About Hannah Stanks
Hi! My name is Hannah Stanks, and I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2022 with my BS in Fashion Merchandising and minors in Sustainable Textile Innovation and Business Administration. Immediately after college, I accepted a role with a fashion retailer that moved me across the country to Seattle, WA, from Ocean City, NJ. I have now been in the Seattle retail market for a little over three years.
Question 1: As a Store Manager at Mango, what are your primary roles? What does a typical day or week look like for you? Which part of the job do you find most exciting? Were there any aspects of the position that surprised you after you started?
Hannah: I am currently a Store Manager with Mango. Mango is a contemporary fashion brand that was founded in Barcelona in the 1980s. The brand embraces high-quality materials and on-trend fashion styles. I recently joined the Mango North America team this past June. Previously, I have worked for Uniqlo, Victoria’s Secret, and Zara, all in retail management roles.
Mango has been rapidly expanding in the US market over the past year. I was lucky enough to be part of a new store opening in June as an assistant store manager. After the store opened, I was promoted to a store manager and given the opportunity to run my own store in Lynnwood, WA. I have now been in my store manager role for about a month and a half, and I am truly learning so much.
As a store manager, I do everything. From hiring and training to visual merchandising to styling clients, no week or two days look the same. I think that is the best part of retail. Every day brings something new, and I am always on the move.
I think the biggest surprise to me about retail is truly the amount of work that goes into running a store. There are so many logistical aspects and roles that exist at the store level that I was not even aware of when I started going to school for fashion.
Mango is a relatively tight-knit community within the United States, and I have had the opportunity to meet so many key individuals in the brand’s success that I now look to as mentors.
Question 2: What are the primary merchandising responsibilities or decisions made at a clothing retail store? How do you coordinate with the corporate office in this process?
Hannah:Out of the four companies that I have worked for, merchandising responsibilities can differ greatly at the store level. Some retailers provide a clear layout that you must follow, as they want all their stores to look exactly the same. For example, a map for a new layout may have a certain garment folded on a table, so you must fold that garment rather than hang it. It is really interesting to see the different strategies different brands use.
At Mango, we have a clear plan for how our store should look to contribute to the brand image. However, because we know our clients best, we are able to curate our floor to meet their needs. For example, the town of Lynnwood is home to a lot of young families. So, casual styles sell really well for us. We typically have many families of jeans represented on our tables as they are one of our top sellers and we can fit the most of the garment on the floor by having them folded rather than hung. In Seattle, there are a lot of young professionals. In that store, business casual and professional styles sell much better, whereas casual styles, such as jeans, do not.
As a store manager, I am in constant communication with my district manager and regional visual manager to inform them about what is selling and what is not in my store. They then help to communicate to the product managers in Spain on what we should be receiving to maximize our business.
Question 3: From your experience, what factors have contributed to the success of the fast fashion industry? What do you see as its key strengths and unique business model?
Hannah:I think the most significant factor that has contributed to the success of the fast fashion industry is social media. In particular, TikTok inspires overconsumption by always promoting the newest trends and fads. It makes people want to buy anything and everything. A key strength is that social media allows you to order everything from one app. Fast fashion is truly at your fingertips without even having to open another browser.
Question 4: How do fast fashion retailers address sustainability, and what are the implications for merchandising?
Fast fashion retailers address sustainability in various ways. Many retailers now offer recycling programs within their stores to inspire clients to embrace a more circular fashion lifestyle.
Other brands have made commitments to reduce the number of deliveries stores will receive in a month to cut down on shipping fuel emissions. In those deliveries, the materials used to package the goods are now made out of recycled paper and no longer use plastics. Fewer shipments means not having as frequent orders of replenishment, which can affect merchandising in the store and having all sizes available.
However, with all of these great practices, it is up to the mall if the items are properly disposed of (e.g., cardboard vs. trash), and that is a battle in and of itself.
Question 5: One key concept we learned in FASH330 is inventory turnover. Why is this concept important, and how is it applied in the real world?
Turnover is a very real thing within the product life cycle of a retail store. I would say for me in my store, I typically have product for about three weeks until my clients are no longer interested or it sells through and I only have a few sizes left that do not sell as well. People who shop in malls often become bored when products do not sell and the store’s merchandising remains the same. When I experience delays in shipments, especially with new products, I notice a negative impact on my store’s sales. People want to be shopping for the newest and most trendy styles at all times.
Question 6: What advice would you give to students interested in a career in retail store management? What career development opportunities are available?
Hannah:My advice to a student interested in a career in retail store management is to just go for it! I think what the biggest struggle for me mentally was out of school, was I was the only person I knew from my graduating class that decided to choose the retail management route. Most students will move to New York and work as a buyer, planner, or similar role. I feel as though I really went the unconventional route, and I am so happy I did. Being out of school for three years, I have had the ability to meet so many different influential people within the fashion industry, that I do not think I would have had the ability to if I had become a buyer somewhere.
In retail management, the growth opportunities come so quickly. As soon as someone recognizes your drive and passion, the career opportunities are limitless. I have been at four retailers because each one has given me the opportunity to grow and step further up the ladder.
I wish that when I chose this path out of school, I had had someone to talk to and guide me through what a career in retail is like. You are not working a typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. My hours are crazy, the days can be long, my schedule is never the same, however the impact that I feel I have made within retail in the Seattle market is something I would never trade a desk job for.
If retail is something that you may think is for you, feel free to reach out via my LinkedIn and ask me any questions!
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