Fashion Buying and Merchandising

On the BSc (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising course, you’ll explore how products are planned, sourced, and sold, combining creativity with commercial strategy to influence what people wear and how they shop.

You’ll gain a clear understanding of the role of the buyer and merchandiser, learning how they work together to identify trends, build ranges, and respond to customer demand in fast-moving global markets. You’ll study the full supply chain, including sourcing, stock management, and international logistics, and explore how buying decisions connect with design, marketing, and sustainability goals.

You’ll also explore emerging technologies like blockchain, digital product passports (DPP), and AI-powered forecasting tools, including Style 3D, to understand how data and innovation are reshaping the fashion industry.

Through real-world projects and industry insight, you’ll graduate with strong commercial acumen and the confidence to contribute to forward-thinking, responsible buying and merchandising teams.

Features and benefits

• A history of success - Previous students and graduates have won awards at external events such as Graduate Fashion Week.

• Fantastic facilities – Make use of our Mac suites with industry-standard software, and our extensive fashion library - with our own dedicated fashion librarian.

• Collaborative spirit – Work with students from across the Fashion Institute on inter-disciplinary projects, honing essential creative skills needed for the growing creative economy.

• Manchester and beyond – Our network spans the globe, and includes placements, collaborations and live briefs from partner universities, workshops and design studios in China, India, Japan, Norway, Australia, France and beyond.