ASHLEY AVONA
Newport
Summary
Experienced professional buyer skilled in strategic sourcing, vendor negotiation, and inventory management. Collaborates effectively with teams to achieve exceptional results. Demonstrated expertise in market analysis, contract management, and supply chain optimization. Recognized for reliability and adaptability in meeting changing needs.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Buyer - Women’s Petite & Plus Apparel
BELK
07.2023 - Current
- Curate and execute merchandise assortment for both national and internal brands that aligns with current trends and consumer buyer habits
- Develop and maintain working relationships with vendors and suppliers while negotiating all cost, deliveries and unit buys
- Deliver weekly reports to ensure buying strategies achieve financial sales targets, profitability and inventory turnovers
- Built lasting partnerships with suppliers through consistent communication and collaboration efforts, fostering trust and reliability within the supply chain network.
- Drive growth through the development of buying strategies with SKU count, breadth and depth, newness and margin
- Collaborated with planning to drive all promotional strategies based on current business, last year results and competitive analysis
- Create monthly color and print inspiration and direction for various vendors to build a cohesive separates floor pad assortment. Utilized petite product white space and capitalize on previous brand style successes to ensure we offer a profitable product assortment
- Leveraged strong analytical skills to evaluate sales data, driving better-informed buying decisions that maximized profits.
Senior Merchandiser-Omni Channel, Women’s Sweaters
TALBOTS
10.2018 - 07.2023
- Own and manage Sweaters for omni channel missy, petite, plus & plus petite
- Owned, assorted and managed the sweater product category across 4 size concepts totaling $221M+ sales and 800+ sku’s a year
- Created and presented seasonal product and financial strategies to Senior Executive Team supported by business learnings, data and trends
- Planned all buys for each size concept while working with a planning partner to manage topline inventory and sales
- Developed and managed associate and assistant merchandisers and ensured they were effectively trained in the multi-faceted role of merchandising
- Drove catalog and store strategy, outfitting and placement of all sweater product
- Simplified and streamlined cross functional documents and processes by combining various documents and procedures
- Lead design, production, and planning teams on all stages of product life cycle & calendar dates
- Strong understanding of target customer, market trends and competitive brand awareness
Senior Merchandiser-Omni Channel, Women’s Tees, Active/Lounge & Swim
LUCKY BRAND
04.2017 - 10.2018
- Owned and managed Graphics, active/lounge and swim categories
- Implemented and executed seasonal strategies, line plans & product offerings to help grow owned business with positive quarterly comps for the 2017/2018 year
- Managed a product portfolio of over $30M for Women’s Fashion
- Established an internal and external chase calendar by fabric platforming with internal factories and creating strong relationships with outside 3rd party market vendors
- On boarded multiple private label brands in order to chase into new trends and best-selling silhouettes and fabrications
- Converted our in-house core graphics business into a true T-shirt business by growing the range of offering outside of just graphics tees
- Worked with a planning team to manage the open to buy and analyze business on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis
- Traveled four times a year to factories overseas with cross functional partners to fit, close costing and make all garment approvals
- Reported directly to Chief Merchandise Officer
Merchandiser-Retail, Ecom, Wholesale, International and Special Sales, and Outlet
LUCKY BRAND
07.2015 - 04.2017
- Owned and managed all of women’s fashion categories and assortments
- Managed a product portfolio of over $67M in Women’s Fashion
- Implemented and executed seasonal strategies, line plans & product offerings to help grow owned business with positive quarterly comps for the 2015/2016 year
- Independently merchandised the Lucky Brand knits, graphics, sweaters, active wear, lounge and swim assortments
- Curated a successful assortment and sold the line at market to wholesale and international accounts
- Responsible for consistent growth in our wholesale channels, proven by increased buys from our wholesale accounts
- Spearheaded the launch of 'Lucky Lotus' an Activewear line that created an incremental Million dollars in revenue
- Launched the Lounge/Sleep apparel line for the brand for our ecom and wholesale channels
- Developed a direct report and ensured they were effectively trained in the multi-faceted role of merchandising
- Worked with a planning team to manage the open to buy and analyze business on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis
Education
Bachelor of Science - Merchandising
Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI05-2011
Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Supplier relationships
- Accurate record keeping
- Industry trends awareness
- Strategic planning
- Product procurement
- Cross-functional teamwork
- Market trends
- Price negotiation
- E-commerce
- Deadline driven
Timeline
Associate Buyer - Women’s Petite & Plus Apparel
BELK
07.2023 - Current
Senior Merchandiser-Omni Channel, Women’s Sweaters
TALBOTS
10.2018 - 07.2023
Senior Merchandiser-Omni Channel, Women’s Tees, Active/Lounge & Swim
LUCKY BRAND
04.2017 - 10.2018
Merchandiser-Retail, Ecom, Wholesale, International and Special Sales, and Outlet
LUCKY BRAND
07.2015 - 04.2017
Bachelor of Science - Merchandising
Johnson & Wales University
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