AllSaints names Nichole Strydom as chief merchant

British fashion brand AllSaints has appointed Nichole Strydom as its new chief merchant, a position she will take up from May 5.

In the role, Strydom has been tasked with leading the company’s global merchandising strategy, overseeing buying, merchandising and sourcing across all regions and channels.

She will work alongside chief creative officer Aaron Esh to support the creative team through commercial execution, striving for the mission to accelerate growth.

In a statement, AllSaints’ CEO, Peter Wood, underlined Strydom’s “proven track record of driving performance across complex and fast-moving international retail markets”.

“Her expertise will help us harness customer and partner insights, sharpen our execution and ensure our merchandising operating model delivers for our brand,” Wood continued.

Strydom joins AllSaints from Zalando, where she most recently served as commercial director for the international e-tailer's premium portfolio. This formed part of her over 20 years in the global fashion and retail industry.

On her new role, Strydom said: “AllSaints has a distinctive creative identity and a strong global following. Retail is evolving rapidly as customer expectations change, and I’m excited to join the brand at such a pivotal moment.

“My focus will be on aligning commercial strategy with customer insight to drive sustainable growth, deepen brand affinity and support AllSaints’ continued evolution.”