The general perception of Romania’s fashion and the auxiliaries elements of it, sometimes are viewed in a wrong way and the lacquer of information and prejudices combined with a local air are the first things that dominates a discussion about this subject.
Although in many countries, this profession of buyer, is view as one of the most important positions in a big company of retail- like Harrods, Colette, Harvey Nichols and Macy’s- and the mass-media considers the buyers like real stars, in Romania this type of profession it’s only at the beginning. This is why I decided to write this material with the purpose of making known the concept of buying, a position that influence the commercial ‘s future of luxury labeled brands, their presence on certain market and the profit of retailing companies from the upmarket area.
This positions may be observed in Romania due to enormous effort of 5 important woman (Carmen Seitan, Stefania Nanin, Iulia Dobrin, Dorothy Constantin, Cristina Mihart) and their fantastic budgets allocated in order to maintain the connections with brands like: Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta, Lanvin, Gucci, Moschino and Armani.
We will learn from them the qualities that a buyer should have, the importance of this job in the world of a profile company, about negotiations, the problems of an difficult market and also the success of this kind of work.
From the beginnings of the ’90’s, she was one of the first pioneers that assumed the risc in the domain of luxury fashion and now she’s the manager of the newest boutique MOSCHINO, the multi-brand store DISTINTO and the men store’s CANALI.
“ The buyer is a very important position in a retail company because he must maintain the balance between fashion trends and what clients would like to wear. The whole business depends of the decisions taken by this person. So , he must know very well the budget allocated for each season and to make the selection of clothing, accessories and shoes. There are many elements that influence this position like: this size of the store, it’s potential and the financial results of the previous selling season. Sometimes I try to stay away from my style in order to create a mix of spectacular and must-haves pieces.”
With an experience of 13 years in this domain, she made the successful selections for brands like MAX MARA, ERMENEGILDO ZENGA, PAL ZILERI and now she’s making buying for EMPORIO ARMANI.
“ A fashion buyer is the person that makes the selection of an collection from a specific label which will be selled on a certain market. This selection must be made having at the base the market’s demand and the company’s politics. In many cases, in Romania, the fashion buyer position is hide behind many positions: shop manager, brand manager, managing director, boss, the boss’s wife etc. The buyer must know the latest fashion trends and to know very well the brand, to be a good manager, to be active in the process of selling, to evaluate very well the evolution of the selection made and to adapt herself at the clients demands.
The key-elements for a buyer:
-the experience in the retailing domain
-the interaction with clients
- to make predictions on the selling market
The importance of a buyer in a company:
In Romania there is no such thing as culture in this domain and this is why many of retailing luxury stores had been closed because the retailers didn't had this culture of the buying concept.
A special look from Armani, in this season it will be the lather blazer with chains on the raver with tulle skirt-smart skirt perfect with the perfect fit of an shorter one. Also the swimwear may be use a s a top under the blazer with a wide belt of lake and heels or platforms.”
Above the success that she had with the I.D. SARRIERI brand, she’s the manager, starting from 2007, of one of the coolest places in Bucharest, a concept store with an unique mix of avantgarde and classicism, THE PLACE.
“ A buyer should have a vision about fashion, history and it’s evolution, to make the interpretation of trends, a well defined style and in the same time to think out of box not only for her but also from the client’s perspective. It’s very important also to have knowledge in retailing domain and fashion because we are talking about a job with strict rules even if it’s considered as making part of a glamour domain.T he advantage of having an concept store is that you have freedom to discover and choose designers that are IN and not OUT.”
She is at the begging of her carriere in the world of high fashion, and she made it to bring in Romania one of the biggest brand in the world, GUCCI- the store is located in one of my favorite ares from Bucharest, in the same place as Hilton Hotel-.
From her point of view a successful selection for a store made by a buyer it’s based on the combination of the commercial issue, creativity, the enthusiasm for the fashion world and the flexibility of program. the budget must be made with 6 months before the buying process and the products must be buyed with six months before their presentation in the store.
Dorothy CONSTANTIN -my favorite-
She has in her portfolio more then 50 brands and she makes the selections for VICTORIA 46, DAY&NIGHT, PETITE’S and VICTORIA MEN.
For her the most important things are the potential of an brand on a Romania’s market and how does it integrate itself in the store’s mixture.For this job is very important not to follow the fashion, but to be with one step in front of it. For this season, she recommends the tailoring and the texture; the applications are less important. You may wear skirts and long dresses with an super-flu air, with a t-shirt, transparency, the trousers-not the skinny ones- LOTS of NUDE but also vibrant colors with messenger purse, platform shoes or stiletto hills.
AND ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU THAT starting from this season, at Victoria 46, we will be able to buy Isabel Marant, Charlotte Olympia; in autumn Celine, Moncier Gamme Rouge. And a new store in Baneasa, The Code, with brands like: Zadig&Voltaire, American Retro, Iro, Vanessa bruno, Zoe’s Tee.
