Dallas-based industry vet Kate Sheldon and her 32 executives-in-residence are seeking purpose-driven luxury brands looking for help with development of collections and growth strategies, particularly in the digital, sustainability and diversity and inclusion areas.
Sheldon, who has worked as a designer, a design consultant and spent a decade at Neiman Marcus as a buyer of designer collections including Chanel and Christian Dior, launched her fractional management consultancy concept in 2021, after noticing her consulting clients big and small needed advice on a range of topics, not just design, but also sourcing, optimizing e-commerce, regional expansion, supply chain issues and tech.
The Fashioneering Lab was conceived as a way to offer growth insights from a number of experts for less than the price of full-time hires, and to create more communication between strategic advisers.
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She recruited executives-in-residence spanning from Dallas to Singapore, who have experience working with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Kering, Richemont, Neiman Marcus Group, and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others.
“I call them my fashion avengers…each of our experiences dovetails well with each other and I have created an ecosystem where a brand can come in, and once we develop a growth strategy, I am the baton passer among our executives-in-residence,” she explained. Services include collection audits, monthly advisory sessions and group meetings.
In 2021, Fashioneering Lab member brands experienced YTD median sales increases of 20 percent compared to the pre-pandemic sales of 2019, and more than 50 percent over 2020, she said.
Executives-in-residence for 2022 include global retail adviser Chris Igwe, B-Corp certification expert Eliza Erskin, wholesale strategist Denise Baca, Phluid Project founder and gender inclusivity expert Rob Smith and more.
Sheldon is looking for brands wanting to scale their businesses while becoming more responsible, innovative and purpose-driven, from large heritage brands to emerging ones with as little as $500,000 in gross sales.