Dounia Benhida - Galeries Lafayette Qatar, Luxury Fashion Buyer
Your Mentor, Dounia Benhida, is a seasoned Luxury Fashion Buyer at Galeries Lafayette in Qatar, boasting over 7 years of experience in luxury buying and brand management within the Qatari market.
Currently serving as a Buyer for Luxury brands within both Galeries Lafayette and Ali Bin Ali Fashion, a leading organization in Qatar, Dounia's expertise spans various facets of the industry. With a multifaceted background, Dounia has bought for multiple departments, including Womenswear, Menswear accessories & leather goods, Kids, and Lingerie.
Moreover, she has spearheaded the portfolio strategy for the newly launched e-commerce platform. Presently, her focus lies on the opening of Luxury Eveningwear and Couture brands in Qatar, where she prioritizes brand and launch strategy implementation, alongside assortment selection and analysis to ensure the brands' optimal success in the market.
Dounia's wealth of experience and strategic acumen make her an invaluable resource for individuals and businesses seeking guidance and insights into the dynamic world of luxury fashion buying and brand management in Qatar and beyond.
RETAIL CONNECTIONS
- Galaries Lafayette, Qatar
SPOKEN LANGUAGES
- English, French and Arabic
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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.
