Profession / role:

Image Consultant

Company / organisation:

Statua Image Consultants

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Consultant

I am looking to discover or buy

Coinsulting opportunities

About me / About business or organisation:

An experienced fashion professional with a strong track record in buying, image consultancy, personal styling and trend presentations. Ability to work under extreme pressure and to tight deadlines. Proven track record in reducing cost base and increasing profit. Broad knowledge of men’s and womenswear markets. An organised, self motivated innovative team player, with strong leadership skills, developing and managing teams to achieve their objectives.

Career history / Company history:

Professional Experience:

Statua Image Consultants Jun 2007 to date
Set up Statua Image Consultants, providing Trend Presentations, Colour and Style analysis, Wardrobe Weeding and Personal Shopping to private, corporate clients and groups. Specialising in helping professional clients achieve personal impact and professional success. Private clients receive 1-2-1 coaching to enable them to look there best within their budget, freeing them from costly errors and ensuring their wardrobe works for their lifestyle. Leading small corporate workshops to empower employees to achieve an impactful image that remains appropriate to their corporate setting.

London College of Fashion Sep 2002 to date
Student Mentor
Mentoring students through their college life, with a specialism in buying and retail. Covering a broad spectrum of students’ needs, from coaching through individual projects and finals, to helping with housing and relationship crisis. A major part of this role involves just being a non judgemental, impartial pair of ears for students to use as a sounding board.

London Business School Sep 1998 to Sep 1999
Events Assistant & Pa to Lord David Currie, Deputy Dean, Prof of Economics & Labour Peer
Events assistant working closely with the Events Manager organising high level events. These included The Stockton Lecture Series with speakers such as Romano Prodi and William Hague, The Ambassadors Reception, and speeches held by PM Tony Blair and Alistair Darling MP. Assisting with the organisation of the Annual Graduation Ceremony for approximately 600 students and their families. Working with Lord David Currie as his LBS based PA. Arranging his diary, organising meetings, general administration work, booking flights and liaising with my counterpart at the House of Lords.

River Island Ltd Apr 1996 to Sep 1998
Accessories, Nightwear and Lingerie Buyer
Buyer of sunglasses, sunglass cases, socks, hosiery, scarves, gloves, belts, hats, nightwear and lingerie with and annual turnover in excess of £15m. Managing a team of 5 and reporting into a buying controller. Sourcing from the Far East, India, Sri Lanka, Italy, France, Holland, Turkey and the UK.

Key Achievements:
 Improved department intake margin by 3% over 18 months whilst maintaining quality.
 Introduced a standard pricing structure.
 Reduced supplier base by 42% giving greater control and flexibility, ending each season with a detailed supplier analysis, setting targets for underperformers.
 Designing ranges with suppliers and in house teams to ensure an exclusive offer that complimented other departments.
 Reduced options by 53% in 1 year, resulting in volume growth of 68% on sunglasses and cases and 75% on socks and hosiery.
 Increased sales on socks by 70% with sustained growth from Aug 1996 to Sept 1998.
 Introduced matching items on all cold weather merchandise, resulting in multiple sales across gloves, hats and scarves leading to 12% growth and reduced markdown of 4%.
 Took over the underperforming nightwear and lingerie departments in Feb 1997, restructured the department with the merchandiser to reduce options and price points. Reduced markdown spend from 50% to 23% in the first season. Reduced supplier base by 70% leading to an over all volume growth of 41% with a final markdown spend of 12% over 1 year.