“Fashion is all about dreaming and making other people dream.”-Donatella Versace.
Fashion is loved by many people who all long for new styles and trends. Fashion merchandisers are the people who lead, predict and practice what happens in the fashion industry. This job would charm anyone who loves fashion, and I am not an exception. My deep love for fashion is the reason for my strong will to become a fashion merchandiser. I strongly believe that the multicultural and business background that I have gained while studying abroad will be valued for this job. FIT is specialized in what I truly want to study. I am certain that this school will teach me a lot, and will lead me to the fastest route for achieving my goal.
I love fashion. It is pleasing and fascinating. One garment can contain all the efforts and devotion of many people. The internship experience that I had at fashion vendor company, Poongin, broadened my vision about fashion and what it is like to work in the society. Hundreds of people work as a team to make one style of clothes stocked in the store and that was my favorite point about working as a merchandiser. The internship that I had at Poongin taught me a lot about the hidden effort and work behind making one garment that was unimaginable before I started working. All the people were involved as a part of the process and everyone shared hardship and fulfillment. I was one of the team members and I loved the sense of involvement. I am good at working individually but my strengths increasingly stand out while working in a team.
I have an advantage that I have studied and worked in hotels. Hotel management taught me various models about the business part of the hotels and customer service. The three month internship that I had at the hotel, Dragon Hill Lodge, gave me a lot of lessons in dealing with customers and I have no doubt that it will definitely help while working as a merchandiser since it is also dealing with customers and clients. The skills for dealing with people cannot only be taught from books, the experience is an essential factor. I went through a few months of internships and part time jobs in different places, and that educated me to deal with different types of customers.
My multi-cultural background is one feature that makes me remarkable among many others. I believe this will help to bring new perspectives into the fashion industry. I studied in many different countries since I was 12: Korea, Vietnam, China, and the US. I encountered and experienced new people with different nationalities and cultures, which made who I am now. I think it is very important to embrace many different cultures and not to fear facing new things as a fashion merchandiser who lead the fashion trend. I was always in challenging situations, such as facing difficulties due to linguistic and cultural differences, however, I have never been overwhelmed. I overcame the obstacles every time and I learned to demonstrate flexibility. I used to be introverted and afraid to talk to people who I first met, especially, if they are foreigners. Nevertheless, I am immune to that and rather love talking to people now. All my cultural experiences got rid of the inhibition that I had.
Fashion business management and creativity are very important part of the fashion industry. It is not only about making clothes, it is also about selling, marketing and designing them. I have already experienced those processes through the internship at Poongin. The most fabulous part of this job was that I could see all the process from design to the actual garment. Also, the sense of accomplishment that I felt when the clothes we worked on were actually stocked in the stores for sale was unforgettable. I want to feel that pleasure again in the future.
I am convinced that fashion is what I want to have as my future career. Fashion has triggered my interest more than the hotel industry. Fashion merchandising perfectly fits my working style as we work in teams, utilizes our creativity, and is communication oriented. Since I have a clear goal set for myself, I will definitely put my greatest effort and focus. This passion towards fashion, my experience gained through different internships, and my multi-cultural background are my strengths and these will never be wasted studying and working for the fashion industry.
