Chanel Buying Specialist — Small Leather Goods
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Apr 16, 2026
About Chanel
Chanel is an independent French maison renowned for haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, fine jewelry, watches and beauty. Privately held and synonymous with timeless craftsmanship and creative excellence, Chanel operates as a global luxury employer offering roles that require discretion, attention to detail and a commitment to uncompromising quality.
Chanel — Buying Specialist, Small Leather Goods in New York. Senior role focused on assortment, forecasting and vendor management for leather accessories.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and execute the small leather goods assortment strategy aligned to seasonal commercial objectives, brand positioning and channel mix.
- Manage the product lifecycle for assigned categories from concept and assortment building through buy, replenishment and markdown management.
- Produce accurate demand forecasts and collaborate with planning to set buys and safety stock levels that optimise in-store and e‑commerce availability.
- Analyse sales data, margin performance and inventory KPIs to recommend assortment changes, pricing actions and promotional strategies.
- Coordinate with design, product development and quality teams to approve samples, ensure fit-for-retail quality and drive time-to-market targets.
- Negotiate commercial terms, lead costings and contribute to vendor selection and relationship management with internal sourcing or external partners.
- Prepare weekly and monthly reporting for senior management including sell-through, open-to-buy and category P&L analysis.
- Collaborate with retail, e‑commerce, visual merchandising and marketing to align launches, campaigns and store allocations.
Qualifications
- 3–5+ years of buying, merchandising or category management experience within luxury fashion or accessories, preferably focused on leather goods.
- Proven commercial acumen with experience managing assortment planning, forecasting and inventory-to-sales optimisation.
- Strong negotiation and vendor-management experience, including participation in costing and sourcing decisions.
- Demonstrable ability to translate trends and market intelligence into commercially viable product assortments.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
Skills
Experience
Several years of progressively responsible buying or merchandising experience in the luxury apparel or accessories sector, with direct exposure to small leather goods preferred. Track record of driving sell-through, improving margin and managing inventory in multi-channel environments.
Education
Bachelor's degree in business, merchandising, fashion or a related discipline preferred.
Workplace
This position is based in New York, New York, USA.
Culture
Chanel fosters a culture of refined craftsmanship, creative rigor and discretion. The workplace values meticulous execution, collaborative cross-disciplinary partnerships and a dedication to preserving the maison's luxury standards while innovating commercially.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Chanel, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Merchandise Buyer — Leather Accessories», «Category Specialist — Small Leather Goods», «Assistant Buyer — Accessories & Leather Goods», «Leather Goods Merchandiser», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.