"stilis" da "arqiteqtorTa klubis" - Style Magazine

Fashion
Merchandising
in Georgia
Georgian educational system offers fairly good study opportunities in the sphere
of practical design, but provides no access to any specialized education programs
in fashion management, fashion marketing, fashion merchandising, fashion advertising,
fashion journalism, etc. In the meantime, the majority of foreign universities pay as
much attention to these professions as to design courses proper – abovelisted subjects
are intensively taught in such popular fashion education schools as Fashion Institute of
Technology and Parson’s School (USA), Saint Martin School and London College of Fashion
(UK); one can choose between four-year bachelor degree courses in Fashion Merchandise
Management and short summer courses, focusing on such subjects as Introduction to Fashion
Buying and Merchandising, etc.
Fashion merchandising is one of the most important areas of fashion business. Shops
can just follow the existing fashion trends or act as trendsetters, but they are always obliged
to know their consumers, be aware of their requirements and anticipate their wishes. I am sure
that active application of fashion merchandising is the most efficient tendency nowadays. This
is caused by actual necessity of coping with increasing competition and other difficulties while
selling various products (especially at the top end). As we noted, in our country fashion merchandising
is a comparatively young, underestimated profession. It was not really necessary in
the past, when the market was almost empty, but now the situation has changed and we should
consider new requirements... I took time to systemize researches published by foreign scientists
and the experience of shop networks and buyers, and developed an educational program
in fashion merchandising, which can provide student designers with extra specialization in fashion
business.
This educational program, titled “Fashion Design with Additional Specialization in Fashion
Merchandising” is unique for Georgia. Extra specialization will allow the graduates of this
course to work on the verge of fashion design and fashion business.
According to the mentioned program, fashion designer / merchandiser is a wide-profile
specialist with professional education in selling of clothes, footwear, accessories and
beauty products. Having studied retail sale promotion methods, young designers will be
able to maintain positive image of the trademark, match the choice of merchandise
with the consumers’ requirements and contribute to increasing the efficiency of fashion
product sales. In other words, complex approach toward training in fashion design
and fashion merchandising provides young specialists with extra opportunities to
fully realize their potential and successfully adapt to professional environment.
Considering this, it is important that Tbilisi State Academy of Arts adds the
mentioned program to the range of its graduate study courses. Certain
steps toward satisfying modern education requirements have been taken
already, but local education system in general is still open for expansion
and adjustment.
Nino Mgaloblishvili
Professor Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
2012
stili #42. 2012
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