Lisa Elston Assoc. Faculty

Saddleback CollegeFashion Design and Merchandising

Quiksilver

Huntington Beach, CA 

Externship performed March – May 200915202 Graham St., Huntington Beach, CA 92649

Externship Goals:To continue to update the student’s industry skills and bring those to new and existing Fashion classes at Saddleback College.

Bring specific industry tasks and job responsibilities such as tech packs and updated information on how the merchandising team works. Provide tools and outline skills students will need for the merchandising job market.

Externship DescriptionQS Boys, Kids, Toddler & Infant ProgramTo work with the merchandising team creating a “history” book for the department in power point form to include the following information:

Create Consumer ProfileRetail SegmentationProduct SegmentationLine PlansWholesale/MSRP pricing strategy: good/better/best

Job ShadowingRegularly I met with the following people:

Suzanne Ecker, VP QS MerchandisingKelly Dinh Ho, Director, QS Youth MerchandisingDeanne Yap, Executive AssistantStephanie McDonald and Nancy Diaz, QS Boys Merchandisers

I attended production and merchandising meetingsto review lines, costing, and sample delivery.

What is a merchandiser?

Merchandisers work within larger manufacturing companies between designers and production departments.

As described by the VP of merchandising the merchandiser is a “hybrid” position: 51% creative, 49% business /critical thinking. Merchandising positions have increased in the recent years. At Quiksilver, after their recent reorganization, there were less design positions and more merchandising positions.

Merchandising Duties:Market research Line planning and analysisCost analysis

Skills and computer software required:ExcelPower PointMicrosoft OfficeGarment constructionTextile knowledgeMarketing Business Planning & Development

PLM (Product Life Management)PLM is computer software being used in the apparel industry to track the status of a product from design to production. I was able to sit down with the Quiksilver PLM on-site specialist to get a review of the software and how it works. Currently PLM is not being taught in colleges, but would be a highly desirable job skill to have upon graduation.

PLM cyle:Development Process using the PLM system

Merchandisers create a line plan. Within PLM system, a way to organize styles.Designers request pattern/body from technical department.Technical designer creates measurements for style requested. Designer creates BOM. Designating fabric, trims, etc. Tech pack is then created by merchandiser. Includes sketch, BOM and specs.Sourcing logs into PLM system to request a sample request from vendor.Vendor acknowledges receipt of request and updates status of sample.Receive first proto and have first fittings.Fitting notes and changes are sent to vendor with any updates to BOM and spec changes.Once proto approved, then on to pre-production, size set (run) and then T.O.P.

End ResultUsing Power Point and Excel I created a 24 slide presentation for the Boys, Toddler and Infants Division. Topics Included:

Customer ProfileDivision styles by sizeProduct Mix breakdown and chartPricing breakdown by “good, better, best” categoriesPricing strategy by style and departmentCore and vertical competition pricing chartsDistribution strategy from customer data analysisDistribution by outletRetail strengths and opportunitiesMarket research results

MERCHANDISING STRATEGYQSBY

For the future:I will be sharing this information in the following classes at Saddleback College:

Fash 260 Children’s Clothing ConstrucitonFash 235 Designing for the Fashion IndustryFash 289 Special Topics: AIMS certificationFash 289 Special Topics: Pre-productionTechniques

Thank you to everyone who helped me with  this invaluable experience!

Jen Barrios, Senior Merchandiser, QuiksilverSuzanne Ecker, VP Merchandising, QuiksilverKelly Dinh Ho, Director, Youth Merchandising, QuiksilverDeanne Yap, Executive Assistant, QuiksilverStepanie McDonald & Nancy Diaz, Boys Merchandising, QuiksilverLindsay Fox, Department Chair, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Saddleback CollegePenny Skaff, and Tracy McConnell, CTE Saddleback College