Brie Nicol

Manage footwear and accessory special make up (SMU) sales for the clearance channel, as well as liquidate aged inventory for all brands under the Boardriders umbrella.

• Work with different design teams on building appropriate special make up (SMU) assortments to fulfill the needs of clearance channel retailers
• Exceed a $20 million SMU budget yearly
• Liquidate aged inventory at a positive margin
• Negotiate and collaborate with retailers to maintain a strong off-price business

Source, develop, and produce O’Neill special make up (SMU) product for several major retailers.

• Source, develop, and produce within all divisions and categories – men’s, junior’s, boy’s, girl’s, kid’s, toddler’s – apparel, swim, and accessories
• Work with sales team, designers, and technical designers daily
• Actively work with sales and internal operations for smooth delivery and execution of sales’ requests
• Work with overseas vendors on cost negotiations, delivery, sampling, and production
• Provide clear communication with overseas vendors through email and phone; understand and create good business relationships
• Work in PLM and FC systems daily
• Create cost sheets and assign HTS codes
• Maintain accurate work in progress (WIP) reports to manage all sample stages, delivery, SGS testing, and special ticketing/hanging requirements (VAS)
• Work with design and overseas vendors on all sample stages – prototype, pre-production, and top of production sampling
• Attend all fittings and communicate all fitting/visual comments to vendor
• Issue Production Purchase Orders
• Implement VAS (value added service) to production orders
• Review and approve all SGS testing
• Ensure all product arrives on time and ships within the retailer’s approved ship window

Sole merchandiser to the VP of Merchandising and Design.

• Principal person for all PLM and Full Circle needs
• Create and maintain all styles within the PLM system each season
• Run, pivot, and analyze booking reports, production summary reports, lectra gross profit reports, and style gross profit reports
• Creator of Merch Guides / Visual Line plans
• Initiator of line plans with projected units each season for key categories based off historical data and creative thinking
• Lead person in catalog production – create pagination and layout, edit and update all versions of the catalog, work closely with the Sr. Marketing Designer from the beginning of the catalog to the final product
• Maintain accurate work in progress (WIP) reports to manage all sample stages, delivery, SGS testing, and special ticketing/hanging requirements (VAS)
• Work with design and overseas vendors on all sample stages – prototype, pre-production, and top of production sampling
• Attend all fittings and communicate all fitting/visual comments to vendor
• Issue Production Purchase Orders
• Implement VAS (value added service) to production orders
• Review and approve all SGS testing
• Ensure all product arrives on time and ships within the retailer’s approved ship window
• Lead person on all photoshoots - coordinate and execute all hubsoft/ecomm/catalog and on-location photoshoots each season, style for all photoshoots
• Work very closely with the planning department throughout the line planning and development process
• Work closely with sales to educate them on the line, trends, and key updates each season
• Dissect selling within Major and Core Accounts – work with accounts when necessary
• Work extremely close with all designers from line plan to production
• Run proto review meetings with all sales managers

Managed the entire US territory except for New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California, with a key focus in men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.

• Work toward seasonal plans per account
• Build strong, trustworthy relationships with all buyers / correspond with buyers daily within all categories
• Submit orders / track allocation / secure on-time shipment
• Place AO in-season re-orders
• Work with buyers on fulfilling their desired SMU's or private label product
• Re-establish relationships with customers that have not done business with us in the past year or more
• Create twelve-month forecasts for key customers
• Collaborate with customers on road events/festivals/conventions
• Attend all Trade Shows
• Research and open new accounts
• Work with the visuals team on in-store buildouts and POP
• Assist in re-building the brand

Managed more than twenty-five of Civil Clothing’s major women’s accounts throughout the US – including, but not limited to, Zumiez, Pac Sun Outlet, Karmaloop, Jimmy Jazz, and Urban Outfitters.

• Work toward seasonal plans per account
• Keep detailed tracking spreadsheets per account
• Work with development and purchasing teams daily
• Use my knowledge of merchandising, sourcing, and production to provide the best product
• Offer an anniversary program to successful programs from past seasons / offer updates to best-selling styles
• Build strong, trustworthy relationships with all buyers / correspond with buyers daily within all categories
• Submit orders / track allocation / secure on-time shipment
• Review weekly selling
• Place AO in-season re-orders
• Work with buyers on fulfilling their desired SMU's / work with design, development, and purchasing on all stages of the SMU process – carry it out from start to finish
• Maintain accurate SMU tracking records
• Establish and carry through product tests in key categories
• Be well versed in cost and margin negotiations
• Attend all Trade Shows
• Research and open new accounts
• Assist in creating the lookbook each season via Photoshop – building, proofing, editing
• Assist in building the order forms each season
• Help build the brand into a house-hold name

Managed two of Fox Racing’s largest sportswear accounts – Pac Sun and Glik’s.

• Work toward monthly and yearly plans per account
• Keep detailed, accurate clothing reports by month
• Work with development and purchasing teams daily
• Use my knowledge of merchandising, sourcing, and production to provide the best product
• Always be aware of where the account stands TY to LY in terms of dollars, units, trends, and so on – understand how to off-set problem categories to grow future business
• Offer an anniversary program to successful programs from past seasons / offer updates to best-selling styles
• Build strong, trustworthy relationships with all buyers/correspond with buyers daily within all categories
• Be proactive and one step ahead of the calendar at all times
• Be extremely knowledgeable on all product categories, each season / hold line reviews per category for each account
• Create suggested orders accompanied by visual line plans
• Submit orders / track allocation / secure on-time shipment
• Review and distribute weekly selling
• Place AO in-season re-orders
• Build VLP’s
• Work with buyers on fulfilling their desired SMU's / work with design, development, and purchasing on all stages of the SMU process – carry it out from start to finish
• Maintain accurate SMU tracking records
• Create and submit all SMU PO requests
• Establish and carry through product tests in key categories
• Be well versed in cost and margin negotiations
• Work with the co-lab team on current in-line and SMU product
• Attend Trade Shows
• Create special in-store contests
• Work proficiently in PLM, SAP, Every Angle, Illustrator, and Microsoft Office daily

Worked as a team with the Director of Merchandising and one other Merchandiser on all key junior’s sportswear categories – apparel, accessories, swim.

• Assist in building seasonal line plans per category
• Build strong relationships with the design team and product development team – work with all teams on a daily basis
• Create and maintain seasonal VLP’s for design / development’s visual reference
• Merchandise the line into outfits for photo shoots each season/work with the photo studio on pulling together seasonal stories
• Work on the creation / editing of the workbook each season
• Build PowerPoint Presentations for all significant meetings – line reviews, sales meetings, historical reports
• Set-up the showroom for all junior’s line reviews / sit in on all meetings to capture detailed notes and assist in showing the line
• Take part in all proto review meetings / stay on top of all style updates throughout the development process
• Enter all style info in PLM / prepare each season to be created in SAP
• Enter all salesman sample orders promo orders
• Create and maintain salesman sample PO files
• Create and maintain seasonal change forms and carry over lists
• Comp shop with designers – “VIBE” for future seasons
• Keep the design team on calendar and maintain consistent workflow
• Check in and hang all sample lines – keep track of samples
• Maintain sample storage space
• Work with design and production on all CAD updates
• Work closely with all sales reps and buyers – attended all Trade Shows
• Assist in all set up for sales meetings
• Used to working late, over-time, and traveling for work

• Worked with the National Sales Manager, photo studio, and design team two times per week
• Learned about account management, the SMU process, and creating interpersonal relationships with buyers
• Assisted in line organization, trade show prep, and photo shoots
• Helped the design team with fabric filing, sample organization, and line prep