Ghislaine (GiGi) Underhill Schoen

Senior Director Buying Merchandising & Planning EMEA Omni Channel at Ralph Lauren

Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

About

More than 25 years experience in the fashion industry with a coherent career path from in-shop sales assistant and manager roles through visual merchandising, followed by multiple planning & merchandising roles for different apparel and accessories lines from fast fashion H&M to luxury brand Ralph Lauren. Strong leadership and management skills, multilingual and international outlook. More recently added global Omnichannel assortment responsibilities. Known for her people and leadership skills. Mother of 2 girls (9 and 16), always worked 100% including extensive travelling.

Experience

  • Ralph Lauren (17 yrs 3 mos)
    • Senior Director Merchandising & Planning Operations EMEA DTC & International Wholesale
      Jul 2017 - Present · 9 yrs 1 mo

    • Director Divisional Planning EMEA
      Sep 2011 - Jun 2017 · 5 yrs 10 mos

    • Manager Divisional Planning EMEA Mens
      May 2009 - Aug 2011 · 2 yrs 4 mos

  • Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Woolami
    Jun 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 2 mos

    Design, product development, marketing, web-design, photo shooting styling. General Consultancy

  • H&M (8 yrs 1 mo)
    • Senior Planning Market Product Manager, Women Apparel & Accessories, for Central Europe
      Dec 2006 - May 2009 · 2 yrs 6 mos

      Responsible for the Accessories and Underwear Division for Central Europe (value in Turnover €500 million). Responsibilities : • Forming and developing the product range for the underwear and accessories collection for the Planning Market Central Europe (approx. 700 shops across Germany, Holland, Austria & Slovenia) with the Design and Buying Office in Stockholm, Sweden. • Forecast and control of the articles, pricing, quantities, colors and incoming (follow up on the quality problems). • Sales: analysis, follow up, activities, reduction sale strategies and their different costs. • Control of the merchandise flow from the distribution center to the shops and customer. • Control of the stock levels in the shops. • Presenting the collections to the merchandisers in the different countries of the planning market. • Shop visits with the merchandiser on how the shops should look. • Synchronization of the advertising and marketing plan for all countries in the planning market. • Recruitment and training of merchandisers and product managers global.

    • Product Manager / Merchandiser, Baby and Kid’s collection, for Switzerland
      Jul 2002 - Dec 2006 · 4 yrs 6 mos

      Responsibilities : • Expert « eyes & ears » for the Swiss market towards the Buying Office in Stockholm, Sweden. • Control of pricing, quantities, colors, incomings and the follow-up of quality problems. • Sales follow-up and their costs. • Control of the merchandise flow from the distribution center to the shop and customers. • Control of the stock levels in the shops. • Recruitment and training of other product managers. • Opening and rebuildings, keeping stock levels manageable for the shops and ready for opening day.

    • Product Manager / Merchandiser, Young collection, for Switzerland
      May 2001 - Jul 2002 · 1 yr 3 mos

      Responsibilities : • Expert « eyes & ears » for the Swiss market towards the Buying Office in Sweden. • Control of pricing, quantities, colors, incomings and the follow-up of quality problems. • Sales follow-up and their costs. • Control of the merchandise flow from the distribution center to the shop and customers. • Control of the stock levels in the shops. • Recruitment and training of other product managers. • Opening and rebuildings, keeping stock levels manageable for the shops and ready for opening day.

  • Visual Merchandiser, Switzerland at H&M
    Feb 1998 - Sep 1999 · 1 yr 8 mos

    Part of the management team and responsible for the indoor and window as a visual merchandiser as well as training sales staff.

  • Assistant Shop Manager at VERO MODA
    Jun 1997 - Feb 1998 · 9 mos

    Worked along side the shop manager as well as upper management based in Zürich and Denmark. Responsible for the visual look of the shop, control and flow of the merchandise stock, assisting buying and the administrative management of the shop. VERO MODA : A woman's clothing brand owned by "Bestseller", a privately held family-owned clothing company based in Denmark. The company was founded in 1975 and has 11 brands, including "Jack & Jones". "Bestseller" has over 5,700 stores selling its product in more than 43 countries, with over 41,000 employees.