In today´s podcast, you are going to learn everything about fashion buying with the creative consultant Adela Alonso. She has tons of years of experience doing precisely that not only in the Middle East but also in Europe and Asia.
If this is a career path you thought you would like to explore, don t miss all her tips and comments. She didn’t keep anything for herself. Listen to the podcast here!
ABOUT ADELA ALONSO
Initially, Adela studied fashion. She wanted to become a designer. When she started working, she realized she loved following up the whole process and so her interest in fashion buying increased. The jump was easy as she is very analytical, and she did it for many years in different continents. One year ago, she decided to start her own company in Dubai.
She found that designers don’t get enough business training at fashion schools. And business people ready to invest in the industry have no idea what will work and what won’t as they don’t understand the nitty and gritty of the sector.
Alonso & Alonso was born to bridge that gap and it is doing really well.
ABOUT FASHION BUYING AND FASHION BUYERS
Most of the designers want to know how to get their collections in front of the buyers. They seem to be hiding and to be difficult to reach. Today you are going to learn what they are needing and how to get through to them.
Fashion buyers’ roles depend on the business model of the shops. Adela worked in Landmark and they have many brands and markets under their umbrella. They have teams of designers, buyers and factories and a very well-oiled work system. Other fashion buyers might be buying for multi-brand shops such as Debenhams, Galerie LaFayette, Bloomingdales, Robinsons or Harvey Nichols. In reality, designers and buyers need each other. You have to make sure that what you offer is right for the shop and their clients and send all the information they will need.
Adela explained to us the trilogy between the fashion buyer, the merchandise planner and the designer. They have to work in total synchrony to make sure the items designed, and produced are desired and bought by the clients. How the different departments work together in order to achieve good margins and benefits for the company.
If you are a designer, you might want to listen to the full interview to learn how to negotiate and leverage when dealing with factories among many other super juicy topics.
Check all the great tips that Adela shared with us in the podcast.
Play it here!
THE WORLD OF RETAIL
Buyers are required to know about trends and what is working and what not. Therefore, they normally visit the shops, read trend reports and watch the street style evolution.
What do shops do when the items are not selling? If you have only one shop, you can put the items on sale and offer them discounted. Also, you can save them for later when the sales are on. Retail space is expensive, and you need to maximize it as much as you can.
If you have more than one shop, you can see where those items have been selling better and send them to that shop using what is called Reverse Logistics. Zara is very efficient in doing this and has a very small ratio of items not being sold.
If the items don’t get to be sold still, you can repurpose it by changing the color or adding some embellishment or something trendy.
If you want to get in touch with Adela Alonso, don’t hesitate to send her an email to adela@alonso-alonso.com and check her website www.alonso-alonso.com.
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LIKED THIS PODCAST?
Then for sure, you will also love our other podcasts!! Check some of our other episodes.
DFN PODCAST: HOW TO BUILD YOUR FASHION BRAND WITH MAIRE MORRIS
DFN PODCAST: BLUE MEETS BLUE – FASHION MEETS HUMANITARIANISM
or
DFN PODCAST WITH ALIA KHAN ABOUT MODEST FASHION AND HOW IFDC OPERATES
DFN PODCAST: UNCONVENTIONAL FASHION WITH WINDE RIENSTRA
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