"I WANT THIS JOB" - ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR BUYER V.2

Hey lovelies! How's your weekend going? 

Gosh, it's been a while, but really, I've been dying to share part two of "I want this Job" Footwear Buyer for Topshop, since Jo has moved onwards & upwards and I wanted to follow up on what she's up to now. If you missed part one, check it out here first. You'll find that Jo spills the beans on what it's like to have a career in Fashion Buying along with a sneak peak into what it's like working for another amazing British High Street brand.
 

Where do you work?  Whistles, London
Job title: Buyer - Shoes and Accessories
Qualifications:

Ba Hons Fashion, BAA (Buyers Admin Assistant) at BHS 2000-2002, AB (Assistant Buyer) at Dolcis 2002-2003, AB at TOPSHOP 2003-2006, JB (Junior Buyer) 2006-2008, Buyer 2008-2010, Designer and Sales 2010-2012, Established Buyer 2012.

 
What does the job involve? 

Responsible for building a balanced range in terms of price points, end-use, mix of casual/dressy and core range/top store. (imagine a pyramid - the bottom tier is the core/main range - the top being the design/top store pieces -smaller buy) We work on 3 hits per season - phase one, phase two and high summer or Xmas and it is bought as a collection so everything ties in together in terms of the colour palette, trims, prints, silhouettes and details creating a considered, confident and cohesive collection. 

This is put together working closely with the designer and the merchandiser, looking at past best and worst sellers and new emerging trends. Finally when all the samples are back, the range plan is worked out with the merchandiser and presented and signed off with the management team.

  via Google images

What's your general day to day working pattern like? 

Monday is always the busiest. We go through all the sales and figures from the week before and forecast the sales for the following week. (This is a huge wadge of paper with all the styles etc which all Buyers have to go through to check the sales figures/how fast/slow something is selling, I remember the first time I saw one of these and was incredibly overwhelmed) We analyse each style in terms of sales and react accordingly. If something is selling well we will look to repeat it quickly or move it on with something newer that might take those sales as long as it fits with the on-coming trends and collection in store. 

If something has reacted poorly whether its a style, colour or trend, we try to amend and adjust any orders placed that are similar and pose a threat to our sales, The rest of the week is spent working with the team (design, merchandiser, Assistant Buyer and BAA).... 
Chasing samples and re-working them, fitting and confirming black seal samples, confirming production samples, chasing delivery dates, placing orders, negotiating prices, meeting with suppliers, strategising the on-coming season, trend research (using blogs, magazines, websites such as net a porter and style.com). We also try and get out to shops as much as we can to look at what the competition are doing and look for new ideas from aspirational brands and vintage stores.

 via Google images

Working hours? 

9am until 6pm but sometimes work late and when we're travelling the hours can be long!

 
Travel: Buying trips? What trade shows do you attend, trips abroad etc?  

Lineappelle leather fair in Bolognia, Premiere Classe in Paris, Micam shoe trade fair in Milan. Shops - Paris, New York, Milan, LA, HK.....Factory visits in Brazil, China, Spain, Portugal and India. There's a lot travel involved but you generally have someone to share it with!

 
What do you love about this job? Any extra perks? 

The beautiful product, the buzz, the lovely, creative and passionate team.  

Our inspiring visionary, CEO Jane Shepherson. We also have amazing sample sales where we can buy something that's not in store yet for a tenth of the price and all proceeds go to charity.

 Remi Chain Necklace £65 - I just adore this so much!

What's not so great about this job? 

Not sure - its all great at the moment! Sales are good, but when sales are down its tough - as with any business - and requires some quick thinking, strategic planning and some risk-taking!

 
How different is this role compared to your Buying role at Topshop? 

The customer is more mature with a higher disposable income so she comes into the store looking to invest in an item. She has high expectations in terms of quality and styling and is generally a loyal/frequent shopper so the range planning is really focused around this and the collection is considered, planned and phased throughout the season, rather than a rolling, monthly buying calender that is a lot more reactive to sales and has a large amount of different options.

