Justin O'Shea of MyTheresa.com on Being a Top-notch Buying Director

A day in the life of a Buying Director is... 

That is a tough question to answer. It is always different. Let’s take my day tomorrow as an example.... I fly from Berlin to New York in the morning, go straight to a Michael Kors Resort 2016 presentation, followed by a Gucci meeting, then a buying appointment with a new brand and then dinner with an upcoming photographer.

There are many online shopping websites nowadays, what makes customers head over to mytheresa.com?

I believe it’s the product. We share a lot of brands with our competitors, but it’s the selection of product inside the world’s best brands which is why people come to buy from us. This gives us a unique exclusivity.

Tell us a little about the decision-making process, when picking designer pieces for mytheresa.com.

It is important that each piece serves a purpose. It could be because it’s a staple in women’s wardrobes and we should never be out of stock, or because it is one of the must-have items of the season. 

Do you think fashion bloggers have an influence on your best-sellers? 

No, I don’t think so.

What is one fashion item that every woman should invest in? 

A great coat! 

Tell us the items that a woman needs to curate the perfect summer wardrobe. 

Timeless sunglasses, classic sneakers, white cotton dress, leather jacket. Simple and easy. 

What are some of the work challenges you face and how do you over come them?

Seeing all of the brands four times a year which are spread around the world. There is so much to see and it gets more and more every year. Just managing to visit all of the designers and see new ones is such a time consuming task. The only way to overcome this is to live on planes and never go home! (laughs)

There are a lot of emerging designers, so on what basis do you cultivate relationships with new brands?

You just need to think carefully about who you mentor and grow. Most new brands won’t succeed. So you need to invest your time and money wisely. It’s important to not only judge from one season's collections. Sometimes you need to watch them for a while before making the decision to work together.

The fashion world has greatly changed over the past few years, what is your comment and how do you see it evolving in the future?

The fashion world has just become smaller due to online and social networks. Customers are more informed and they don’t want to wait. So you need to get things to them faster and easier. The basic principles stay the same, it’s just digital instead of physical. 

 What is the one piece of advice you can give to someone who wants to work in the fashion industry? 

Confidence and a strong work ethic.