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