, joined the grad training
scheme but had no idea which path would follow, was initially
interested in marketing but changed my mind when the
men’s tie buyer took me on an appointment with him, I was
captivated.
Would you say that having some sort of fashion background
or generally creative background is essential for a job within
womenswear buying?
No , I studied History at Uni. They like open-minded people
who can make decisions, humanities are good base subjects.
However high st brands may like a fashion background.
Textiles is useful for garment tech.
Any tricks of the trade?
Know what your competitor is going to do before they do;
network as it’s a small industry that loves a gossip. Learn to
say no, over optioning makes poor ranges and always ends in
mark down.
Any advice for newcomers within the industry?
Expect to work hard, the first year is hell! It gets better and
better as you progress. Take up every
opportunity to travel young. Get on with your
merchandiser.
What were your daily responsibilities whilst
you were working within the industry?
It changed all the time, I started as an assistant
Buyer in Hosiery and was responsible for
meeting suppliers daily and ordering basic
stock. I was also responsible for chasing the
deliveries and getting it onto the shop floor as
fast as possible. I was then promoted to Buyer
of accessories & started to develop ranges and
travel. I spent a lot of time in leather factories
in Italy. Designer and contemporary Buying
was my real challenge, great product, massive
egos and very long hours. Lots of travel and
RTW shows. Managing brands at this level is
very challenging.
What prompted you to leave working with in
the industry and an educator with the FRA?
Got fed up with travelling and wanted my
weekends back. Love working with young
people so teaching was a no brainer although
I really miss the money and the store
discount!!
How did you get into your role at the FRA?
Started just popping in to do talks in 2006 and
gradually got the teaching bug.
Any big learning curves made whilst within
the industry? Or any horror stories that proved
valuable learning tools?
Loads.…markdowns! Once when doing a buy
at Miu Miu I was persuaded by the VM team
to buy neon rara miniskirts as they wanted to
do a window with them. Sell thru 0% despite
marking down by 75 %, my boss took a photo
of the rail of unsold horrors and stuck it on
his wall. It still haunts me! If in doubt say no!
And never drink on the job, especially in Italy
where lunch is part of the experience.
Any good stories?
The old Buyers had all the good stories, my
old boss used to talk about the days in the
70/80s when they had a gin bar under the
escalators where deals were done. The Buyers
were famous for their long lunches. Selfridges
has a table in the board room that all the
celebs used to sign when visiting the store, it
is worth a fortune.
“
”
A DAY IN THE LIFE | COMPOSURE
Never drink on
the job, especially
in Italy where
lunch is part of the
experience!
We spoke to Debbie, a buyer from Selfridges who went on
to lecture at the FRA, to get her trade secrets.

5. Why did you choose this career path?
I loved product from an early age. My
grandma taught me how to sew and knit
and I love making things. No day is ever
the same, and l get bored easily. No day
is boring in Buying !
Do you need a degree for your job
role?
Textile Management - Ba Hons
Leeds university
Year in New South Wales Australia
What are your daily responsibilities on
the job?
- Working closely with the owner Chrissie
Rucker to deliver her product vision.
- Managing the buying team and supply
base to deliver this.
- Setting the Seasonal Strategy.
- Setting the Product Direction to deliver
increased Profit year on year.
- Working with partners in Retail, Direct
VM to deliver the product vision.!
What skills are essential for the job?
- Communication! Good communication
is critical.
- Organization, time management, and
photographic memory for product! (we
work across 4 seasons in a week)
- Negotiation skills, ability to develop your
own a style and manner that can help
you get what you need!
- Gut instinct and a great eye.
- A passion for product, you’ve got to love
it! Some days are tough and that gets
you through.
Where do you see yourself going from
here?
I’m happy at The White Company for
the next few years. I hope to retire to the
Alps and have my own business.
Why did you choose this career path?
Love clothes and equally love motivating
and growing teams.
Do you need a degree for your job
role?
Yes
What are your daily responsibilities on
the job?
- Accountable for the strategy,
management, direction and team who
produce our clothing ranges.
- Creative and commercial direction.
- Collection development and sign offs.
- Supplier relationships.
- Commercial and financial planning.
- Team development and management.
- Sales analysis and Customer
understanding
- Leadership at Board level
What skills are essential for the job?
- Vision.
- Customer knowledge and
understanding of market changes.
- Financial and commercial
accountability.
- Communication skills.
- Understanding of global supply chain.
- Corporate and social responsibility and
price negotiation.
- Product development from sketch
through to production.
- Marketing and brand communication.
Where do you see yourself going from
here?
Consultant/ Mentor/ Advisor/ Non Exec
Director. I secretly would like to write!
Why did you choose this career path?
I knew from a young age that I wanted
to work in a creative environment, either
in art or fashion. I was lucky to have the
opportunity to start working in a buying
office and have stuck at it.
Do you need a degree for your job
role?
Most people have a textile or fashion
related degree, but there are people
in the team who have got here without
a related degree. I studied textiles at
Winchester school of art.
What are your daily responsibilities on
the job?
- Delivery of commercial range of
products on time that will deliver the
sales.
- Working closely with the design, tech
and merchandising teams.
What skills are essential for the job?
- Organizational skills
- A problem solving mind set!
Where do you see yourself going from
here?
There is always more you can learn
and do, even within the same role. I am
passionate about my category so I am
happy to stay put for now.
HEad of buying, the white company
knitwear buyer, the white company
clothing director, the white company
COMPOSURE | BUYER PROFILES

6. travel
job perks | COMPOSURE
As a more senior Buyer, you can expect to travel from time to time. There are two purposes
for travel trips: factory visits, to ensure production is going well and there are no problems;
and inspirational trips, to gain new insights and inspiration for future collections.
NEW YORK
The fashion capital
of the United States,
hosting fashion shows,
magazines and head
offices. Likely to be
visited on shopping and
inspirational trips.
LOS ANGELES
The burgeoning fashion
city, with a laid-back
surfer style, is tapped
to be one of the next
fashion capitals. Home
to many street-wear
brands and young
creatives, there is
growing opportunity for
brands and it’s a great
place for inspiration.
MILAN
Considered one of the
leading global cities in
the world, Milan excels
at art, design, and
fashion among other
areas. With a history
that dates back to the
Roman Empire, it is
perfect for inspirational
trips and as one of the
key hosts of Fashion
Week it’s perfect for
Buyers to visit.
PARIS
Long hailed as the
traditional home of
fashion, called “the
church” of fashion by
Hedi Slimane, Paris
is world renowned for
its history in fashion.
The city that invented
haute couture, Paris is
perfect for shopping and
inspirational trips.
BANGLADESH
Located in the Bay of
Bengal in South Asia,
Bangladesh is one of the
most populous countries
despite not being one
of the biggest in size.
It’s apparel export to
Western Brands is
second only to China,
and it accounts for 77%
of the country’s total
exports.
MAURITIUS
An island nation located
in the Indian Ocean,
the country’s growing
textile trade is making
it a popular sourcing
destination. Promising
skilled workers and low
minimums, more and
more companies are
using factories located
here.
PAKISTAN
Located in South
Asia, with a coastline
along the Arabian Sea,
Pakistan is considered a
“cradle of civilisations”.
Having been home to
many ancient cultures,
it is packed with history.
Cotton production is
growing each year in
Pakistan, setting it as a
key player in the textile
industry.
CHINA
The second largest state
by land size, located in
Asia with a population
of 1.38 billion people.
Shanghai is the reigning
fashion capital of China,
and is expected to soon
surpass America as the
largest economy. As of
2013, 43% of the world’s
goods were sourced
from China.