Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Referees
Timeline
Generic

Loretta Davis

Highton,VIC

Summary

Accomplished Buying Manager offering 16 years of experience in designing, developing and purchasing high quality, on-trend products to meet customer needs. Effective in building strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders and successful in developing a team who not only loves what they do, but also achieves sales results above expectation. Passionate about developing people and continually striving for improvement to product and process. Focused on delivering the best for customers and the business.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work History

Global Girls 2-16 Apparel Buying Manager

Cotton On Kids
06.2021 - Current
  • Provided strategic and design direction for global Girlswear range, growing the business by 17% to $140m - a 40% contribution to the global KIDS brand.
  • Improved first margin by 1% YOY in FY24 and by 2.2% over the last 2.5 years.
  • Reduced option count by 30% while maintaining growth trajectory. Increased GP% through reduced dilution.
  • Planned store space and product flow by style to ensure productivity and achieve sales budgets in bricks stores and online.
  • Led Girlswear Buying and Product Developer team of 12, providing strategic direction, effective professional development and team building. Promoted entirely from within the team, with the lowest turnover rate in the brand.
  • Used trend information, understanding of customer and sales data to effectively trade the business in season, guide forward product direction and identify opportunities for new product lines.
  • Increased sustainable product range to be 60% of total offer.
  • Collaborated with internal Trend, VM and Marketing teams to deliver a consistently positive customer experience across all channels.
  • Travelled internationally to source new styles, negotiate costs and develop buying team.

Global Girls 2-16 Apparel Category Buyer

Cotton On Kids
08.2016 - 05.2021
  • Increased Girlswear global business by 30% to $120m.
  • Led team of 4 Product Developers, providing workload management, professional development and team building.
  • Implemented new ways of working for the KIDS brand during the covid pandemic that allow the team to work seamlessly from home.
  • Identified and introduced KIDS 'Famous-For' ranges, including swimwear, tulle dressing, kinder essentials and fashion woven dresses.
  • Collaborated with well known designer brands such as Kip & Co, Sage and Clare and Alice McCall to produce brand-building campaign ranges.
  • Developed strong relationships with licensor brands such as Disney, Mattel, Hasbro, Bravado to enable growth in brand licensed ranges and sales.
  • Travelled internationally to source, design and place new styles.

General Merch Product Development & Design Lead

Target Australia
03.2013 - 01.2015
  • Identified opportunities for new products and improvements to existing products to increase sales.
  • Conducted market research to understand customer needs and identify potential opportunities.
  • Designed products and packaging across GM, toys and technology departments.


Boys Apparel 1-16 Design Team Leader

Target Australia
05.2011 - 03.2013
  • Produced quarterly trend reports to guide product direction.
  • Designed product ranges in collaboration with buyers and co-ordinated with wholesalers to ensure high quality of product.
  • Led team of apparel and graphic designers.


Boys Apparel 1-16 Account Manager

CK Clothing
06.2008 - 05.2011
  • Travelled internationally to assess retail trends and source new product lines.
  • Managed relationships with key wholesale customers, including Target, Kmart, Myer, Big W.
  • Produced quarterly trend reports for wholesale customers.
  • Designed and delivered high quality apparel product ranges in order to achieve sales budget targets.
  • Managed apparel and graphic designer team.

Education

Bachelor of Design (1st Class Honours) - Fashion/Apparel Design

RMIT University
Melbourne, VIC
10.2006

Skills

  • Positive Culture and Team Development
  • Product and Investment Strategy
  • Market Analysis
  • VM Planning
  • Trend Forecasting
  • Product Development

Referees

Vanessa Matthews - Cotton On Kids Planning Manager

Current Colleague

0402 085 561


Anna Gardiner - Former Cotton On Kids Buying Manager

Former Direct Manager

0422 291 381


Emily Wastell - Former Cotton On Kids Assistant Buyer

Former Direct Report

0468 961 584

Timeline

Global Girls 2-16 Apparel Buying Manager

Cotton On Kids
06.2021 - Current

Global Girls 2-16 Apparel Category Buyer

Cotton On Kids
08.2016 - 05.2021

General Merch Product Development & Design Lead

Target Australia
03.2013 - 01.2015

Boys Apparel 1-16 Design Team Leader

Target Australia
05.2011 - 03.2013

Boys Apparel 1-16 Account Manager

CK Clothing
06.2008 - 05.2011

Bachelor of Design (1st Class Honours) - Fashion/Apparel Design

RMIT University

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Loretta Davis