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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Fashion Assistant

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

FashionDesignMerchandisingRetailStylingCreative

🎯 Role Definition

As a Fashion Assistant, you are the essential backbone of our creative department, providing crucial support that ensures the seamless execution of our design, styling, and merchandising initiatives. You will be the go-to person who bridges administrative functions with creative tasks, making you an indispensable part of the team. This role requires a unique blend of organizational prowess, creative sensibility, and an unwavering can-do attitude. You will be fully immersed in the day-to-day operations of the fashion industry, providing foundational support that allows our senior team members to focus on high-level strategy and creation. This is not just a job; it's a launchpad into a thriving career in fashion, offering unparalleled exposure and learning opportunities.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Fashion or PR Intern
  • Retail Sales Associate (especially in luxury or contemporary brands)
  • Showroom Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Assistant Stylist or Market Editor
  • Assistant Buyer or Merchandiser
  • Junior Designer or Product Development Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

  • E-commerce Assistant
  • Social Media Coordinator
  • Public Relations Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Meticulously manage and organize the fashion closet, overseeing all sample trafficking, maintaining a digital inventory system, and ensuring the space is pristine and ready for appointments.
  • Provide hands-on support to senior stylists and designers during photoshoots, campaign shoots, and fittings, which includes dressing models, steaming garments, and organizing accessories to execute the creative vision.
  • Conduct comprehensive market research and create visually compelling mood boards, trend reports, and competitive analysis presentations to inform design and buying decisions.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for PR agencies, showrooms, and vendors to request, track, and manage the timely return of samples for editorial shoots and events.
  • Prepare, update, and maintain detailed product information sheets, seasonal line sheets, and digital lookbooks using Microsoft Excel and Adobe InDesign.
  • Support the buying and merchandising team with administrative tasks, including purchase order entry, tracking shipments, and communicating with suppliers regarding delivery schedules and discrepancies.
  • Coordinate key logistics for fashion shows and brand events, assisting with model castings, venue research, backstage management, and run-of-show execution.
  • Manage the departmental calendar, schedule cross-functional meetings, book domestic and international travel, and process expense reports for the senior fashion team.
  • Assist in the development and creation of detailed technical packages (tech packs), including flat sketches, material specifications, and garment construction details for manufacturers.
  • Maintain and update the brand's digital asset library, ensuring all product photography, campaign imagery, and video content is correctly filed, tagged, and accessible to relevant teams.
  • Prepare and pack merchandise trunks for on-location photoshoots and press trips, creating detailed carnets and ensuring all items are accounted for upon return.
  • Handle a variety of administrative duties for the fashion department, such as ordering office and creative supplies, managing courier services, and processing departmental invoices.
  • Support the e-commerce team by preparing and styling product for on-model and flat-lay photography, ensuring all looks align with brand guidelines and seasonal creative direction.
  • Assist with the creation of visual merchandising directives and support the setup of showroom displays for market appointments and internal presentations.
  • Compile and analyze weekly sales data to identify best-selling products and slow-moving inventory, providing actionable insights to the merchandising and design teams.
  • Build and foster strong relationships with a network of industry contacts, including photographers, model agents, hair and makeup artists, and PR representatives.
  • Research and source new and innovative fabrics, trims, and potential manufacturing partners to support the development of upcoming collections.
  • Prepare and organize all necessary materials for design and merchandising meetings, ensuring samples, sketches, research, and agendas are readily available.
  • Assist with crediting and captioning fashion and accessory items for online articles, social media posts, and print features.
  • Support social media content creation by assisting with styling for flat lays, behind-the-scenes footage, Instagram Reels, and other digital-first assets.
  • Perform minor on-set alterations and repairs, such as quick sewing, pinning, and taping to ensure garments fit perfectly during shoots.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in the setup and breakdown of showrooms for market weeks and key buyer appointments.
  • Support the social media team by helping to style and source product for flat lays, video content, and other digital media needs.
  • Handle the processing and coding of invoices for the fashion department, ensuring timely payments to vendors and freelancers.
  • Compile and distribute press clippings and media coverage reports to the wider team and key stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (for lists and budgets), PowerPoint (for presentations), and Word.
  • Competency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop (for minor image edits) and InDesign (for lookbooks and presentations).
  • Strong understanding of sample trafficking processes and experience with fashion closet management.
  • Knowledge of garment construction, textiles, and fabric types.
  • Familiarity with the fashion production lifecycle, from concept to tech pack creation.
  • Basic understanding of retail math, merchandising principles, and purchase order management.
  • Experience with calendar management and travel booking software (e.g., Google Calendar, Concur).
  • Ability to conduct thorough online research for trends, market analysis, and sourcing.
  • Experience assisting on-set for photoshoots is highly desirable.
  • Basic sewing and steaming skills for on-set adjustments.

Soft Skills

  • Impeccable organizational skills with a proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously in a high-pressure environment.
  • Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in all tasks from data entry to sample tracking.
  • Proactive and resourceful problem-solver who can anticipate needs and take initiative without constant direction.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills for liaising with internal and external partners.
  • A strong sense of urgency and the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities.
  • A collaborative, team-player mentality with a positive, can-do attitude.
  • A genuine passion for and deep knowledge of the fashion industry, including current trends, designers, and market dynamics.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate's Degree or equivalent practical experience in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Fashion Design
  • Marketing / Communications
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1-3 years of relevant experience.

Preferred:

  • Prior experience through internships or entry-level roles within a corporate fashion brand, fashion publication, styling agency, or PR firm is highly desirable. Experience in a luxury retail environment is also considered a strong asset.
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