Buyers, Planners & Merchants by Trade;
Product-Obsessed by Nature
Seated between New York, Paris & Palm Beach.
A collective background spanning big-box retailers, designer houses and specialty boutiques. We merge broad market insight with what we learn digging into each business, working directly with founders and owners to drive profitable buying decisions and long-term growth.
Kate Rowan
Kate started in specialty retail as a teenager — working in boutiques, attending market with the owners, and ultimately helping her mom open her own independent boutique. Fashion as a career path — rather than a hobby or interest — wasn't the long-term plan for Kate. That is, until she moved to New York after college, where she landed her first merchandising job (the perfect mix of financial and creative) and she was hooked. Kate spent ~15 years in NYC working for global brands in buying and merchandising, helping companies launch categories, open stores, and build the business with portfolios of 70+ stores at a time. Eventually, climbing the corporate fashion ladder left her seeking something more fulfilling, dynamic and hands-on. Recognizing the gap between the strength of specialty store performance and their capacity to take on full-time seasoned buyers and planners, Kate saw an opportunity to share her expertise and make an impact. And thus, DeZiem was born. Now based in Paris, Kate continues to cover all NY markets while providing a high-touch link to the European market — working with the team to provide the expertise of a full-time buying and planning department in a consulting capacity.
Vintage Levi's (ask me about my Jeans Guy), too many blazers, and a multitude of handbags that sit in my closet while I carry a canvas grocery tote instead. Totême · TWP · vintage YSL.
Brittany
Our resident expert in all things luxury, Brittany's background offers a longstanding lens into the designer market — and how that impacts current business, even in the world of contemporary and advanced contemporary. Bridging the gap between buying and planning, Brittany began her career in one of the most reputable ways to do so — with Neiman Marcus in Dallas, TX. From there she switched to planning with Net-a-Porter, lived in Milan working for a highly renowned Italian boutique, and ultimately hit her stride managing the Women's Buying division for Brown Thomas in Dublin, Ireland. Now based in Paris, Brittany continues to work directly with luxury brands and retailers while driving high-level strategy at DeZiem.
Coats I spent full paychecks on, shoes I'll never wear, handbags I treat like children. Prada · Saint Laurent · Dries Van Noten.
Sophia
Following an undergraduate degree in costume design, Sophia cut her teeth at one of the most well-recognized boutiques in the US — Hampden in Charleston, SC — where she worked directly with the owner as the Buyer for four years during a period of significant growth. A desire to move to NYC landed her in a Buyer role at ABC Home in jewelry, where she later branched out to explore the wholesale side of the industry as well. Having experienced both the sales and buying side of the business — in both the contemporary and designer spaces — Sophia offers a valuable perspective on assortment planning and merchandising.
Flea-market finds, striped button-ups (you can't have too many), very few dresses. Simone Rocha · Forte Forte · Sacai.
Sarah
Our in-house Excel wiz and strategic visionary, Sarah boasts an impressive background across buying, merchandising and planning for a number of reputable global brands. Her most recent roles included heading worldwide merchandising for Crocs and Kate Spade, where she delivered triple-digit growth and launched multiple categories. Sarah brings a unique blend of strategic vision and thoughtful, hands-on expertise, always with a focus on consumer needs and business goals in an ever-evolving retail landscape.
Timeless everyday staples — oversized blazers, perfect white tees, denim that fits just right, and countless pairs of ballet flats. Etro · Alémais · La DoubleJ.
The Buying & Planning Department.
A full department's expertise, on call — à la carte, exactly where you need us most.
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