Alaïa Retail Merchandising Manager
- Location
- Seoul Seoul South Korea
- Address
- 100 Toegye-ro, Seoul View map
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Jul 8, 2026
About Alaïa
Alaïa is a Parisian couture house defined by sculptural elegance, exacting craftsmanship, and an enduring devotion to the female form. Founded by Azzedine Alaïa, the Maison continues to unite architectural design, exceptional materials, and atelier savoir-faire within a culture that values precision, intimacy, and creative integrity. As an employer, Alaïa offers the rare opportunity to contribute to a house where heritage is not preserved as nostalgia, but advanced through innovation, discipline, and collaboration. Its teams are encouraged to cultivate excellence across design, craftsmanship, retail, communications, and operations, while upholding the discreet, uncompromising spirit that has made Alaïa a singular name in luxury fashion.
The Retail Merchandising Manager drives retail performance across the Korean market by overseeing assortment, buying activities, and in-season optimization for four retail stores. Leveraging Anaplan for assortment and distribution planning, the role ensures alignment with global merchandising strategy while adapting to local market dynamics. Responsibilities encompass seasonal planning, store-level buying, sales analysis, inventory management, and cross-functional coordination with supply chain, visual merchandising, and retail teams.
Role & Responsibilities
- Build and maintain seasonal assortment plans using Anaplan and manage Korea Open-to-Buy (OTB)
- Oversee strategic buying direction across four retail locations, collaborating with global merchandising teams and monitoring performance against plan
- Execute store-level buying and define assortments based on client needs, sales trends, and store performance metrics
- Provide weekly and monthly sales analysis, monitoring sell-through rates, product performance, and inventory levels across categories
- Manage in-season activities including pricing adjustments, stock allocation, replenishment optimization, and sale event planning (Sale, FFS, Staff sale)
- Partner with store managers to understand local market needs and provide product training, visual merchandising guidance, and product knowledge support
- Prepare weekly KPI tracking reports (sales, sell-through, stock, WOS) and business reviews with insights on market trends and competitor landscape
- Coordinate new product launches and store openings, including delivery timeline planning, visual merchandising coordination, and headquarters communication
- Collaborate cross-functionally with supply chain, logistics, finance, marketing, and visual merchandising teams on strategic initiatives and budget tracking
Qualifications
- 7–8 years of experience in retail merchandising or buying within the luxury fashion sector
- Proficiency with Anaplan (SAP) or similar merchandising planning systems
- Excellent understanding of retail key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics
- Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
- Demonstrated excellence in stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration
Skills
Experience
Over 7–8 years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, buying, or assortment management within the luxury fashion and accessories sector, with demonstrated success in managing multi-store portfolios and optimizing retail performance.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Fashion, Business, Commerce, Retail Management, or related field.
Workplace
The role is situated in Seoul, Seoul, South Korea.
Culture
Alaïa fosters an intimate, craft-led culture where precision, creativity, and respect for the maison’s couture heritage guide daily work. As an employer, it offers a collaborative environment that values artisanal excellence, thoughtful innovation, and a deep sensitivity to form, material, and timeless elegance.
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 Alaïa, 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 «Merchandising Specialist», «Buying Manager», «Regional Merchandise Coordinator», «Assortment Manager», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.