Cristo Bussman-Stuart – Harrods, Luxury Womenswear Buyer
Introducing your mentor, Cristo Stuart, the Womenswear Buyer at London's prestigious luxury retailer, Harrods.
Cristo's journey in the fashion industry began with a year and a half of interning as a fashion assistant, where he gained valuable experience in styling and editorial work. Facing a pivotal decision between returning to his home island of Guernsey or pursuing a paying job in London, Cristo chose to stay in the city he loved.
He secured a position as a sales associate at Harrods with Bottega Veneta, ultimately progressing within the company over 7 years to become the retail buyer/merchandiser for the UK and France directly operated store network, overseeing all categories including Leathergoods, RTW, Shoes, Jewellery, Fragrance, and Sunglasses.
In August 2020, Cristo returned to Harrods as the Buyer for Luxury Accessories, focusing on bags and other leather goods from the world's top brands. With experience in both individual brand and multi-brand structures, across bricks-and-mortar, online, and travel retail, Cristo brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His passion for products and obsession with detail, combined with advanced knowledge of luxury clientele, retail, and merchandising strategies, set him apart. Furthermore, Cristo's degree in Chinese studies has equipped him with specialist knowledge in the Chinese consumer market.
While his expertise primarily lies in luxury leather goods, shoes, and RTW, Cristo's diverse skill set and experience are applicable across the industry at all levels.
RETAIL CONNECTIONS
- YOOX Net-a-Porter
- Luisa Via Roma
- Christian Dior
SPOKEN LANGUAGES
- English and Mandarin
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Mentorship in Motion: WE are COCO Transforms Matches' Retail Redundancies into Opportunities for former Employees
In the recent retail shifts, WE are COCO is mobilising the acumen of former Matches talent for mentorship and education roles within the industry. Equipping brands, retail projects and executives with industry education derived from real-world lessons.
WE are COCO, is proud to welcome Alice Primmer, a seasoned former Matches buyer, to our Board of Retail Mentors. She is ready to steer international brands, developers, students and retail professionals through the complexities of today's market. Turning her time and talent to teaching the next generation of fashion leaders.
"In these turbulent times, it's increasingly difficult for both retailers and brands to stay profitable. WE are COCO, leverages our expertise and global insights to bridge the gap between vendors and distributors, guiding everyone towards success in this new normal," said Alice
Alice's extensive background as a luxury womenswear buyer at Matches equips her with a profound understanding of the fashion industry's nuances, from product development to international market dynamics and e-commerce strategies. Her appointment underscores our commitment to leveraging deep industry knowledge to empower brands and retailers to navigate and thrive in today's fluctuating market conditions.
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Breaking New Ground: Noura Al Faqih Appointed as We Are COCO's First Saudi Consultant"
We are thrilled to announce that Noura Al Faqih, a seasoned buyer for Designer and Contemporary Women's Ready-to-Wear at Harvey Nichols Riyadh, has joined We Are COCO as our first consultant for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Noura brings with her a decade of rich experience in the fashion industry, having also contributed significantly at That Concept Store in Dubai.
Noura’s extensive background in buying for both men’s and women’s apparel, combined with her deep understanding of the Middle Eastern market, positions her uniquely to guide brands looking to establish or expand their presence in this vibrant region. Moreover, Noura has successfully founded and developed a linen clothing line in the UAE, catering to a diverse clientele, which further highlights her expertise in product development and market penetration.
In her own words, Noura states: “WE are COCO is a very organised platform which supports buyers to develop talent that could be successfully placed in department stores. I believe in adding value to brands and supporting their growth on a larger global scale."
Throughout her career, Noura has set up creative strategies to maximize space in departments for brands, set up sales per square meter or per brand, and worked closely with the Majid al Futtaim group to launch the concept store, among many other achievements.
WE feel Noura is the ideal mentor and commercial strategist to help your brand grow, scale and develop an in-depth understanding of the Middle East market.
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Harrords, Luxury Womenswear + Childrenswear Buyer – Sabina Rahim Joins WE are COCO
WE are COCO proudly welcomes Sabina Rahim to its Board of Retail Mentors. Sabina, a seasoned Luxury Buyer specialising in womenswear and childrenswear at London's iconic department store, Harrods. Her valuable insights span from effectively capturing the attention of renowned department stores to comprehending the nuanced preferences and dislikes of luxury shoppers.
Sabina expressed, "WE are COCO is creating a platform where buyers can share their industry-leading knowledge and provide guidance on forging perfect vendor partnerships. With the retail landscape becoming increasingly challenging, this knowledge and guidance can be the key to success."
Sabina's impressive portfolio encompasses working with contemporary, luxury and super brands, allowing her to harmoniously blend data-driven strategies with an intuitive understanding of fashion trends. Her adeptness in navigating complex processes and vendor requirements equips her to tackle common challenges, smoothing the path for brands in their journey.
