VISUAL MERCHANDISING MANAGER

Company Description

Founded in 2008, L'AGENCE is a lifestyle brand that combines the relaxed aesthetic of Southern California with Parisian elegance. Initially focused on ready-to-wear and denim, the brand now offers a diverse collection including footwear, swimwear, belts, and hats, catering to the versatile needs of modern life. L'AGENCE is sold in over 450 specialty stores globally, including prestigious retailers like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Harrods. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company also operates showrooms in New York City, Paris, and Seoul.

Summary:

As the Visual Merchandising Manager, you will be the steward of the L'AGENCE in-store aesthetic, ensuring brand excellence and consistency across our retail fleet, including full-price stores, outlets, and wholesale locations. This role is based in either Los Angeles or New York City.

Responsibilities:

Merchandising & Brand Excellence

• Brand Representation: Translate the L'AGENCE brand ethos into physical retail spaces, ensuring a consistent, premium, and luxury experience across various locations.
• Store Strategy: Oversee all floor sets, continuously assess store displays, and collaborate with business partners to achieve maximum Return on Investment (ROI).
• New Location Leadership: Lead the visual direction for all new store openings and pop-up shops, ensuring they embody the brand's identity from day one.
• Window Displays: Design and oversee the installation of seasonal, eye-catching window displays that tell the L'AGENCE story and enhance the brand's luxury appeal. Ensure displays are regularly updated and align with brand guidelines.

Training & Development

• Field Team Coaching: Develop and coach store and field teams on seasonal visual merchandising strategies, product presentation, and store maintenance to foster a skilled team with a focus on operational excellence and creativity.
• Talent Development: Actively participate in the recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring of new visual merchandising talent.

Communication & Collaboration

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Build strong partnerships with internal teams, including Marketing, Buying, and Merchandising, to ensure visual strategies support business objectives and optimize the customer journey.
• Team Leadership: Lead and mentor the sales visual team, promoting a high level of motivation, creativity, and productivity.
• Communication Flow: Manage effective and regular communication between the headquarters, field teams, and stores to ensure visual standards are consistently and efficiently executed.

Qualifications:

• Luxury Retail Expertise: A minimum of 5+ years of visual merchandising experience, with a significant background in the luxury fashion sector is essential for translating the brand’s premium essence into retail spaces.
• Creative & Strategic Leadership: Proven ability to blend high-impact creativity (for displays) with strategic thinking (for business growth and profitability).
• Project Management: Excellent organizational and project management skills to manage multiple priorities, large-scale store installations, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to Detail: A keen eye for detail in both the creative and operational aspects, from maintaining luxury standards to managing complex store installations.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills are required to effectively present ideas, influence cross-functional partners, and lead training sessions.
• Teamwork: A highly collaborative approach, comfortable coordinating with merchandising, buying, and store leadership teams to adapt and execute strategies at the store level.
• Travel: Ability to travel extensively (up to 80%) for store installations, openings, and field team support.
• Physical Demands: Comfort with the physical work required for installations, including lifting and standing for extended periods.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to stand for long periods of time.
• Ability to occasionally reach overhead.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move up to 30-50 lbs.
• Ability to climb a ladder or stepstool

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.