Start Your Fashion Merchandising Career

Fashion Home | Fashion Careers | Find Fashion Schools

Interview with Roberta Pasciuti

Senior Merchandiser
Juicy Couture
Years in Business: 6 years

by Annika Wallendahl

The hours are long, the work is demanding, but for Roberta Pasciuti the job is just right.

Pasciuti graduated six years ago from the Design and Management program at Parsons The New School for Design. She currently works as the senior merchandiser of jewelry, fashion accessories and men's accessories at Juicy Couture.

What exactly is a fashion merchandiser?

According to Pasciuti, there are some common misconceptions about careers in the fashion industry. "So many people—especially when they are just starting out—are expecting fashion to be very glamorous and full of parties and great, fabulous clothes and all of that," Pasciuti says. "It's a very different reality. The role of merchandising is really to link all areas of fashion and manage the business."

"You're working with design, product development, production, marketing and sales. You're helping to marry the design vision with the financial goals." Pasciuti works with a large group of people. At Juicy Couture, which is owned by Liz Claiborne, there are thousands of employees.

"There are a ton of different projects. You're always overseeing the progress of your line. Some fashion merchandisers might have much more focused responsibilities, but I do a lot of different things. I have three divisions that I manage: Juicy Jewelry, Juicy Fashion Accessories and Juicy Men's Accessories."

What is a normal day like for a fashion merchandiser?

School Spotlight

The fashion industry is more than creativity and passion - it's also extremely competitive. That's why The Art Institute's fashion programs focus on the creative and business aspects of this fast-paced industry. Find a campus near you.

"The typical day in this industry can vary so greatly," Pasciuti says. "You have to be ready for anything—you don't know what the day will hold." Analyzing numbers, working with designs and viewing samples are all in a day's work.

"The job takes on many different personalities," she says. "You're working with so many aspects of the company that you need to be prepared for anything and be able to multitask in order to accomplish your work."

"I get to wear many hats—a fashion merchandising job doesn't let you get bored." For Pasciuti, that same unpredictability is also the most challenging aspect of the job. "It goes both ways. You really have to be able to switch gears and do one thing one second and something completely different the next. You're always on."

While tasks may vary, one thing that is consistent from day to day is the high level of commitment required. "You need to expect to put in at least 60 hours a week," Pasciuti says. "With a brand like Juicy, where it's really growing, you need to put in the time and effort to
make it happen."

Advice for fashion merchandising students

What did she learn in school that has been useful? Pasciuti says, "Everything. I have to say that Parsons was a really great program for what I am doing now. I came into the industry very well prepared."

Pasciuti recommends that students choosing a fashion merchandising school look for a well-balanced program with lots of financial and analytical courses, computer training that includes Microsoft Excel, and international business courses. While in school, she recommends that "you get in a lot of internships beforehand, so you know exactly what to expect."

"Make sure you're passionate about it," Pasciuti advises.

Is it all worth it?

At the end of a busy week, Pasciuti says all the hard work is worth it.

"It can be very rewarding. If you're passionate about what you do, you can definitely see the payoff, which makes you feel good. It's great to see an idea go from concept to actually hitting the retail stores and seeing it sell," Pasciuti says. "In a lot of other areas, you have a certain sense of ambiguity. You have a feel for what's going to be good, or you feel something's working, but you don't have that same measure of success."

Fashion Home | Fashion Careers | Find Fashion Schools