Balenciaga Shoes Collection Merchandising Director

Balenciaga, founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1917, is a prestigious fashion house known for its avant-garde designs and high standards. Part of the Kering group since 2001, Balenciaga is renowned for its prêt-à-porter collections, leather goods, footwear, and accessories. The brand continues to influence the fashion industry under the artistic direction of Demna.

1. Develop and execute collection strategies across the Shoes category, ensuring alignment with brand vision, market trends, and customer demand.
2. Oversee the product lifecycle, from initial concept through to end-of-season evaluations, ensuring collections are aligned with market demand.
3. Conduct ongoing market research and competitive analysis to identify trends, product opportunities, and customer preferences.
4. Partner with Design, Collection coordination, Product Development, Retail Merchandising, Demand Planning, and Supply Chain teams to ensure that collections meet quality, timeline, and production standards.
5. Analyze sales data and customer feedback to refine collections, make in-season adjustments, and improve future product strategies.
6. Collaborate with the Retail Merchandising, Pricing, and Finance teams to develop pricing strategies that ensure competitive positioning and profitability across regions.
7. Present seasonal collections to internal teams and key stakeholders, ensuring thorough communication of product stories, trends, and key strategies.
8. Conduct special projects, limited-edition collaborations, and brand initiatives that enhance the brand’s product offering and market presence.
9. Manage and develop the merchandising team, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
10. Lead and drive the development of collections with the Italian development and industrialization teams: Calendars, briefings, development priorities, cost control, and continuous margin improvements.
11. Facilitate standardization with design and development to ensure quality, lead time, and margin objectives are met.
12. Control of standardization prototypes before production launch.

1. Minimum 10 years of experience in merchandising within the fashion or luxury Shoes industry segment.
2. Proven ability to develop and implement product strategies.
3. Experience in leading and nurturing a high-performing merchandising team.

1. Sound knowledge of the current Shoes market and consumer trends.
2. Excellent product sensitivity, analytical and numeracy skills.
3. Strong communication skills and ability to present product vision and strategies clearly to stakeholders.
4. Ability to thrive in a fast-changing environment and adjust strategies as market demands evolve.

A professional with a minimum of 10 years of experience in merchandising within the fashion or luxury Shoes industry segment.

Balenciaga offers an international environment and a fast-growing House where uniqueness is valued. The company is committed to professional development and fostering a diverse workforce. Balenciaga promotes creativity, innovation, and influencing skills, providing a stimulating and fulfilling workplace environment.