At FGF Industry, young people are not afraid to be at the top of their game

FashionUnited publishes an interview series dedicated to the most
requested professionals in the field of fashion, both by the brands and by
companies active in fashion and luxury e-commerce. We decided to hear from
companies to understand which are the most popular roles and how much can
be earned by those who hold these positions.

This week we interviewed Silvana Fusco, owner and CEO of FGF Industry, a
company that over the years has grown from a small reality of Made in Italy
to an international fashion holding company, which includes, among others,
the Blauer USA brands (of which FGF Industry has had a worldwide licence
for production, distribution and creative responsibility for over 16
years), Ten C and Prince Tees. Fgf Industry’s style laboratory is located
in Villa Borromeo, in the province of Padua, in the North East of Italy,
where some of the most famous clothing companies in the world are located
and which represents an important employment area for fashion professionals.

What are the most sought after profiles now and what will be the most
popular in the coming months?

At this precise moment we are focusing on web strategy and e-commerce,
which have enormous potential for development. A couple of months ago we
launched the new site created to stimulate users in an immediate and
engaging way. The e-commerce section has been enhanced to allow an even
smoother browsing and shopping experience.

From this point of view, the figure of the web strategist is also
increasingly relevant for us, able to set up a communication strategy in
line with the objectives and to analyze the sales trend, trends and needs
of customers and to calibrate image and actions in this direction-keeping
in touch with the communication agency that follows us. Even the production
sector constantly requires professionals who are able to manage all the
processes related to this division. Finally, another fundamental area is
that of sales: salespeople and store managers are sought-after figures.
These are valuable professionals who must be able to make the customer fond
of the store. Let’s just think of the fact that a person to come to the
store must commute to the city center, perhaps by car and with the relative
difficulties of parking: it is obvious that he decides to travel to the
store or showroom because of the professional skills, hospitality and human
relationship.

What do these professions deal with in detail, and what kind of skills
and training should they possess? How much can they earn?

Beyond the ability to establish contact with customers, to know the
product perfectly, to know the languages (English, first of all, Chinese is
a plus) they must also have organizational skills in order to manage the
store optimally. If we talk about man-product, however, it is a
professional who must be able to study trends and fashion flows, analyze
the market, build the structure of a collection, collaborate in the stages
of organization and take care of the sales process. It goes without saying
that he must know the product, the materials, even the most innovative
ones, the market and the competition. His figure is a bridge between the
brand and the activities of the style office. If a professional is good, he
earns about 5-6 thousand euros, but he can ask for more.

Have you encountered or are you encountering difficulties in finding
suitable professional figures for your research?

Let’s say that very often the school trains young people only in one
direction: if we talk about products, the technical institutes provide the
skills but, very often, they do not give a complete view of the work, they
do not encourage young people to think and work synergistically with the
other company divisions. It follows that the professional figures, once in
the company, must develop organizational skills, learn to know the
processes well and, if necessary, become interchangeable.

What are the right characteristics and aptitudes to work in an
environment like yours?

Passion, desire to gain experience, desire to travel, to go abroad,
ability and attitude to the organization, availability. Young people should
not be afraid to be at the top of their game.

Photo: Silvana Fusco; Blauer Usa, ss 2020, from the press office, Fgf
Industry