Fashion’s changing professional landscape puts hybrid skills in focus

The fashion industry is increasingly looking for professionals who can work across creative, commercial and strategic functions, according to three lecturers from IED Firenze’s postgraduate programmes interviewed by nss magazine. The discussion comes as fashion roles become more specialised while also requiring greater flexibility between disciplines.

Giorgio Ammirabile, who teaches Creative Direction for Fashion, emphasised adaptability as an important skill as the industry changes. Svenja Niessen, from Fashion Merchandising and Buying, highlighted the need to identify industry shifts and develop new solutions, while Fashion Business Coordinator Alessandro Maria Ferreri argued that creative professionals also need a stronger understanding of business processes and costs.

The discussion reflects the growing overlap between creative direction, merchandising, brand management, curation and textile innovation. IED Firenze’s postgraduate offer includes programmes covering these areas, alongside a master’s degree focused on textile design, materials and circularity.

For fashion students and educators, the conversation points to a professional landscape in which technical specialisation remains important but is increasingly combined with business awareness, strategic thinking and the ability to collaborate across disciplines. Rather than focusing on a single traditional job title, emerging professionals may need to develop skills that can transfer between different parts of the fashion system.