Sophie

Sophie arrived 5 years ago, during the professionalization and structuration of the department, to create a winning team. Nowadays, she supervises, controls & trains.

This first mission of the Supply team is… to supply, you can imagine. The objective is to have the right product, at the right time in the right place with the right quantities and price! Sophie explains “we ship collections to stores according to purchases planning. The purchasers develop and buy the products created by the studio, they determine the implementations phase, the offers by store and the quantities by size. Then, thanks to our software, we launch orders at the storage area, and they ship all to the stores and BU’s (ndlr Business Units).”

Pieces are sent to Europe, in Maje branches, affiliates, corners and E-partners, and for the Suite 341, which represent a network of around 300 stores in 15 countries (yes, it represents a lot!). Not mentioned, the shipments for the other Asian & North American BUs.

When the products arrive in stores, it’s a management and control work which begins. Sophie explains “we deal with the stocks management according to the sales. The aim is to ajust at best the stock in order to replenish stores correctly to make their sales revenue. That’s why, we realize diverse reports and analysis to help them in their decision.”

The Supply department works side by side with the commercial team for the Commercial Operations organization (promotions & sales). The Supply defines the sales products and their price. Take an example, “if it is decided to make private sales in England on a given date. We will propose a number of references a % of markdown, in order to end the season with the least residual possible in maintaining the margin objective. Then, we complete the price configuration so that the stores have the right price for the right discounted piece. During sales period, this is our daily work.”

During the season, Sophie’s team works with the Marketing department because she also deals with the supply of the stores’ display & goodies (customers card).

She is charged with the purchases and supply of all consumable items (bags, hangers, tissue paper, perfume etc…)

When the time for the Spring Summer collections comes, the pre-collection is first implemented at the end of November, then the 1 phase starts in Janvier, follows by the new implementation phase all weeks to the end of February. In this way, progressively, the stores sell their discounted Winter products, the stock decreases for the benefit of the Summer references which are shipped all weeks. The Winter season ends at the middle of February, Sophie returns all the unsold items at the storage area. The stock will be reused in the Outlets next year. No time to take a break, the cycle carries on!