Kimberly Parr
Nashville,TN
Summary
Dynamic merchandising executive with a strong entrepreneurial background and a proven record of driving revenue growth through innovative brand strategies and strategic planning. Expertise in leading cross-functional teams, optimizing vendor partnerships, and enhancing operational processes to achieve significant profitability and market expansion. Builds and maintains trusted business partnerships and stakeholder relationships across all levels. Recognized for authentic leadership and adaptability in omnichannel and digital merchandising across diverse product categories.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Merchandising & Logistics
Pink Lily
Nashville, TN
08.2024 - Current
- Manage P&L responsibility while leading a cross-functional team of 14 associates. Delivers monthly merchandising and logistics presentations to a board of directors, aligning strategy with brand goals.
- Lead end-to-end merchandising, product development and sourcing strategies for apparel, accessories, and gifts.
- Direct creative strategy and trend forecasting to develop customer-centric assortments.
- Negotiate sourcing agreements with vendors to improve quality, speed-to-market, and cost efficiency.
- Drive process improvements and vendor optimization to enhance profitability and brand growth.
- Elevate quality benchmarks to enhance product uniformity, minimizing returns and improving customer satisfaction metrics.
- Renegotiated vendor terms to improve product margins by 200 basis points and streamline operations.
- Implemented a new product development calendar, reducing lead times by 60 days for agile inventory control.
- Cultivated innovation and accountability within the organization, fostering continuous learning during rebranding efforts.
Independent Consultant
KBP Consulting, LLC
Knoxville, TN
01.2023 - 08.2024
- Accelerated business development and revenue growth across key apparel and lifestyle brands including Hype & Vice, Turtleson, Blue84, Tommy Bahama, New Era, and Game Day Boots.
- Developed and implemented growth and profitability strategies for multi-brand wholesale showroom across five states, enhancing market presence.
- Led product development and custom design programs for major retail partners, creating exclusive assortments that improved sell-through rates.
- Conducted in-depth competitive, seasonal, and category analyses to identify whitespace and brand growth opportunities.
- Demonstrated expertise in licensing compliance, royalty management, color standards, sports calendars, and high-demand market strategies.
- Created and executed business plan for new specialty sports retail concept, defining brand identity, financial modeling, and assortment architecture.
Vice President Brand & Merchandising
Arula (Sister Brand to Altar'd State)
Knoxville, TN
06.2019 - 05.2022
- Established and expanded Arula, an omni-channel plus-size lifestyle brand (sizes 10-24), from concept to national scale.
- Achieved triple-digit comparable sales and 125% year-over-year growth while enhancing EBITDA performance. Scaled revenue from $4M in 2019 to $50M by 2022.
- Orchestrated a successful rebranding introducing a new aesthetic, guest-first retail experience, and optimized eCommerce site.
- Opened 17 large-format retail stores in 2019, 6 in 2021, and 27 in 2022, expanding Arula to represent 20% of Altar'd State's average store sales.
- Directed the implementation of SFS, BOPIS, Marketplace, and RFID to advance strategic inventory and fulfillment capabilities across the enterprise.
- Oversaw all functions encompassing merchandising, marketing, planning, pricing, finance, operations, digital logistics, IT, and inventory management.
- Reported directly to the CEO as a company officer and led a cross-functional team of 40+ high-performing professionals.
- Guided brand through COVID-19 crisis and international supply chain issues, ensuring growth and operational excellence amid challenges.
- Collaborated with 200+ global vendors possessing 30-90 day lead times to cultivate trust and enhance production in a challenging plus-size market.
- Directed initiatives as executive leader for nationally recognized organization (#53 gptw retailers), facilitating $5m in annual charitable giving.
- Collaborated with executive team members on major decisions regarding company-wide initiatives.
- Formulated a comprehensive brand vision transforming a capsule collection within Altar'd State into a distinctive retail and ecommerce concept.
- Created effective communication strategies between management team members and employees at all levels of the organization.
Vice President of Omni Channel Merchandising
Talbots
Hingham, MA
01.2017 - 06.2019
- Directed merchandising strategy and product architecture for dresses, woven tops, suiting, and skirts contributing to 32% of total company volume.
- Grew separates and woven tops segment share from 27% to 32% of total company sales during a two-year span.
- Launched 'RSVP' occasion line, generating $20 million in incremental business opportunity.
- Implemented analytics-driven merchandise testing initiatives to enhance inventory agility and profitability.
