“Fake it till you make it”: Trainee Retail Buyer roles await graduating students

Two GCU students have secured graduate jobs with one of the UK’s best-known fashion brands.

Final year BA (Hons) International Fashion Branding student Niamh Kennedy and Emma Grant both got the opportunity to complete an internship in February after representatives from NEXT’s Buying and Merchandising team visited campus earlier on in the academic year.

The week-long experience at NEXT’s headquarters in Leicester provided Niamh and Emma with their first in-person insight into the world of fashion buying, giving them the perfect springboard for the next step in their career.

We sat down with both to hear more about their time in Leicester and how it’s prepared them for their new roles at NEXT as Trainee Retail Buyers.

Why did you want to get involved in the initial internship with NEXT?

Emma: “I’ve always known that I wanted to be involved in buying since hearing about the experience of one of our lecturers Nicola O’Hare, who was previously a buyer earlier on in her career. It’s difficult to get an internship as a buyer in Scotland so I’d never actually had the chance to see how it happened in the industry – this just seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

Niamh: “GCU and our lecturers have been amazing in trying to provide us with different opportunities through our time here, but there’s not a lot of opportunities as fashion buyers in Scotland.

“The University’s partnership with NEXT has helped me out a lot, and especially hearing about Nicola’s passion for being a buyer. It sounded amazing so I think we were both desperate to get the chance to actually try it in Leicester.”

How did you feel when you first arrived at NEXT’s headquarters, and what was involved in your role?

Niamh: “It was really daunting at first, you feel like such a fish out of water. It’s what we’ve dreamed of doing for four years and then you show up and you’re suddenly the newbie that doesn’t know too much about what’s going on. It was such a good learning experience and we definitely benefitted from the fact that everyone was so nice over the course of the week.”

Emma: “I was on two days lingerie and three days on the swimwear as a buyer. Niamh and I were based on the same floor, so if something particularly interesting was happening in her team or vice versa then we’d get to sit-in and hear about it. We were involved in so much stuff and got to sit in on all the different meetings, including where they show their new ranges to the directors. It was fascinating to see them all giving their thoughts – just an amazing experience.”

What does the role of a fashion buyer actually involve?

Emma: “The buyers work directly beside the designers. It was a lot more creative than Niamh and I probably thought it would be. The designers essentially come to the buyers with loads of designs and the buyers then whittle them down to what they think the consumers would buy. These designs are then put into ranges for each season and that’s then presented to the head of the buyers and directors.

“You also need to maintain a good relationship with the suppliers. I was on calls with factories in Bangladesh that make the swimwear and working to keep that relationship in place while maintaining quality stays at a good level.”

Niamh: “The role of a buyer definitely depends on what company you’re working for. If you’re working at a department store then you as a buyer basically orders in from shops – you’re not creating any products.

“That’s what was different about NEXT: you’ve got the chance to be a bit more creative and look at consumer trends and what consumers actually want. Buyers also get quite a big say in the actual design process as well, in terms of making something four buttons instead of three or what materials are used.”

You are now both due to start as Trainee Fashion Buyers with NEXT in August, you must be delighted?

Niamh: “Absolutely! We both got a call the same day and it was off the back of the internship that we got the job. We definitely wouldn’t have got this opportunity if we hadn’t gone to the internship. If it had just been an interview then we wouldn’t have had the chance to actually develop a working relationship with some of the people helping make the decision, so it definitely worked in our favour.”

Emma: “I never thought I’d get an opportunity like this. I didn’t think I’d get the internship and I definitely didn’t think I’d land a job like this. If it wasn’t for the internship then I wouldn’t be in this position because it’s so competitive.”

How does it feel to be moving away from home to live down near NEXT’s headquarters in Leicester?

Emma: “For me, I’ve always wanted to move away. I was previously in Madrid for six months, so it’s kind of been something that I knew I had to do – especially if I wanted to do well in fashion.

“It’s going to be amazing because we’ll be staying at what is basically a big trainee house in Leicester. There’s like 19 rooms so essentially Niamh and I will be living together, so even if we do end up in different departments we’ll still get to see each other.”

Niamh: “I am a bit nervous for moving away, but I’m also really excited! I think it’s just that it’s close but it’s also so far – you’re like six hours away by car! I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end and I think it’s really important we take the opportunity we’re given, especially since if I stayed here I’d probably just be working part-time in retail.”

Did you ever expect an opportunity like this when you first started at GCU?

Emma: “I’d never have thought I’d have been at this stage when I first started my degree. The main feelings are probably pride mixed in with relief at having something sorted for when I finish my degree!

“I always knew I’d wanted to do something in fashion but I was never good enough for fashion design  - I wasn’t sure what I specifically wanted to do. Nicola introduced us to the idea of being a buyer and it basically led me on this path, so I’m delighted.”

Niamh: “We started during lockdown so it was very daunting, especially since it was like that for two years. I knew this course was what I wanted to do but I didn’t really have a plan for after that. I was quite apprehensive about going to uni so young, but looking back it’s just crazy how fast it’s all went.

“I also think if you don’t take the opportunities you’re given then you will leave maybe not knowing what to do – you definitely get back what you put in. We didn’t even need a degree to get into NEXT, so it just shows the importance of gaining actual experience and having that confidence to go for different things. You’ve got to fake it till you make it in this industry.”

Find out more about GCU’s International Fashion Branding course here

By Ross Clark             
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter