Experienced Accessories, Jewellery, Kidswear and Home Buyer . Creative and passionate product developing buyer with sound commercial awareness across luxury and high street brands. Experience working internationally and travelling regularly across the world has allowed me to gain a wide knowledge of trends and processes within the fashion accessories and home gifts areas. Breadth of experience across several product categories including fashion accessories, both mens and womens including, home and gifts as well as stationery and beauty as well as childrens wear and accessories. Far East experience gained through living in Hong Kong product developing and sourcing for a European brand directly from China. Luxury fashion product development experience gained within a luxury British high street brands. Specialties: •Product development and range building. •Price negotiaions. •Critical path development and managment. •Extensive knowledge of international product sourcing and development. •Supplier relations. •Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, naturally personable and outgoing character.
Leading the Buying and Design teams in the development and building of mens seasonal suiting, outerwear and shoe range for a range of in house brands.
Founder of a luxury jewellery brand based in Belfast. The aim of Becca Calmont is to provide timeless demi-fine jewellery using a range of reclaimed precious and semi precious materials. Each piece is designed to be cherished for generations and aims to have minimal impact on the enviroment. We pride ourselves on sourcing etichal and recycled materials across all aspects of the business. I am proud to say we became profitable in our 13month of trading. I am responsible - For all design, development and production of collections - Conducting design consultations with clients and making finished commissions - Building and maintaining website - Sales and order fulfilment - All sales and marketing across social media
Working with Karin I was responsible for managing the Broadway market pitch on selected Saturdays. This involvled visual merchandising and set up of stock, delivering and taking customers bespoke orders and repairs, marketing and sales and stock taking.
At Jojo Maman Bebe I was responsible for all childrens and baby clothing buying. Managing a small team of Junior, Assistant and buyers admins we sourced and developed across multiple categories including wovens, jersey and accessories as well as seasonal products such as swim, outerwear and footwear.
Working with a range of clients on critical path management and implementation, new product development projects and sourcing. Clients included Jigsaw, Olivia Burton, Sweaty Betty and Craft NI.
Working on a freelance short term basis with Jigsaw. Creating critical paths for all product categories and reviewing accessories supplier base.
After returning to Jaeger reporting directly into the Head of Buying I was responsible for the development and buying of all accessories covering bags, belts, small leathers, jewellery, scarves, shoes, gifts etc. This consisted of 240+ options with a value of £5.5 million seasonally. While at Jaeger I: • Developed and bought the AW13 gifts buy, signing off at 3% above target margin and introducing several new items into the AW13 range. Solving the challenge of creating a luxury gift range in a short period to fit with the design and new direction of the brand. • Worked closely with suppliers to solve issues with the bag department adding in vital styles and price points for AW13, which required quick development and extreme price negotiations to improve margin and delivery. Increasing the bottom line margin by 1.8% (0.6% above overall target margin) • Managed the team through a difficult transition period of change on the department. Developing and encouraging the junior members as well as interviewing candidates for new roles within the department. Setting personal development plans and conducting reviews with the team. • Presented the AW13 and SS14 collection to press and retail teams highlighting key selling points and educating the team on all areas of the accessories department. • Created trend directions and conducted supplier visits to develop SS14 and AW14 jewellery and scarf ranges. • Worked closely with the accessories designers to create the SS14 handbags and small leathers as well as ensuring the critical path was maintained at all times for leather products. • Working with the wholesale and design teams to create collections specifically for ASOS ensuring styling and pricing are correct for both the Jaeger and ASOS customer. see less
Monsoon Accessorize is a British fashion brand with over 1000 outlets in 70 markets across the world. Working for Monsoon I was responsible for the home gifts and accessories department, reporting directly to the Buying Manager, I; • Was responsible for the gifts and scarves departments as well as developing a shapewear hosiery collection for AW13 launch. • AW13 Gifts Options – 120 Total selling value - £2.2 million, signing off the range at a further 3% above target margin. Increased the gifts intake margin by 4% points for AW12 vs. AW11. • AW13 Scarves Options – 37 Total selling value - £1.5 million. • AW13 Shapewear Hosiery – Options – 10 Total selling value - £0.75 million. • Created a buying critical path for the gifts department and implemented it to ensure the range flowed with the womenswear and accessories departments. • Created the first gift line to enter the company wide top ten in weekly sales in SS12, and improving this for AW12. (AW12 bestseller - 1085 units sold 1st