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I am an experienced retail buying and merchandising professional, working in leadership roles for multiple global, wholesale and department store retailers. Specialising in own-label product development, I have travelled extensively to design commercially profitable ranges and build strong partnerships with factories of varying scales. I combine a strong grasp of data analysis with a clear creative vision to drive business insights and profitable growth.…I am an experienced retail buying and merchandising professional, working in leadership roles for multiple global, wholesale and department store retailers. Specialising in own-label product development, I have travelled extensively to design commercially profitable ranges and build strong partnerships with factories of varying scales. I combine a strong grasp of data analysis with a clear creative vision to drive business insights and profitable growth.

Katie Powell

Merchandiser, Designer, Brand Designer, +1

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I am an experienced retail buying and merchandising professional, working in leadership roles for multiple global, wholesale and department store retailers. Specialising in own-label product development, I have travelled extensively to design commercially profitable ranges and build strong partnerships with factories of varying scales. I combine a strong grasp of data analysis with a clear creative vision to drive business insights and profitable growth.…I am an experienced retail buying and merchandising professional, working in leadership roles for multiple global, wholesale and department store retailers. Specialising in own-label product development, I have travelled extensively to design commercially profitable ranges and build strong partnerships with factories of varying scales. I combine a strong grasp of data analysis with a clear creative vision to drive business insights and profitable growth.

Available to hire

I am an experienced retail buying and merchandising professional, working in leadership roles for multiple global, wholesale and department store retailers. Specialising in own-label product development, I have travelled extensively to design commercially profitable ranges and build strong partnerships with factories of varying scales.

I combine a strong grasp of data analysis with a clear creative vision to drive business insights and profitable growth.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Language

English

Fluent

French

Intermediate

Work Experience

Assistant Buyer at Kurt Geiger

April 1, 2007 - April 1, 2009

Joined Kurt Geiger in 2007 as an Assistant Buyer on the KG brand; promoted to Junior Buyer after two years to launch the Miss KG entry-price brand. Responsibilities included design direction, range building, and establishing supplier partnerships with factories of varying scales.

Junior Buyer at Kurt Geiger

April 1, 2009 - October 1, 2010

Promoted to Junior Buyer to launch Miss KG; managed early-range development and supplier engagement for an entry-price brand.

Buyer (Women's Footwear) at Urban Outfitters Europe

October 1, 2010 - January 1, 2013

Bought branded and own-brand footwear; grew the own-brand offer, collaborated with external brands and designers on exclusive collections, and improved sell-through and profitability of the footwear department.

Buyer at Dune London (Dune Ladies)

January 1, 2013 - August 1, 2014

Joined the Dune Ladies business and relaunched the Bertie brand; led buying for a large area, collaborating with the design team to create the collection and delivering on financials and business strategies.

Senior Buyer at Dune London

August 1, 2014 - July 1, 2018

Led the Dune Ladies buying team, driving design direction, range build, and strategic planning; mentored team members and realigned wholesale buying structure; contributed to fastest-selling AW season in five years.

Head of Buying at Dune London

July 1, 2018 - November 1, 2019

Head of Buying for Dune Women across retail, wholesale, outlet and off-price; led design direction, range build, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability initiatives; drove revenue growth and superior performance.

Retail Buying Consultant at Columbus Consulting

December 1, 2019 - Present

Provided consultancy on wholesale and retail buying strategies; worked on projects with larger retailers and explored new retail tech and network expansion.

Co-Founder at Wander Studio

November 1, 2020 - Present

Co-founded Wander Studio with a footwear designer; provide design and sourcing services with a focus on sustainable materials and practices for retailers launching footwear collections.

Guest Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University

April 1, 2021 - Present

Delivered lectures and seminars on footwear product development to fashion students at Nottingham Trent University.