Tory Burch Buyer Offers Encouraging Advice To FIDM Students at Home
One of the silver linings of our new learning environment is that opportunities have opened up for students to virtually meet guest speakers from all over the country. Merchandising & Marketing Director Mimi Su recently hosted her friend and former colleague, Lauren Auerbach, an omnibuyer for Tory Burch who is based in New York, as a guest speaker for the Premier Marketing Group.
Auerbach, who has during the pandemic transitioned at Tory Burch from buying for stores to buying for web, shared her fascinating journey from interning at Christian Dior, where she met Mimi Su, to positions at Balenciaga, Hermes, and Louis Vuittion, and now Tory Burch.
She spoke to students about her journey and shared valuable industry experience and advice from her work-from-home temporary location in Florida. Because of the pandemic, she has now had the opportunity to work in the digital space for the first time. “I’ve never worked harder and smarter than during this time,” she shared. “A lot of opportunities and efficiencies are emerging as a result of this pandemic. There shouldn’t be discouragement. We should be excited about the growth that is to come.”
She talked about the changes that Tory Burch is making, in the midst of the pandemic, to make their customers safe and have a seamless experience. “It will become a much more emotional shopping experience,” she said.
"In business, as long as we stay agile, constantly evolve, and pivot when we need to, we thrive,” Su added.
Su asked Auerbach what our students could do now to prepare for the future. Her answer was to “read every day about current events.” She said there will be more positions opening up, and sustainable production will be a focus. “Keep reading. Keep being positive. Don’t let this pandemic discourage you.”
As far as advice for someone whose goal is to become a buyer, Auerbach said she recommends learning Excel and Powerpoint, as she analyzes sales data all day long. “Information is power," she said. "You need to be able to understand what the data is saying, then ask yourself, 'What does it mean and how can I action on it.'”
Auerbach and Su both emphasized the importance of networking. “Make friends at FIDM. We have students from every state and all over the world,” said Su, who joined the New York chapter of FIDM’s alumni association when she was living on the East Coast.
Auerbach's parting words of advice? “Never be discouraged that you’re home right now during the pandemic. Stay positive. Keep looking. Keep applying. What we do know is that for retail, there is still an appetite to shop. Conversion is up. Those who are shopping are buying.”
Categories: Merchandising & Marketing