- Developed high-performing team of 12-50 buying professionals, improving performance across catalog, e-commerce, and brick-and-mortar channels.
- Revamped processes, removed redundancies, and promoted cross-functional collaboration to boost efficiency, trend responsiveness, and profitability.
- Streamlined product lifecycle calendar for quarterly and annual execution, improving efficiency and brand alignment across four size segments.
- Facilitated transition to omni merchandising structure and implemented cost-based accounting methodology, enhancing operational effectiveness.
- Conducted executive presentations, quarterly briefings, and cross-functional information-sharing sessions to articulate strategy.
Apparel Divisional Merchandise Manager
Anthropologie
Philadelphia, PA
10.2015 - 11.2016
- Rejoined Anthropologie to oversee a team of 14 merchants controlling $750M in annual sales within five primary categories.
- Drove trend-right product assortments, enhanced speed to market, and strengthened collaboration across design, production, and marketing to deliver elevated and profitable results.
- Orchestrated a hybrid assortment strategy integrating 60% in-house design and production with 40% sourced from strategic market partners.
- Negotiated product exclusives and brand collaborations to strengthen competitive advantage and expand market share.
- Executed near-in trend product launch with 8–10 week concept-to-store turnaround, enhancing freshness and customer engagement for improved sales.
- Restored brand momentum by revitalizing vendor partnerships and reestablishing supply chain trust.
- Aligned in-store presentation and storytelling with Anthropologie's creative vision and brand DNA to strengthen customer connection.
- Spearheaded launch of Anthro & Co large-format assortments alongside cross-brand initiatives within the URBN portfolio.
Director of Casual & Dressy Dresses
Express
Columbus, OH
01.2011 - 09.2015
- Led a highly competitive $150M dress division, utilizing industry expertise to identify and seize white space opportunities.
- Increased dress sales by +80% in the first year. Scaled one style into a $30M top-performing key item.
- Achieved +115% YOY ecommerce growth while exceeding brick-and-mortar sales goals.
- Elevated NPD market share from #5 to #2 among specialty retailers targeting 18-34 year-olds.
- Implemented innovative go-to-market strategies to accelerate performance, enhance profitability, and transform the overall business.
- Managed two departments and six cross-functional teams to drive collaboration and achieve strategic goals.
- Brand Hero award recipient for cross-functional team building and collaboration; selected for APEX (Achieving Performance Excellence) program two consecutive years.
- Coordinated efforts of design, planning, allocation and production for the timely execution of brand-
right, high-quality, cost-effective product.
Woven Tops, Skirts & Intimate Apparel Merchant
Anthropologie
Philadelphia, PA
01.2005 - 12.2010
Sr. Assistant Buyer
Express
Columbus, OH
05.2002 - 12.2004
Assistant Buyer
Barneys New York
New York, NY
07.2000 - 02.2002
Education
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) - Merchandising Management
Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY05-2000
Bachelor of Science (BS) - Apparel Merchandising & Product Development
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH05-1999
Skills
- Go To Market Strategy
- Assortment Architecture & Line Planning
- P&L and Margin Optimization
- Vendor and Supplier Management
- Omnichannel Merchandising
- Product Knowledge & Development
- Innovation & Trend Acceleration
- Brand Positioning & Elevation
- Customer Insights & Data
- Strategic Planning & Vision
- Organizational Leadership
- Team Development and Culture Building
- Change Management & Agility
- Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Customer-Centric Mindset
- Brand Building
Community Service
- Dress for Success
- Habitat for Humanity
- BESA
- Coprodeli Child Sponsorship
- KARM
- City Hills Mission
Timeline
Director of Merchandising & Logistics
Pink Lily
08.2024 - Current
Independent Consultant
KBP Consulting, LLC
01.2023 - 08.2024
Vice President Brand & Merchandising
Arula (Sister Brand to Altar'd State)
06.2019 - 05.2022
Vice President of Omni Channel Merchandising
Talbots
01.2017 - 06.2019
Apparel Divisional Merchandise Manager
Anthropologie
10.2015 - 11.2016
Director of Casual & Dressy Dresses
Express
01.2011 - 09.2015
Woven Tops, Skirts & Intimate Apparel Merchant
Anthropologie
01.2005 - 12.2010
Sr. Assistant Buyer
Express
05.2002 - 12.2004
Assistant Buyer
Barneys New York
07.2000 - 02.2002
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) - Merchandising Management
Fashion Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science (BS) - Apparel Merchandising & Product Development
Bowling Green State University