Cristo Bussman-Stuart – Harrods, Luxury Womenswear Buyer
Introducing your mentor, Cristo Stuart, the Womenswear Buyer at London's prestigious luxury retailer, Harrods.
Cristo's journey in the fashion industry began with a year and a half of interning as a fashion assistant, where he gained valuable experience in styling and editorial work. Facing a pivotal decision between returning to his home island of Guernsey or pursuing a paying job in London, Cristo chose to stay in the city he loved.
He secured a position as a sales associate at Harrods with Bottega Veneta, ultimately progressing within the company over 7 years to become the retail buyer/merchandiser for the UK and France directly operated store network, overseeing all categories including Leathergoods, RTW, Shoes, Jewellery, Fragrance, and Sunglasses.
In August 2020, Cristo returned to Harrods as the Buyer for Luxury Accessories, focusing on bags and other leather goods from the world's top brands. With experience in both individual brand and multi-brand structures, across bricks-and-mortar, online, and travel retail, Cristo brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His passion for products and obsession with detail, combined with advanced knowledge of luxury clientele, retail, and merchandising strategies, set him apart. Furthermore, Cristo's degree in Chinese studies has equipped him with specialist knowledge in the Chinese consumer market.
While his expertise primarily lies in luxury leather goods, shoes, and RTW, Cristo's diverse skill set and experience are applicable across the industry at all levels.
RETAIL CONNECTIONS
- YOOX Net-a-Porter
- Luisa Via Roma
- Christian Dior
SPOKEN LANGUAGES
- English and Mandarin
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WE ARE COCO Launches Global Private Shopping Services, Led by Pippa Mellor, former Net-a-Porter UK & EU Personal Shopping Manager
WE are thrilled to announce the appointment of Pippa Mellor as the Head of VIC Services at WE ARE COCO.
With over 15 years of experience in the luxury fashion retail and e-commerce industry, Pippa brings her extensive expertise in private shopping and client relations to lead our new Global Private Shopping Services.
In this role, Pippa will spearhead the development of a global network of private stylists across the U.S. and the Middle East, acting as a direct point of contact for WE are COCO brands and private shoppers at prestigious our partner retailers such as Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Farfetch.
"I’m thrilled to be joining the board of mentors at We Are COCO and working alongside an inspiring team of industry leaders. With 15 years of experience in luxury sales and client development, I’m excited to help brands expand their DTC sales through innovative global luxury private shopping and client development strategies." - Pippa Mellor
Her responsibilities will include providing comprehensive brand training, client services, product updates and exclusive launches, trunk shows and sales incentives.
Pippa’s career includes high-level leadership roles at NET-A-PORTER, MATCHES, Mulberry, and Liberty London. She has consistently demonstrated her ability to build and implement loyalty strategies that nurture existing clients and attract new high-value prospects.
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WE are COCO Expands Into Asia with the Appointment of Lu Ng as Managing Partner
Hong Kong, August 2024 — WE are COCO is pleased to announce the launch of WE are COCO Asia, a strategic expansion into the Asian market, led by the newly appointed Managing Partner, Lu Ng. Based in Hong Kong, Lu brings nearly two decades of experience in the luxury and contemporary fashion industry, positioning WE are COCO for significant growth across Hong Kong, China, and the Far East.
This expansion begins with the addition of Sauvereign, a Hong Kong-based luxury brand that has recently captured global attention by dressing Cillian Murphy with a bespoke brooch at the Oscars, designed by Bertrand Mak. As WE are COCO Asia’s first client, Sauvereign exemplifies the caliber of contemporary, commercial, and niche luxury brands that the firm is set to represent.
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Mentorship in Motion: WE are COCO Transforms Matches' Retail Redundancies into Opportunities for former Employees
In the recent retail shifts, WE are COCO is mobilising the acumen of former Matches talent for mentorship and education roles within the industry. Equipping brands, retail projects and executives with industry education derived from real-world lessons.
WE are COCO, is proud to welcome Alice Primmer, a seasoned former Matches buyer, to our Board of Retail Mentors. She is ready to steer international brands, developers, students and retail professionals through the complexities of today's market. Turning her time and talent to teaching the next generation of fashion leaders.
"In these turbulent times, it's increasingly difficult for both retailers and brands to stay profitable. WE are COCO, leverages our expertise and global insights to bridge the gap between vendors and distributors, guiding everyone towards success in this new normal," said Alice
Alice's extensive background as a luxury womenswear buyer at Matches equips her with a profound understanding of the fashion industry's nuances, from product development to international market dynamics and e-commerce strategies. Her appointment underscores our commitment to leveraging deep industry knowledge to empower brands and retailers to navigate and thrive in today's fluctuating market conditions.
