Melissa Cohen Email & Phone Number

New York, NY, US

New York, New York, United States

Paris, France

• Successfully developed, mentored, and managed team of 15 people to facilitate fabric, trim and product development for Chaps Mens and RTW. Facilitated open lines of communication and regular touch point meetings with.
• Revamped the entire buying commitment process. Reduced overall production lead times by 14%, resulting in better buying decisions, ability to chase trends, and reduced excess inventory. Facilitated greater in-region.
• Partnered with overseas sourcing offices to drive on-boarding of new vendors and off-shore facilities. Reduced percentage of sweater (high FOB) category made in China from 80% to zero in order to shield against China.
• Advocated the use of preferred/sustainable fibers and successfully transitioned men’s sweaters to the use of Better Cotton.

• Responsible for the development and production of all categories and divisions of Childrenswear from design handoff to finished goods, generating $884M in revenue for FY19. Product categories included all knits.
• Developed, mentored, and managed a team of 24 people to facilitate fabric and product development for all channels of global distribution for Ralph Lauren Childrenswear.
• Collaborated with testing, quality, and legal teams to ensure product was compliant with global regulatory standards.
• Partnered with raw material teams to drive the implementation and growth of the use of preferred/sustainable fibers and components such as traceable down suppliers, BCI cotton, and recycled polyester.
• Led the initiation of vendor-created digital product development by creating a “Shirt Shop” for Polo Factory Stores which resulted in the elimination of the need for samples or sketches and allowed buyers to assort.
• Rolled out fabric platforming and positioning across all channels to reduce cost and lead time. Reduced overall production lead times for Basic Stock Replenishment (BSR) programs by 28 days. Reviewed global inventory.

• Developed and produced all categories of Childrenswear for Polo Factory Stores, Chaps, American Living, and Off-price accounts from design handoff to finished goods.
• Accountable for all knits, wovens, and sweaters for Boys 2-20, Girls 2-16, and baby newborn-24 months.

• Identified and on boarded new vendors, increasing factory matrix to improve costing and meet new category needs. Negotiated all prices, deliveries, and minimum order quantities. Ensured that product was compliant with.
• Reviewed production at local domestic vendors in tandem with technical designer to confirm quality standards were being met and to trouble shoot any production issues.
• Partnered with the company’s President on special collaborative projects with celebrity design partners for exclusive product launches.
• Regularly traveled to flagship store in Greenwich, CT and Bergdorf Goodman boutique to merchandise floor, meet with sales team, and engage with customers. Assisted with trunk shows and other in-store events.

• Directed the development, costing, allocation, and production of girls knit and woven apparel. Collaborated with cross functional partners including design, merchandising, technical design, and testing. Communicated.
• Successfully attained divisional margin goals while maintaining design aesthetic and brand quality.
• Ensured timely delivery of all showroom samples globally for rig and showroom setups.