A fashion trainee’s responsibilities include assisting fashion designers with their daily tasks and collaborating with a design company’s management team to help implement various initiatives. A trainee’s responsibilities may include developing comprehensive product lines, developing new design ideas, and determining pricing levels for various styles. In the end, a trainee will perform a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment in exchange for the chance to learn about the fashion industry’s mechanics.
The specific responsibilities of a fashion trainee will vary depending on the company where he or she is employed. A trainee for a boutique formal wear fashion designer may be responsible for a set of tasks and duties that are completely different from what a trainee for a casual wear fashion designer would be responsible for. Regardless of the fashion niche, the majority of fashion trainees will be expected to work on the basic tasks that any fashion company requires. Operational responsibilities, such as working with fabric material suppliers, marketing responsibilities, such as assisting in the organization of fashion shows, and basic administrative responsibilities, such as following up with prospective clients, are among these responsibilities.
It is not unusual for a fashion trainee to be involved in the garment manufacturing process. Creating sample mockups of outfits and presenting them to senior fashion designers and other industry executives are common responsibilities for trainees. A fashion trainee will frequently visit fabric showrooms in order to keep up with the latest changes in the fabric industry and to supervise the testing of fabrics used to create garment care labels, in addition to creating mockups.
A fashion trainee may be required to assist in the fulfillment of product orders on occasion. This includes inventory management and liaising with retail buyers to ensure that their orders are fulfilled. If production is not running smoothly, the trainee will be required to create new supply chains that will allow the trainee to fulfill product orders in a cost-effective manner.
Fashion trainees also assist in the creation of fashion ensembles for celebrities and other notable figures for special occasions such as award ceremonies and charity events. It is the fashion trainee’s responsibility to research and develop the appropriate outfit that matches the celebrity’s style and the event’s formality. A fashion trainee may also be required to research and develop clothing solutions for a specific film or theatrical production in which custom clothing is required.