This is an episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast, which features candid conversations about how today’s trends are shaping the future of the fashion industry. More from the series →
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On the Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss the announcement of September’s New York Fashion Week schedule, including a long-awaited move back to a more geographically consolidated number of venues. Additionally, we talk about a ruling from the International Court of Justice that puts more pressure on wealthier countries to curb their emissions. Lastly, we talk about a bizarre case of money laundering in the Netherlands involving Louis Vuitton and discuss the luxury industry’s vulnerability to financial crime.
Later in the episode, our editor-in-chief, Jill Manoff, has a discussion with Patience Anoe-Lamptey Battle, a 15-year veteran store associate who specializes in selling high-end fragrance. The conversation is part of our ongoing Store Associates Strategies week, a series of stories the Glossy team has put together on how fashion and beauty brands are making use of their store associates today.
Battle spoke with Jill about how she got into the job of high-end sales associate, how it’s changed and what the career path looks like. Below are some highlights, lightly edited for clarity.
On what a luxury sales associate does
“You have to have so much knowledge to do this job. You have to know what you’re talking about. The customer has to trust you, and you have to build a relationship with them. Some people develop relationships that last years and years. You might supply their entire family.
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The luxury customer is expecting forethought. They’re expecting a luxury experience where they don’t have to think too much. You’re here to create an experience for them. And some of these clients, they want you to keep in contact with them. They want to be a client for life. Those people want you to talk to them. I’ve seen people texting their clients on their birthday. I’ve seen people go on vacations with their clients.”
One way the job has changed
“When you look at it, retail has lost a lot of customers to the online market. It splits the customer, where some people might take a look in the store but won’t buy until they get home. However, there are still people who need that one-on-one, in-person interaction. They need to smell things, to touch the product. Many people come in because they saw a product on an app, and they’re asking if we have it. Or they have their phone out with their favorite influencer from YouTube or TikTok. So, they’re bringing social media into the store.”
