Rosy Boardman

This textbook is a comprehensive guide to fashion buying and merchandising, covering fast fashion, environmental sustainability, ethical issues, omnichannel retailing, and computer-aided 3D design. It presents an up-to-date buying cycle that reflects key industry realities, with detailed explanations of fashion product development, trend translation, and sourcing. Fully updated, this second edition expands its sustainability focus, underscoring the crucial role of ethical practices, and responsible sourcing and production. It examines global consumers, markets and networks, providing a thorough understanding of how international trends and cross-cultural influences shape buying decisions. Financial drivers of the industry are analysed in depth; from budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management, to profitability, it offers essential insight into fashion retail's financial foundations. Digital approaches are embedded throughout, demonstrating how technology and data analytics have transformed merchandising. From online retail strategies to AI in trend forecasting, this book equips readers with skills needed for digitally-driven markets. Voice of Industry case studies deliver real-world perspectives and practical applications of contemporary theories, supported by chapter objectives and summaries to shape learning. This book is ideal for fashion buying and merchandising students, particularly advanced undergraduate and postgraduate fashion business students. It is also valuable for academics and practitioners seeking deeper industry understanding. Online supplementary resources include PowerPoint lecture slides and a test bank.

This textbook is a comprehensive guide to fashion buying and merchandising, covering fast fashion, environmental sustainability, ethical issues, omnichannel retailing, and computer-aided 3D design. It presents an up-to-date buying cycle that reflects key industry realities, with detailed explanations of fashion product development, trend translation, and sourcing. Fully updated, this second edition expands its sustainability focus, underscoring the crucial role of ethical practices, and responsible sourcing and production. It examines global consumers, markets and networks, providing a thorough understanding of how international trends and cross-cultural influences shape buying decisions. Financial drivers of the industry are analysed in depth; from budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management, to profitability, it offers essential insight into fashion retail's financial foundations. Digital approaches are embedded throughout, demonstrating how technology and data analytics have transformed merchandising. From online retail strategies to AI in trend forecasting, this book equips readers with skills needed for digitally-driven markets. Voice of Industry case studies deliver real-world perspectives and practical applications of contemporary theories, supported by chapter objectives and summaries to shape learning. This book is ideal for fashion buying and merchandising students, particularly advanced undergraduate and postgraduate fashion business students. It is also valuable for academics and practitioners seeking deeper industry understanding. Online supplementary resources include PowerPoint lecture slides and a test bank.

Fashion buying and merchandising has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Aspects such as the advent of new technologies and the changing nature of the industry into one that is faster paced than ever before, as well as the shift towards more ethical and sustainable practices have resulted in a dramatic change of the roles. As a result, contemporary fast fashion retailers do not follow the traditional buying cycle processes step by step, critical paths are wildly different, and there has been a huge increase in ‘in-season buying’ as a response to heightened consumer demand. This textbook is a comprehensive guide to 21st-century fashion buying and merchandising, considering fast fashion, sustainability, ethical issues, omnichannel retailing, and computer-aided design. It presents an up-to-date buying cycle that reflects key aspects of fashion buying and merchandising, as well as in-depth explanations of fashion product development, trend translation, and sourcing. It applies theoretical and strategic business models to buying and merchandising that have traditionally been used in marketing and management. This book is ideal for all fashion buying and merchandising students, specifically second- and final-year undergraduate as well as MA/MSc fashion students. It will also be useful to academics and practitioners who wish to gain a greater understanding of the industry today.

Fashion buying and merchandising has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Aspects such as the advent of new technologies and the changing nature of the industry into one that is faster paced than ever before, as well as the shift towards more ethical and sustainable practices have resulted in a dramatic change of the roles. As a result, contemporary fast fashion retailers do not follow the traditional buying cycle processes step by step, critical paths are wildly different, and there has been a huge increase in ‘in-season buying’ as a response to heightened consumer demand. This textbook is a comprehensive guide to 21st-century fashion buying and merchandising, considering fast fashion, sustainability, ethical issues, omnichannel retailing, and computer-aided design. It presents an up-to-date buying cycle that reflects key aspects of fashion buying and merchandising, as well as in-depth explanations of fashion product development, trend translation, and sourcing. It applies theoretical and strategic business models to buying and merchandising that have traditionally been used in marketing and management. This book is ideal for all fashion buying and merchandising students, specifically second- and final-year undergraduate as well as MA/MSc fashion students. It will also be useful to academics and practitioners who wish to gain a greater understanding of the industry today.