Highly motivated, customer-focused individual with proven track record in developing emerging trend businesses as well as right sizing core product categories. Strengths include passion for product, building strong cross functional relationships, improving process efficiencies and talent development. Responsible for building and implementing merchandising strategies that align with all brand aesthetics while meeting financial expectations as well as consistent consumer and competitive research.
• Managed merchandising strategy across multiple categories utilizing a launch calendar to emphasize story telling that aligns with customer mindset.
• Developed long term brand building potential through Pipeline cross functional team to bring technical innovation and category newness to market.
• Leveraged regular business analysis, hindsight recaps and customer/store feedback to influence pricing and promotional strategy to maximize top line sales and profit.
• Navigated challenging business landscape and eventual sale of La Senza in January 2019. Led team with clearest possible direction and continual optimism.
• Attend and present in weekly and monthly financial meetings with executives, planning and marketing partners to review business and discuss upcoming strategies.
• Continued close partnership with Design and Concept team to align business financial needs with pre-season creative work. Minimized spin and rework of major concepts as well as ensured development ratios were relevant.
• Led and developed merchant team to drive both product and financial strategies for top and bottom line sales growth for tops division. These categories combined for over $200M in annual sales with continued positive comps.
• Continued drive to understand the customer's ever evolving needs and wants as well as competition in both pricing and product. Visited stores locally each month and in different markets across the country each quarter to hear firsthand feedback from customers and store associates. Shared findings with cross functional team and leadership to ensure all members of the team kept the customer at top of mind.
• Became merchant representative for total brand to help negotiate through tough inventory situation caused by port issues in spring 2015. Partnered with allocation, planning, visual and store comm to maximize inventory levels across all channels while striving for best possible collection presentation in stores
• Prepared and presented product & financial information for Division weekly in our Executive Business Review, as well as discuss promotion results, markdowns and exit strategies.
• Partner with planning and merchant teams to conduct seasonal hindsight financial reviews, as well an in depth product, fabrication and detail review with design, trend and tech teams.
• Met regularly with allocation and planning partners to ensure the best delivery strategy for incoming product, as well as store/sizing opportunities to maximize margin.
• Strong ability to develop merchandising strategies for key business category. Met or exceeded sales and margin projections 3 years in a row.
• Developed and executed “black book” wear test for new Perfect Form ™ fabrication to gain market insight and customer friendly verbiage. Planned and executed marketing and visual strategy with cross functional partners that took fabrication to $25M in sales for bottoms category from $1.6M the prior year.
• Took our proven fabric category, Ponte and increased FP sales 150% to over $14M in 2014 by developing a forecast for the 4 key styles that met visual standards, represented marketing, exceeded IMU targets, and mitigated risk while maximizing sales potential through a planned chase strategy
• Became key liaison for Sportswear division CFT to ensure all common details were being reviewed across departments.
• Participated in overseas jump trips at critical times to ensure key production dates were met, key styles were fit approved on site and cost negotiations were done in person for maximum efficiency.
• Owned additional project of maximizing our top volume driving “WTW Store Group” to maximize inventory and assortment, utilizing depth in proven categories as well as exclusive choices to drive business.
• Managed and analyzed business metrics to increase sales and profitability and minimize risk and markdowns.
• Worked regularly with cross functional partners to ensure product details are executed properly
• Built strong presentation and communication skills.
• Partnered with design to ensure the vision of the product was reflected and supported our strategy needs.
• Portrayed strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Mastered technical resources to support business needs.
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