 Kir Royale Suede Boot £150 here

 
What you wish you'd known & advice to anyone looking to get into the Buying industry?  

Hard to answer this as every company is different and the buying role can be as creative or as number crunching as you make it. Advice would be for anyone getting into buying to target a brand you are passionate about and identify with. Success can come from having good taste levels and a personal love for the product. You have to be able to juggle alot at the same time and be flexible in the a fast paced environment. Change occurs a lot due to sales reactions, new trends emerging or price/lead times making things unworkable so you have to be adaptable and motivated to move forward constantly and learn from your mistakes.

 
Everyday essentials:  

Trainers or ballet pumps, 2 blackberries (one work, one personal), Chanel rouge Coco shine lipstick, Chloe love perfume, Mulberry diary and notebook, Benefit hula bronzer, calculator, business cards and my new LULU Frost for Whistles statement diamante necklace (online now!)

 
You've been a shoe product developer/designer, which celebrity would you love to design a shoe for and why? 

 I love Rita Ora! - maybe I could come up with the ultimate heeled hi-top trainer for her?! ;0)

 via GQ mag

Any style secrets you'd like to share?  

Not sure I withhold any secrets but if you want to be the envy of everyone in your office, lectures or local pub then this seasons varsity jacket from Whistles is a must and you can get your initials sewn on - need I say more?!

 
As a Buyer, what's your attitude to shopping, seeing as you always work a season ahead? Is it not difficult buying accessories and footwear? Do you prefer to invest in key pieces with longevity? 

It's not difficult but can certainly make a dent in your bank account! Absolutely all about investing in key pieces...buy less and pay more seems to be a growing trend. De clutter your wardrobe and invest in key staple pieces that you'll wear and love for years, Plus you save time in the morning trying to decide what to wear!

 Pure sophistication: Beatrice Box bag £85

 Which beauty product can you not live without? 

Carmex, Bobbi Brown extra eye repair cream and L'Occitane shea butter hand cream  - nothing else will do!

Thank you so so much Jo! I hope you all enjoyed this!

For more fashion careers in the "I want this job" series, please click here.

x.o.x.o 

"I Want This Job": Luxury label Senior Womenswear Designer

Hey everyone!
Who's been excited & blown away by fashion week so far??? I'm loving everyone's highlights of either their fave collections and overviews of AW12/13 rtw... Pretty much fell in love with Jason Wu, Temperley, J Mendel... sigh. There's so much gorgeousness that makes me actually love the winter season more. Been catching up slowly with what the fash pack wore too over at Lee's blog - LeeOliveira & also Tommy Ton on style.com.

I've been dying to share this next "I Want this Job" feature for a while now, but since I can't exactly reveal who she works for (- I don't want her to get in trouble with PR/HR folks!), perhaps I can mention the prestigious luxury label is showing today at LFW. Today's feature is on Senior Womens Wear Designer & style maven Tanya. She is about to give us the low-down on one of the most-wanted jobs around!

Camille Miceli, Jewellery/Accessories designer at Dior via Nowness

What do you actually do?
I design a second line for a luxury fashion brand based in London. On a day to day basis I spend my time drawing, doing fittings, preparing research boards, communicating with our factories and product development team. I travel both internationally and in the UK visiting factories and fabric fairs. I am also involved in lookbook photoshoot, critical path planning and print direction.

What's your typical working day like?
See above. I start at 8.30-9am usually and have breakfast at my desk! I am away a lot and also work at home on days I have lots of sketching to do. I also tend to have meetings scheduled in most days for range planning, print direction, fabric sourcing, design hand over, fitting and sales & marketing direction, plus feedback. I try and eat lunch away from my desk and I tend to finish around 7pm ish.

What core responsibilities do you have as a Senior womenswear Designer?