week in store 58% 1 week sell thru). • Developed and delivered highly successful Christmas decorations collection trading at +44% on the year off -35% stocks for AW12. • Created SS13 collection, which sold at +77% to plan in 8 weeks trade at the time I left Monsoon. Traveled to the Far East seasonally conducting factory visits and supplier meetings to develop styles and negotiate contracts as well as travelling to the United States and Europe to visit trade shows and conduct trend research. • Reacted to trade in season, working with suppliers to ensure a fast turn around of repeats and replacements maintaining quality, design and margin • Created company awareness of the home gifts departments, developing relationships to ensure wider public knowledge of specific home product and increase press coverage and sales. • Identified new styles and product opportunities, sourcing and introducing these to the collection. see less
UFB is an international retail company with more than 150 stores in 9 countries across Europe, Russia and USA. German brand ladies young fashion brand with offices in London, Hong Kong and LA. Working for this fast-paced value brand based in Hong Kong I: • Developed and purchased all accessories bought in Asia including jewellery, belts, scarves, gifts, gadgets, winter accessories, sunglasses, wallets and bags (Month of June 2011 Options – 53 Total Selling value €3million, AW 2011 Winter accessories Options – 35 Total Selling value €5.8million). • Traveled regularly to mainland China to visit factories and suppliers and to ensure that products were correct and place orders. Attended trade fairs to source new suppliers and products. • Presented product and sales figures regularly to company owners and senior management. • Managed all orders from concept to delivery to ensure products were commercially viable for the brands’ various markets. • Managed assistants ensuring smooth running and development of the department and team. • Planned range to meet target margin and customer needs and drive sales to increase profit. • Moved sourcing of bags and wallets from Germany to Asia maintaining quality and improving price. see less
In my three-and-a-half year career at Jaeger I worked across all accessories product areas including not only all fashion accessories, but also, home and bed linens. In my final position I was responsible for the three largest accessories departments’- jewellery, scarves and handbags. As an Assistant Buyer at Jaeger I : • Developed jewellery, scarf, handbag and sunglass collections working closely with the Buying Manager to ensure that products were correct for customer base. (AW10 Total options – 233 Total selling value - £4.7 million) • Solely managed jewellery, scarf and sunglass collections from conception to delivery, briefing in design specifications and negotiating all costs. • Designed and developed knitted, printed and woven scarf ideas and matching accessories, putting these into work with British, Italian and Far East suppliers, ensuring cost and aesthetics requirements were fulfilled and maintaining delivery targets and quality at all times. • Managed the Buyers Assistants and interns in the department, ensuring that all necessary tasks were carried out correctly to guarantee the smooth running of the department and critical path targets. • Met regularly with suppliers for briefings on all sampling for future seasons. • Merchandised samples for meetings both within the company and with international partners. • Presented product for sign-offs at all stages. • Negotiated prices and terms for new and existing suppliers. • Worked closely with the Accessories Buying Manager briefing in samples, researching competition and helping develop a theme synonymous with Jaeger quality and design which was translated to the Jaeger handbag collection. • Worked intensely on the AW09 home and gift range with the Senior Buyer completing the final buy in the interim period when buyers changed. This range sold fifty percent up on like for like sales against AW08. see less
Rebecca was a fantastic colleague to work with. She is incredibly creative, hard working and dedicated. Her attention to detail is second to none which was always reflected in every product she developed. I would not hesitate to recommend Rebecca.
Rebecca is a fantastic team player, along with having excellent leadership qualities. She remains calm under pressure, is professional and incredibly personable. Rebecca was a supportive and loyal colleague and an absolute joy to work alongside.
Rebecca is a focused Buyer. She understands the customer well and has a great eye. An amazing negotiator and fantastic people person, Rebecca is very good at building strong and productive relationships with suppliers and colleagues. Her strengths cover sourcing, ranging, managing margin, achieving deadlines and working closely with marketing to maximise sales. An asset to any business
Rebecca was a delight to work with. She is incredibly commercial, had fantastic knowledge of the brand, she's hard working and built strong relationships across the business. She was an asset to have on the team and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her.
I worked with Rebecca for 5 years at JoJo ,she is hardworking and likable with a good understanding of multi product buying. She develops excellent working relationships with her suppliers and is a keen negotiator. Having sourced across the Globe Rebecca has a varied understanding of the complexities of international supply chains and the challenges they bring . I would have no hesitation in recommending Rebecca for a similar role.