Meet the Buyers: Who's Behind The Clothes at Your Favorite Shops?

Ahhhh, do you smell that? Smells like buying season, folks! Collections being packed, unpacked and packed up again from Paris to New York for all to see. Well, not all, only those that make the big decisions, of course.

We spend a lot of time giving due credit to the designers that put together the seasonal collections we can't wait to get a lookbook glimpse of. And we always big-up the head honchos at the shops that carry them. But rarely does one of the most important pieces of that clothing exchange get the limelight; the buyer. Without their keen eye for what us as consumers want to see in-store, do you know what kind of crap we'd be seeing? Shutter at the thought. It's time to give them the recognition they deserve, as well as figure out what kinds of things tickle their fancy when it comes to buying. Bow down and pay homage, it's time to Meet The Buyer: Who's Behind The Clothes At Your Favorite Shops?

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How long have you been a buyer and how did you get into it?
I've been in buying for 17 years. When I was in college, all my friends were getting jobs waitressing and bartending to make extra spending money but I grew up with my parents owning a restaurant so I didn't want to do that anymore Instead, I got a job at a dress store. We sold formal dresses for proms, sorority dances and the like.I was a terrible salesperson but I somehow always knew what dress a girl should be wearing.Whether she agreed or not is another story. That was my first experience in retail. I graduated as a literature major, worked in book publishing for 1 1/2 years but never forgot how much I loved working in that store. I applied to a few department stores' buying training programs, accepted an offer from Bloomingdale's where I was placed in Men's and the rest is history.

What is your favorite seasonal collection buy of all time?
Umit Benan's first season - I think it was Fall 2009. You can get a little jaded in this business and everything can start to look the same. I was still a buyer at Bloomingdale's and I remember seeing his collection and being so blown away by his new, fresh take on menswear. I'm proud to say that I bought it and Bloomingdale's was the first store to have it in NY.

What brand's collection are you looking forward to getting most for SS13?
Saint Laurent Paris. Hedi Slimane didn't show his Men's line his first season back at the helm and I'm looking forward to seeing the buy on the new Men's Designer 3rd Floor at Bergdorf Goodman and how the customer responds to it.

What advice would you give other buyers just starting out?
Be realistic. What you see on blogs and in street style shots may look glamorous but the travel and the shows are maybe 10% of my job. You need to put in your dues. I didn't start traveling immediately - I've been doing this for almost two decades. Also, not to burst anyone's bubble, but liking math helps. This isn't just about buying pretty clothes, but driving a business and making those clothes sell.

How long have you been a buyer and how did you get into it?
I’ve been insanely lucky in my short retail career to be the manager of Premier Skateshop when I was 18, and now the Buyer for Haberdash EDC at 23. I’ve been a Buyer for about a year now, with an internship and a love for the hunt of finding unique quality products have brought me to where I am now.

What is your favorite seasonal collection buy of all time?
That’s an easy call for me. Any Visvim or Nigel Cabourn collection. Hiroki Nakamura and Nigel Cabourn are masterful at sourcing and creating items with a story behind them. Also, the Indigo Collection by Unionmade. These guys all give me inspiration and set the bar for me to keep pushing my own limits.

My favorite buy that I’ve made so far would have to be S.N.S. Herning AW12. S.N.S. has been making these amazing knit fisherman sweaters and cardigans since 1931, in Herning, Denmark that I could wear every day and last a lifetime.

What brand’s collection are you looking forward to most in SS 13?
I’m looking forward to a lot of awesome collections on the way this season from S.N.S. Herning, RRL and Briefing Bags to name a few. We have also been privileged to work with some amazing companies to create product that will start to show our devotion to crafting quality and versatile products.

What advice would you give to other buyers just starting out?
“Cut back, sell out, and buy more of the best” – Mickey Drexler (J. Crew)

How long have you been a buyer and how did you get into it?
I have been buying for something like 15 years...damn! I first started at Union in NYC....it just kind of happened organically. It was a small store and everyone there (all 3 of us) had the forum to offer their opinion. We would all look at a line and talk about what we liked, what we could sell, what we thought was dope. Over time, I just assumed the role. Probably a combination of seniority and success.

What is your favorite seasonal collection buy of all time?
Fuck! There are so many, that is kind of a crazy question. I am not too good at looking back at collections...I know some people are very nostalgic about stuff like that...like the seminal Raf collections of the late 90's and shit. I am better at certain pieces. That said, one collection that stands out is the first season of Visvim's "G Line". They did these hand washed camo Gortex Jackets that were pretty sick. I almost bankrupt the store by buying too many. We did OK with them but they didn't sell like I expected. Nowadays, those jackets are collector's items and every time I wear mine, people try and buy it off my back, even people who aren't Visvim fans....kind of craze....

What brand's collection are you looking forward to getting most for SS13?
Well, I was blown away by the SS13 Thom Browne collection. It is very directional and kind of loud and bright. I always try and have a little more fun for Spring/Summer seasons and they definitely had fun. We will also be getting Carven men's and Michael Bastian for the first time. I am excited to see how those collections are received. We kind of went HAM on Cash Ca for spring and Visvim is always strong for us.

What advice would you give other buyers just starting out?
Same advice I give all the time..."Do You". At the end of the day you have to live with your selections and if you buy shit that you believe in, it makes it a lot easier to sell than if you buy stuff that you don't believe in. My trick is to try and put myself in the role of the consumer. If I walked into a store and saw this piece at this price, would I buy it?