Open To Work
WANDA COLON
Chief Merchandising Officer
New York,NY
Summary
Strategic C-suite merchandising leader with 30 years driving transformative growth across luxury, designer, and contemporary fashion businesses. Proven ability to reposition brands, architect scalable product strategies, and deliver disciplined financial performance across DTC, Wholesale, and Digital channels.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Merchandising Officer
ATM by Anthony Thomas Melillo
New York, USA
11.2024 - Current
- Led strategic merchandising reset and brand realignment for contemporary collection within public company.
- Reconstructed product architecture, establishing financial discipline and a scalable merchandising framework to support growth.
- Created cohesive category-driven line plan for women's and men's collections focused on hero categories.
- Implemented structured SKU framework aligned with delivery cadence and segmented channels to optimize operations.
- Reset pricing architecture with targeted margin improvements for enhanced accountability.
- Developed seasonal roadmap balancing core continuity with timely fashion introductions.
- Executed SKU rationalization and lifecycle management, enhancing inventory productivity and aligning with business goals.
- Unified cross-functional teams around clear seasonal objectives and performance metrics.
Chief Operating Officer
Brett Johnson
01.2018 - 01.2022
- Executive leader overseeing Sales, Marketing, Distribution, Finance, HR, Product Development, and Operations for global luxury menswear brand
- Transitioned wholesale model to JOOR digital platform; retained 100% of accounts and delivered $3M sales (+15% YoY)
- Negotiated exclusive Saks Fifth Avenue e-commerce partnership
- Increased wholesale orders by $500K through geo-based client analysis, enhancing market penetration
- Developed core SKU strategy that contributed to 30% of annual sales, optimizing product offerings
- Reduced fixed costs 25% through SKU rationalization and sampling controls
- Reduced showroom and overhead costs by $200K annually, streamlining operational efficiency
- Led global luxury menswear brand operations
Vice President Wholesale, North America
Saint Laurent
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Delivered 17% sales growth, generating $22M incremental revenue
- Secured additional distribution, contributing $10M incremental revenue through strategic account management
- Managed $165M business across 150 points of distribution and 30 accounts
- Expanded marketing penetration and brand support investments to enhance product visibility and drive sales growth
- Reduced aged inventory exposure by $3M through targeted inventory management strategies
- Led and mentored team of eight high-performing sales executives
VP, Divisional Merchandise Manager
Barneys New York
01.2008 - 01.2015
- Led strategy for emerging designer RTW, denim, and accessories across 23 stores and e-commerce annual volume 200K
- Increased seasonal sales by maintaining 50% gross margin across product lines
- Elevated e-commerce penetration to 15% of total business, enhancing online presence
- Discovered and launched Off-White, Fear of God, Marcelo Burlon, Hood by Air
- Led Russell Westbrook collaboration initiative
- Promoted and developed 15+ direct reports
- Received six 'Got It Right' Awards for excellence in role, recognizing impactful contributions
- Earlier roles: VP Men's Designer & Co-Op Sportswear; Senior Buyer; Buyer
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
Skills
- P&L management
- Brand repositioning
- Assortment analysis
- Product architecture
- Pricing strategy
- Market analysis
- Brand development
- Long-term scalability
- Visual merchandising
Projects
WANDA R. COLON CONSULTING, 01/22, 12/25, Advising luxury and contemporary brands on merchandising strategy, wholesale expansion, digital growth, and operational optimization., Built revenue growth roadmaps and competitive positioning strategies, Drove 100%+ growth in wholesale bookings for Fear of God through assortment and market analysis, Developed merchandise collaborations for RS No. 9 Carnaby (Rolling Stones flagship, London), Partnered with executive teams on multi-year planning, margin optimization, and inventory controls
Languages
Spanish
Professional
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeContract WorkGig WorkLocation Preference
HybridTimeline
Chief Merchandising Officer - ATM by Anthony Thomas Melillo
11.2024 - Current
Chief Operating Officer - Brett Johnson
01.2018 - 01.2022
Vice President Wholesale, North America - Saint Laurent
01.2017 - 01.2018
VP, Divisional Merchandise Manager - Barneys New York
01.2008 - 01.2015
Smith College - Bachelor of Arts, Sociology