Andy Hui
Assistant Merchandising ManagerWho are Esquel Apparel?
We are a vertically set up company manufacturing both woven and knit cotton shirts.
What is a typical day in the role of an Assistant Merchandising Manager like?
Essentially what we do is support the sales team with the appropriate products and services being provided for the customers. The days can be very dynamic, where I deal with different things in response to different situations each day. Sometimes it can be designing fabric patterns with CAD, other times it’s designing garments, but a lot of the time it’s presenting the customers with the collection (the customers themselves can be buyers or designers of clothing companies). Most important of all is working with the factory side to make sure things have been executed correctly.
What qualifications do you need for this role?
Usually, a candidate should have a degree in either fashion, textiles or merchandising, but as customers now want more and more design, a fashion design background can be very helpful.
What skills does this job holder rely on most?
Most importantly, a certain sense of fashion and garment making knowledge. Fabric understanding is important too, but that can be learnt on the job. Communication and people skills are also vital.
If you had to pick one positive and one negative aspect of your job what would they be?
The most positive aspect of the job is that it involves all areas of the business. The negative would be that you never have the final say, the end customers always do.
What can an Assistant Merchandising Manager move on to?
You can become a Merchandising Manager, and, eventually, a merchandising Director who looks after all the product and merchandising proposals of the company.
In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently when you were trying to get into your industry?
I wish I had been more flexible and able to learn all aspects of the business. Also, I would never have treated the lower price point with an attitude when I started out, since they are all important and part of the fashion business.
