Yves Saint Laurent General Merchandising Manager, EMEA
- Location
- ParisÎle-de-FranceFrance
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Director
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Sep 17, 2026
About Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent stands as one of fashion’s most influential maisons, renowned for redefining modern elegance through audacity, precision, and cultural intelligence. As an employer, the House offers a dynamic environment where heritage and innovation meet, inviting talent to contribute to a legacy shaped by creativity, craftsmanship, and a distinctly Parisian spirit. Employees are encouraged to pursue excellence across design, retail, merchandising, communications, and corporate functions, within a culture that values individuality, rigor, and forward-looking vision. Joining Yves Saint Laurent means participating in the continued evolution of an iconic brand whose influence extends far beyond fashion.
Saint Laurent seeks a General Merchandising Manager, EMEA to lead regional strategy across Europe and the Middle East. Paris-based role reporting to EMEA President.
Role & Responsibilities
- Develop and implement overall merchandising strategy across EMEA markets in alignment with business objectives and brand priorities
- Identify business opportunities and risks, implementing action plans to optimize sell-through, stock productivity, and commercial performance
- Oversee assortment planning and merchandise allocation strategies across all Directly Operated Stores (DOS) within the region
- Define and drive merchandising plans, assortment strategies, and Open-to-Buy (OTB) frameworks to maximize sales, profitability, and inventory efficiency
- Prepare and present budgets, forecasts, and monthly business reviews with Headquarters and senior regional leadership
- Collaborate with Headquarters to provide market insights, client feedback, and recommendations on product categories, assortment, and purchasing decisions
- Contribute to pricing strategy discussions and competitive benchmarking to support brand positioning and profitability objectives
- Monitor inventory levels, replenishment activities, delivery performance, and stock optimization initiatives across all product categories
- Deliver regular business analyses and strategic recommendations to the EMEA President on sales performance, assortment productivity, inventory health, and key commercial trends
- Lead the regional merchandising team, providing strategic direction, coaching, and performance management
- Partner closely with Retail Directors and Country Managers to define seasonal buying strategies and achieve financial targets
- Collaborate with Client Engagement and Visual Merchandising teams to ensure consistency and effectiveness of commercial initiatives
- Foster a culture of performance, accountability, and talent development within the merchandising organization
Qualifications
- 8+ years of merchandising leadership experience within luxury and fashion retail
- Strong expertise in buying, planning, forecasting, and inventory management
- Proven track record in driving sales growth, profitability, and stock efficiency
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing regional teams
- Strong stakeholder management skills and experience partnering with senior leadership and Headquarters
- Deep understanding of luxury retail dynamics and consumer trends across EMEA
- Strategic and visionary leadership with strong commercial mindset
Skills
Experience
8+ years of progressively senior merchandising leadership roles within luxury and fashion retail environments, with demonstrated expertise in regional or multi-market management. Proven success in developing and executing comprehensive merchandising strategies, optimizing inventory productivity, and driving commercial performance. Experience partnering with senior leadership, Headquarters operations, and cross-functional retail teams in complex, international environments is essential.
Education
No specific educational requirement stated; however, a degree in Business, Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or related field is typically expected for this executive-level role.
Workplace
The role is situated in Paris, Île-de-France, France.
Culture
Yves Saint Laurent fosters a bold, creative, and fast-paced workplace where teams are encouraged to challenge convention while upholding the Maison’s legacy of elegance and modernity. As an employer, it values artistic vision, collaboration, and excellence, offering an environment where talent can contribute to a globally influential luxury brand with a distinctive Parisian spirit.
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 Yves Saint Laurent, 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 «Regional Merchandising Director», «EMEA Merchandising Lead», «Senior Buying Manager, EMEA», «Director of Merchandise Planning», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.