An Inside Look at Jackie's Buying Strategy with Sabel
Whether you are a Jackie client or not, we are guessing you are here for the clothes and the women who wear them. To give you a behind the scenes look at the apparel we carry here at Jackie, we are releasing an exclusive interview with Jackie’s Head Buyer, Sabel Bezet. Keep reading for an inside look into the brands we choose and how we choose them.
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Tell us about your experience as a buyer. How did you get started?
“Honestly, buying isn’t something I expected to do at all. When the opportunity to work at Jackie came about, buying wasn’t something that was on my radar. Not to say I didn’t like the idea of it, I just think buying is a job that isn’t commonly talked about in conversations about careers, but here I am, two years later!
Buyers are sort-of this mysterious, behind the scenes personal shopper who has a huge impact on the bottom line. After all, a clothing company can only sell what the buyer brings in; a lot hinges on a buyer. I have loved that responsibility. I also love how it keeps me on my toes when it comes to my personal style and keeping up in the fashion world in terms of trends and the latest and greatest brands. There is also something to be said for building relationships with the people who rep the brands we work with. It is such a fun, collaborative process.”
How do you determine how you buy specifically for Jackie?
“Since we are so focused on giving our clients the best possible, curated experience, my buying has a lot to do with personally shopping for our current client base. As you can imagine, I am also buying for potential clients, while staying true to our brand. I aim to strike a balance between the curated, personalized styles we buy for current clients, and timeless, wardrobe-building essentials that will serve every woman well.
We take buying very seriously and only carry the best of the best brands. By the way, our CEO, Founder, and most importantly, my mom, Amber, has worn at least one piece from every brand that we carry so we can ensure it is tried and true. The quality has to be top notch in order to earn a place in our brand selection here at Jackie. I feel that I have instilled in me the same appreciation for good quality, brands and pieces that my mom has simply because I grew up having her as my mom. Show is a great place for us to discover new brands to add to our matrix since we get to feel and see the pieces in person. Feeling the pieces is huge to us. Half of what makes a brand great to us is the texture of its pieces.”
How far in advance do you order styles?
“I am ordering styles as far as five months in advance. What comes through the doors in winter, isn’t something I chose at the start of winter, for example; although I do have that option. It’s something I thought out months in advance. This is one of the trickiest parts about buying because you have to pay attention to trends and avoid buying anything that might be on its way “out” at the the start of its release date. I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t provide the stylists here with inventory that is seasonally specific so it’s very important that I order in advance.”
What is your #1 rule of thumb when it comes to buying?
“It has to be tried and true. We like to personally try each brand before committing to a large order. Even when we go to show and initially like the look and feel of a certain brand, we make sure to test the brand before placing an order. We keep in mind things like how their pieces hold up over time, after washing, and how it withstands ever-changing, seasonal trends. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the way something looks on the hanger, forgetting its quality level. I’m not interested in shopping like that.”
How has buying changed as a result of COVID?
“Well, for starters, show is all virtual! Which at this point, you realize has been hard for us since we’re big texture people here at Jackie. We can’t feel the pieces like we used to be able to. That’s the biggest difference. The other thing COVID brought, especially in the beginning, was shipping delays. When I buy, I know that I have about a month window for delivery drops. We are seeing that window become larger; about 2 months for most brands based in LA.”
What can Jackie clients expect to see in their boxes in the coming months? Are you partnering with any new brands?
“Jenni Kayne is a new brand to Jackie that we are proud to offer to our clients! AGOLDE will be dropping here starting February, which is always a great staple to any woman’s wardrobe. Expect to see a lot of Spring-wear as we transition into that. I’m also excited to announce a “look book” is in the works, which we will provide to our clients to give them a sneak peek into new arrivals.”