Retail and Visual Merchandising Director, Greater China

Innovative, uncompromising, romantic, provocative, upholding the power of emotion and the touch of the human hand: these are all elements that describe the fashion of the house of Alexander McQueen. The brand is synonymous with modern British couture, renowned for its strong identity and celebration of unbridled creativity. Integral to the McQueen culture is the juxtaposition between contrasting elements: femininity and masculinity, fragility and strength, tradition and modernity. Under the creative direction of Sarah Burton, the house produces critically acclaimed collections, driven by unparalleled vision and respect for craftsmanship. Burton was made Head of Design for womenswear in 2000 and was appointed Creative Director in 2010. The luxury brand was founded by Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992. Among the greatest fashion designers of his time, the legacy of his work lives on.

SUMMARY

This is a newly created position responsible for leading the Retail Merchandising and Visual Merchandising function in Greater China, by formulating the merchandising planning, buying strategies and visual merchandising to support and drive the business.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• To work closely with the relevant HQ functions and Regional Management Team on planning and delivering a strong business strategy that will aid the further success of the merchandising functions
• To develop, formulate, and execute key merchandising strategies, partnering with Retail to ensure objectives are aligned and KPI’s are met
• Oversee the buying flow to optimize sales and inventory efficiency across Greater China
• To manage the OTB, pricing strategy, and market analysis to ensure that the sales and sell-through targets are met across all categories and stores
• To collaborate with Retail to manage new product and season launches, ensuring product availability, aligning to the global calendar, with an aim to achieving the necessary KPI’s
• To collaborate with Retail and Communications functions on planning and executing effective strategic projects in building product awareness and boosting sales performance
• Undertake in depth analysis of the buy to study past sales and current trends to identify any risks and/or growth potential, ensuring alignment to the global strategy whilst defining the optimal regional assortment
• Oversee VM to ensure display strategies are met, aligning to the global guidelines
• Travel to seasonal buying camapigns and market visits is required

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor Degree in Fashion Retail & Management, Textiles or other related disciplines
• Minimum 10-year relevant experience in fashion merchandising/buying with international luxury houses
• Strong fashion and market sense with solid high-end fashion buying experience
• Experience in managing and buying for the China market is preferred
• Possess extensive knowledge in merchandise planning
• Well organized, self-initiative, excellent analytical, presentation, and communication skills
• Good team player with strong sense of responsibility
• Fluent in written and spoken English with spoken Mandarin
• Computer literate, including excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office

• Full time
• Asia
• Mainland China