Interview: Cordings Womenswear Buyer

Interview with Rosie Hooton, Womenswear buyer for Cordings.
  1. Tell us a bit about your background and your journey to Womenswear buyer for Cordings.

My journey with Cordings started in 2006 as a PA and Accounts/payroll administer for Noll the Managing Director. It was a varied role which also included some HR, the payroll, PR and marketing and Assistant buyer. As the company expanded, so too did the office team and my role as Assistant Buyer became more focused leading to becoming Womenswear Buyer in 2012. These previous roles enabled me to grasp the internal running of a small business so being .part of that journey has been very rewarding and exciting. I am officially part of the Cording’s furniture!

 

  1. Describe the female Cording’s customer.

This is an interesting one as the answer is rather varied. Similar to the male customer, the three generations shop with us…we have seen all three in at once at times! Generally she is age 40+ and can be British or European. Due to our location in the westend we get a huge amount of tourist footfall, those that love the British look. She is generally stylish, glamorous and likes to buy stand out unique pieces she can’t find in other shops.

 

  1. As the womenswear buyer for Cordings, what appealed to you about Dukes as a company to collaborate with?

Dukes is another classic British brand so it made sense to join forces! We are seeing year after year a younger customer wanting something classic and at the same time durable and fashionable. We did a successful collaboration with Jack Wills where we saw an increase of younger shoppers coming through the doors. People love something connected to British heritage. I think Dukes boots ticks all those boxes so coupled with the Cordings heritage we thought it was a good combination.

 

  1. What was the focus for you in the design process of the Dukes x Cordings boot?

    We wanted to maintain tradition and heritage so chose to run the Dukes classic Chelsea boot in two colours.  Adding the Cordings burgundy and cream colour to the boot pull has added a subtle signature to the boot. The main emphasis was not to change anything but keep it simple and add our Cordings colours.

 

  1. The Limited Edition boot can be personalised with customer’s initials. Do you think that there is a stronger demand for personalisation of products in today’s retail market?

Yes I do actually. I think having their initials stamped on creates a strong personal attachment to the boot, making them even more special. I also think it is a brilliant add on sale for our customers, they will love the idea. 

 

  1. What makes the Limited Edition boot so special for you and which pair will you be wearing?

It’s tough to choice between the two…maybe I’ll have to get both! I think the black…but I will have to get them initialed so my twin sister can’t get her hands on them!

We feel very excited to be associated with such a cool, young British brand and believe Dukes and Cordings will be the perfect match.

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