Fashion Buyer

Zachary Daniels Recruitment; Oxford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking an experienced Fashion Buyer for a premium-to-luxe business in Oxford. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in fashion retail buying and the ability to manage margin and supplier relationships effectively. This role offers autonomy in shaping product strategy and collaborating with multiple departments to enhance brand identity and performance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in premium or aspirational fashion buying.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to work at pace.

Responsibilities

• Develop collections balancing commercial performance with brand identity.
• Lead product journeys from concept to market delivery.
• Manage wholesale buying with strong supplier relationships.

Skills

Proven experience in fashion retail buying

Strong capability in margin management

Supplier negotiation

Advanced Excel skills

Analytical decision-making

Commercial acumen

Tools

PLM systems

Job description

Fashion Buyer | Established & Senior | £45,000 - £65,000 | Gloucestershire

This is a rare opportunity to join a premium-to-luxe business renowned for its high‑end, specialist products. We are looking for buyers who do more than manage stock—they curate exceptional experiences through carefully chosen collections that define the brand.

If you are an established or senior buyer, this role will challenge and inspire you. You'll be at the heart of a business that thrives on innovation, quality, and exclusivity, with the autonomy to shape product strategy and make high‑impact commercial decisions.

The Role

As a Fashion Buyer, you will blend long‑term product vision with day‑to‑day trading needs, ensuring commercially strong, brand‑aligned collections across all channels. You will work closely with Design, Marketing, Merchandising, Production, and Wholesale to transform creative direction into profitable, aspirational assortments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver collections that balance commercial performance with brand identity.
• Lead product journeys from initial concept to market delivery, ensuring margin targets, range balance, and launch plans are achieved.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to turn creative and commercial strategy into actionable buying plans.
• Use trading data, consumer insights, pricing reviews, and sample evaluations to influence product decisions and roadmap planning.
• Manage wholesale buying in partnership with the Head of Wholesale, maintaining strong supplier relationships.
• Ensure timely product information is provided to Marketing and Design for campaign narratives and hero‑product identification.
• Maintain responsibility for ethical sourcing and compliance with legislation.
• Own the full buying lifecycle: sourcing, negotiation, order placement, margin delivery.
• Identify and onboard new suppliers/factories to support growth and enhance margin opportunities.
• Present trading insights and product updates to senior stakeholders to inform commercial decisions.
• Support and develop junior team members, fostering accountability, pace, and effective communication.

Experience & Skills Required

• Proven experience in fashion retail buying, ideally within premium or aspirational brands.
• Strong capability in margin management, supplier negotiation, critical path ownership, and product planning.
• Confident communicator, able to influence senior stakeholders and collaborate across teams.
• Strong analytical decision‑making and organisational skills, with the ability to work at pace and resilience.
• Advanced Excel skills and solid experience with PLM systems.
• Strong understanding of trading levers and stock management, with commercial acumen to drive growth.