Nasassistic

By NASA MARIA ENTABAN
alltherage@thestar.com.my

SHOPPING and trend-watching may sound like a dream career to many fashion lovers, and fashion buyers Olivia Ong Su-Kheng, 25 and Jessie Sin Mei-ye, 26 will tell you that it is every bit as exciting as it sounds.

Ong, 25, and Sin, 26, are two out of the 30 fashion buyers that handle 600 brands under the Zalora Malaysia umbrella.

Popular online fashion shopping mall Zalora has everything you can find in a mall – all thanks to buyers like Ong and Sin.

Sin, who handles private labels, is responsible for sourcing out brands that she can develop and supply to customers in Malaysia.

“I source for brands and stores that are really interesting in other countries in Asia, and once I get to know the brand and its direction, we can then tailor it to current trends and local customer’s needs,” says Sin.

“I think the most interesting part of being a buyer is that you get to shop while you work,” she adds.

Ong, a fashion marketing and management graduate, handles 30 brands and spends her days mostly dealing with suppliers of these products.

“One of the main aspects of the job is regularly meeting suppliers, negotiating terms of contract, maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing for new products,” explains Ong.

“I have to liase with the suppliers to ensure that the products and the collection supply meets the demand, and if something goes out of stock we have to call the suppliers and get them to replenish. We keep track of what’s most sellable for each brand and get suppliers to bring in more,” she adds.

On top of negotiating and sourcing, Ong and Sin also have to keep track of their products and to make sure they are on top of everything, including trends.

“When I travel, I see what’s in trend and what they’re producing and draw inspiration from there. Thailand, Japan and China are the main countries that set trends in this region,” explains Sin.

Many brands are still reluctant to break away from traditional shopping, and a big part of Sin and Ong’s jobs is persuading brands with an ‘old-school’ shopping mentality that putting their products online is the way to go.

“We make the call, walk them through the website, answer any questions they might have and try to convince them that this is the future of shopping,” says Ong. “I find that after some persuasion brands are happy to give it a try, it’s also great exposure for them as we’re also doing free marketing for them.”

“It’s important for them to know that this is how people are shopping nowadays, and that they will have a wider reach to towns or cities where their brands are not available,” adds Sin.

They spend hours on the phone each day, negotiating with suppliers who each have different needs and demands and also do data entry – but these girls love their jobs.

“It’s not an easy job, you have to like challenges and fashion of course, and you must have great communication skills,” says Ong. “When there are queries or problems the suppliers will come to you, and it’s your job to keep them happy while also making sure you make a profit.”

Zalora fashion buyers Sin (left) and Ong.

Negotiating is a challenge, and according to Ong, getting good at it requires training and experience, but most importantly, a passion for the job.

“We talk to our suppliers more than we talk to the other Zalora buyers,” she says, laughing. “You have to be friendly, alert to what’s going on and always on the lookout for new brands and products to add to the site.”

What keeps Sin going is seeing the private labels she develops sell well on the site, and knowing that people like the products.

“When you work really hard on a brand that you’ve sourced yourself it’s like your own baby, it’s an achievement when people are saying good things about it,” she says.

We’re giving away Zalora vouchers on Twitter and Facebook at 2pm today – follow @thestar_rage to find out more!

By NASA MARIA ENTABAN
alltherage@thestar.com.my

ONE of the highlights of Tan Yue Lyn’s career as a fashion merchandiser with Vincci+ came in the form of a compliment – from Harry Potter star Emma Watson.

Yue Lyn’s sister, television personality Megan Tan wore a pair of Vincci+ ballerina flats to the London premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows and during her interview with Emma Watson aka Hermione Granger, the actress complimented the shoes she was wearing.

What made that moment so special for Yue Lyn, even though she wasn’t even there, was the fact that she had had a hand in the shoe’s design.

“She absolutely adored them,” said Yue Lyn, 27. “I get a sense of fulfillment when I see people wearing the shoes I’ve helped design.”

A large part of Yue Lyn’s job is improving and refining shoe designs based on market research and consumer needs.

“I’m not technically a designer but what I do is improve and enhance existing designs. It could be changing the shoe’s material to something more suitable or adding sequins, stones and other embellishments, or adding a platform or increasing the height of a heel for example,” she explains.

Most of the time, she spots shoes she has ‘refined’ in malls, but the real reward is seeing them at events.

Vincci + Fashion merchandiser Tan Yue Lyn develops and refines shoe designs based on market research and customer needs.

“It’s getting the brand recognised that gives me a sense of pride and joy,” she adds. “You see your products, your babies, whatever you’ve developed responding in the market, there’s a sense of pride in knowing that your products are selling.”

“Its like I somehow made a difference in a way, people are wearing the shoes we’ve put out there,” she says, noting that she spots Vincci+ shoes on people on the street and at events at least four times a week.

The fashionista, whose sense of style is edgy chic meets retro glam, has always had a passion for fashion.

She started out as an assistant buyer for shoe brand Bata, and over two years ago she landed a job at Vincci +.

A typical day for Yue Lyn involves studying sales reports to see which products are working in the market and which ones aren’t, dealing with suppliers, visiting stores and conducting market surveys.

“When I source for shoes and handbags, I take note of the trends that are out there, such as key colours, shapes, hardware details like materials, embellishments and so on,” explains Yue Lyn, who travels abroad for fashion exhibitions to source for ideas and trends.

“I stick to the key colours of the season, while also taking into account what fits into the Malaysian market. For example, trends that are in line with fall/winter may not always be suitable here,” she adds.

At the end of the day, Yue Lyn explains, it’s all about the customers’ needs and wants.

“What makes a good buyer or merchandiser is being able to study consumers behaviours and catering to their needs,” explains Yue Lyn, whose informal research includes talking to friends and friends of friends about trends they are interested in.

On the other end of the spectrum, she has to have a good relationship with her suppliers while keeping them in check when it comes to prices and delivering orders.

“Dealing with suppliers is the biggest challenge,” she says. “Negotiating prices with them can be pretty tough, I manage cost issues by ensuring they are clear about the current economic conditions.”

“Late deliveries are another issue, as this creates setbacks especially during peak season for example during the festive seasons,” she adds. “One of my responsibilities is always making sure my stores have enough stocks, and ensuring my suppliers follow my order dates strictly.”

Anyone interested in getting into fashion merchandising has to have a keen eye for fashion trends and the ability to study the retail market, according to Yue Lyn.

“Most importantly, they need to be able to understand consumer behaviour and to tailor products to their needs,” she says. “Passion is very important – when you love what you do, everything else like determination, dedication and dilligence will come naturally.”