Global Retail Director

Dries Van Noten founded his eponymous brand in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1986. He is widely recognised for his distinctive approach to craft, combining refined tailoring with bold eclecticism. His signature use of print, texture, colour, and silhouette continues to define a style that exists beyond seasonal trends. Today, Dries Van Noten collections are available in stores across Europe, the United States, and Asia, as well as through a global network of wholesale partners, and online. The brand has recently expanded into beauty and fragrance, complementing its ready-to-wear and accessories collections. In December 2024, Julian Klausner was appointed Creative Director. Having worked closely with Dries since 2018, his deep understanding of the house’s identity ensures continuity while opening a new chapter for its future.

Mission:

Reporting to the Vice President the Global Retail Director leads and drives the global retail strategy across EMEA, APAC, and US, with full responsibility for retail roll-out, performance, brand execution, and operational excellence. The mission is to drive sales and profitability, elevate the customer experience, strengthen brand presence, and identify and develop new retail opportunities in line with the company’s global growth strategy.

Responsabilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement retail strategies to achieve sales targets and business objectives.
• Analyse market trends, consumer behaviour, and the competitive landscape to identify opportunities for growth and improvement through a robust retail distribution strategy and targeted sales activities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of retail strategies with overall company goals
• Manage and optimize Retail budget and support the President and the Vice President to effectively manage P&L through growth from existing business and investment for expansion of retail distribution channel

Operational Excellence & Profitability

• Plan and deliver overall retail sales plans and targets.
• Monitor sales performance and KPIs, and develop strategies to maximize sales opportunities
• Oversee all aspects of retail operations, including sales performance, retail and visual merchandising, inventory management, and store profitability.
• Monitor closely retail costs to ensure the brand is productive and profitable
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and brand standards
• Implement effective retail processes and procedures to optimize efficiency and streamline operations.
• Lead negotiations with retail partners on cost contribution to deliver best in class client experiences

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing and motivated retail team to deliver exceptional client experiences that exceeds sales goals
• Act as a role model and foster a positive, inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Ensure teams work collaboratively to achieve business goals, while providing inspiring leadership to align and engage them with the strategic vision.

Client experience & development

• Represent Dries Van Noten’s aesthetic and values in every client interaction and ensure a consistently elevated client experience.
• Hold full accountability for ensuring the highest level of client service across all retail locations, driving engagement, loyalty, and retention.
• Develop a strong clienteling culture and implement the Group’s CRM strategy across the retail network.
• Define clear retail KPIs, monitor performance through data, and lead the ongoing mindset and behaviour shift towards true client centricity.

Sales

• Oversee buying and order placement for all stores, in close collaboration with the Retail Merchandising manager.
• Drive commercial performance through strong merchandising, product presentation, and relevant in-store initiatives.

Brand representation

• Work in close partnership with Visual and Storeplanning teams to develop and deliver impactful retail campaigns.
• Ensure that all retail activities and store environments consistently reflect the Dries Van Noten aesthetic.
• Maintain strong visual merchandising standards to create a coherent and compelling brand narrative across all doors.

The tasks above are not conclusive and may change according to the needs of the company. A flexible approach towards tasks and responsibilities is always needed.

Profile:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in international retail leadership, within the luxury.
• Proven track record in driving commercial performance across multi-regional retail networks.
• Solid financial acumen with experience in budget ownership and P&L management.
• Strategic mindset combined with a hands-on, results-driven approach.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire, develop, and structure high-performing teams at both corporate and retail level.
• Strong analytical skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• High sensitivity to brand, client experience, and visual identity.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a strong asset.
• Willingness to relocate to Antwerp and to travel internationally on a regular basis.

Offer:

Our company values Authenticity, Respect and Creativity are the pillars of our working culture. As part of our team, you can expect a collaborative and supportive work environment where your ideas are important and encouraged.

In addition of a competitive salary package, we offer hospitalization insurance, group insurance, mealvouchers and ecovouchers.

You’ll enjoy access to the Dries Van Noten stock sale and benefit from an employee discount. You will be invited to our company gatherings, which are designed to connect, celebrate our team, and strengthen the sense of belonging that defines our culture.