E-Commerce Merchandiser for GUESS?

GUESS? joined FIDM students for a week of discussions, presentations, and fun aimed at educating the student body about the real world of apparel manufacturing, design, and fashion-forward thinking. (Part 2 of 3)

The internet has opened a range of exciting opportunities in merchandising, and Lynn Borne is riding this high on this new world-wide-wave of E-commerce for GUESS? with tons of success. He is the E-Commerce Merchandiser for www.guess.com. He merchandises the web page - laying out products in a virtual store space instead of a physical store floor. Strong ambition and enthusiasm for the apparel industry has shaped his upward career path. What makes up the equation of his success? It's a combination of his great attitude, years of hard work in retail, and most importantly, his FIDM education. During our GUESS? Industry Partnership week, Lynn came to talk with FIDM students about his experiences and to answer their questions about how to land a job in the merchandising biz and what it's like once you get there.

Keeping his dream clearly in mind, Lynn started out running his own T-shirt business. This introduction to the apparel industry propelled him quickly to the next logical step - The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. FIDM encourages students to work in the industry while they attend classes, and this built the bridge he needed for real industry experience. FIDM's career center helped place him as a manager for a GUESS? store in Century City, California. Always on the career path upwards, right away he set his sights on working for GUESS? Corporate.

So just how did he make the leap from retail store to corporate office? With the same intensity and focus that he does everything else. Lynn's ambition was evident to the GUESS? executives who visited his store, and he befriended a GUESS? recruiter. He later approached her about working for corporate and was hired as an E-commerce Associate Buyer. Soon he was promoted to his current web merchandising position.

Lynn told the group, "I remember sitting here where you are now - wondering if FIDM was worth it, and the answer is YES! What I appreciated the most were the networking opportunities. FIDM can get you where you want to be because the college gives you the knowledge and opens the doors for you - but it's your job to be persistent. " Obviously, his is a perfect example of the career rewards of positive persistence!

"Students should interview everywhere they can and be aggressive," he advised. His own experiences taught him that by treating these interviews as practice for the jobs you really want, you'll get better at interviewing and each time it will be easier. Lynn spoke some strong words of wisdom about being prepared for success when he said, "Opportunity is where preparation meets luck." So true!

Be sure to check out Lynn's work on the GUESS? website at www.guess.com.

Lynn Borne's enthusiastic presentation gave FIDM students a wealth of information and inspiration to draw from and apply in their own merchandising careers.