Retail Buyer
Amsterdam (HQ) /Product & Merchandising – Buying /Fulltime/ Hybrid
ABOUT THE BRAND
At Karl Lagerfeld, we are driven by Karl’s mantra: “Embrace the present and invent the future.”. Always contemporary and forward-looking, the House of KARL LAGERFELD shares the creative vision and design aesthetic of its iconic founder, Karl Lagerfeld. We are the only fashion house that carries Karl’s name on its door and we strive to live up to this responsibility in everything we do, every day, with the utmost joy and passion.
Our headquarters in Paris and in Amsterdam are home to a highly diverse and driven team of KARL family members that hail from over 25 countries. Together, we aim to create meaningful stories and product concepts that connect to Karl’s world and iconic attributes. Women’s ready-to-wear, bags, small leather goods and underwear are managed directly from our Amsterdam headquarters, while other categories, including menswear, footwear, fragrances, eyewear and more, are developed with best-in-class licensing partners.
We connect with our consumers on multiple levels, ensuring that our online and offline approach goes hand in hand. We thrive to maximize consumer engagement via more than 200 KL stores worldwide, our premium wholesale partners, and our strong digital footprint, spearheaded by our KARL.COM flagship store, which reaches 96 countries. Our digital channels currently represent more than 30% of our overall full-price business.
We are a dynamic, fast-growing and inclusive company built on professionalism and strong values. At KARL LAGERFELD we’re committed to working toward the highest standards of sustainability and integrity across all areas of our business,. In 2019, KARL LAGERFELD joined as a founding member of the Fashion Pact, a global sustainability initiative seeking to transform the fashion industry through objectives in three areas: climate, biodiversity and ocean protection.
The Retail Buyer will provide support to the full-price buying manager and will look after the seasonal product assortment & buy for owned and operated full-price retail stores, covering multiple product categories – in-house designs & licenses. The retail buyer needs to manage the store’s seasonal OTB to ensure the optimal buy is reached. Strong communication with all internal departments and a great eye for the product is essential attributes for the role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Responsible for the seasonal buy for owned and operated full price stores; Works with the retail buying manager and product teams to ensure suitable product developments for the retail channel.
- Maintenance of seasonal OTB and re-orders for full price stores.
- Participation in product & buy sign-off reviews.
- Preparation and participation in weekly trade meetings and hindsight meetings to inform buys.
- Identify key opportunities and tactical plans to deliver on the growth targets.
- Analyze historical data to identify and target hits and misses.
- Develops strong relationships with Retail, VM & Marketing to maximize and drives sales.
- Drive, execute and monitor store merchandising strategies across all product categories to deliver a clear visual strategy in store.
- Works closely with allocation to maximize assortments and stock management
- Seasonal store visits
- Undertakes administrative duties to support the buying function
- Keeping up to date with competitor activity and constantly reviewing the product strategy
- Aid in establishing best practices and building processes appropriate for a fast-growing business
THE PROFILE
- Bachelor’s degree in business or fashion.
- 2-4 years’ experience in a similar role or a closely related field at a luxury/contemporary brand
- Previous buying experience at buyer level
- Strong business acumen; Sharp eye for detail and consistency
- Ability to react to changing demands of the marketplace.
- Ability to communicate effectively across all areas of the business.
- Organized with strong analytical skills.
- Awareness of trends, brands and competitors
- Ability to judge and balance superior product design/taste level and commercial viability
- Advanced Microsoft Excel user.
- Able to work independently as well as in a team
- Fluent in English (written and verbal).
Why #TEAMKARL? (HQ)
- Learning and development courses/trainings
- Friday drinks, legendary Summer & Christmas parties
- Opportunity to make an impact
- Remote working arrangements
- Relocation Package
- Bonus holidays
- Working in the heart of Amsterdam
- Brand discounts
- And exclusive sample sales only for #TEAMKARL
JOIN #TEAMKARL
The collective vision of KARL LAGERFELD is to be the most connected global designer brand, inspiring consumers through luxury collections and immersing them in the World of KARL. If you are interested in joining #TEAMKARL, we invite you to submit your application today.
At #TEAMKARL, everyone has the freedom to give their opinion, grow in their career and be part of a genuinely caring and inclusive team. We welcome people from all backgrounds, with different perspectives, ideas and experiences to work with us.