• Critical path planning & range planning
• Direction for the season including concept and theme
• Print direction
• Mood and colour boards
• Designing the collection including detailed specs (aka flats: technical drawings of the garment showing stitches, measurements & info) for handover to the pattern and product development teams
• Fitting: both prototypes and production fits
• Fabric selection
• Trim selection
• Pricing structure ensuring fabric and CMT prices for for retail structure
• Strike off (product sample) approvals
• Trim specs
• Showroom set up
• Seasonal presentations to sales/ press
• Model selection/castings
• Lookbook styling and direction on the shoot

What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working on RTW for SS13 putting together colour palettes/research boards and initial design concepts

Yohji Yamamoto's sketches in progress via Nowness

Does the preparation of a season's collection take a lot of time?
It should do but I often find I spend most of my time travelling and in meetings and increasingly spending less time actually designing the collection. I have recently taken on an assistant designer and that is helping to spread the load!

What do you love about this job & why is it so fabulous?
I love the fact everyday is different and I have control over my working day.

Is it as glamorous as it sounds being a designer?
Absolutely not!!! There are always great perks but the travelling and long days are exhausting and I regularly miss social invites as I am away!

Designer's Inspirational sketches for SS12 via Instyle.com

Do you design digitally or the old school way, sketches by hand?

The brand I work for favour the old school sketching by hand which works for me as I am definitely not an illustrator girl. I still illustrate my designs on the figure as I think it is really important to think about how they will move when worn.

When designing a range/collection, are you very aware of the competition and what's out there? Do you design with the The brands signature style in mind? What's going through your mind when creating something?

I am very aware of price points and what is happening in the market. I work on a second line and I think you have to be to make a collection successful as what retails well is often not the obvious! I have to make sure everything works for the brand identity but I am always informed by price/manufacturing constraints etc as well as wanting to create something new.

How 'hands on' are you in terms of overseeing samples get made to the final product being manufactured?

Very! See above, I am involved through to production sealer samples.

Emma Cooks research mood board, via Nowness

What piece have you been most proud of that you designed & have you seen anyone in anything that you specifically designed?
It is often the pieces you don't want to see! Amy Winehouse was photographed in one of her famous court appearances in a piece I had designed which greatly amused me and the rest of the team!!!

Have you travelled anywhere exciting with this job?
I travel quite a lot, mainly Tokyo, Hong Kong, China, Paris, Portugal and across the UK!

What's not so great about this job?
The fact I work on a whole collection which includes all product areas.

What do you do to get inspired when you have those blah days?
Sometimes you just have those days and you have to step away for a few hours! If not, I wander round Portobello followed by Dover Street or liberty!

Which trade shows, prediction fairs, fabric fairs etc do you visit/go to regularly?
PV Paris. (Première Vision - World's leading fabric & textiles fair held twice a year - I remember those horrid 4am starts to get to the Eurostar then having to spend all day concentrating on fabrics then catching last train back to London - tiring stuff!)

What (technical) skills are required to be a great Designer?
I think you have to know how things go together and have a wide knowledge of machinery and finishes. I don't think you can expect a good product at the end if you do not have a good idea how the process is achieved. The best designers I have ever met are technically very gifted too.

What's the career path like (Education - courses you took, work experience & training to get to where you are now)?
I did an art foundation followed by a BA at Kingston University in Fashion Design. From there I had several roles as design assistants at luxury brands in London before landing this role.

How did you find your dream job as a Designer?
Through an agency. Design jobs only tend to get filled through design agencies or word of mouth!

Would you ever like to set up & launch your own label in the future?
I don't think so. I think success is not always down to the amount of work you put in, especially when it comes to fashion, and I wouldn't want to risk everything for that. I also love working in a team so I would find it hard working on my own in the beginning.

beautiful illustration by Elisa Mazzone

What advice & what do you have to say to the next ambitious graduates or anyone, particularly for those hoping to follow in your footsteps as a designer?
Think about why you want to work in fashion. It can be incredibly rewarding but it is also relentless and cut throat. It is not the glamourous lifestyle most assume. You have to love clothes but more importantly the mechanics of how they work.

Huge thank you to Tanya for sharing this with us!
x.o.x.o