How I Got Here: The Iconic’s Senior Buyer Ellie Grant-Taylor on taking the detours

“Not every step needs to look like forward progress from the outside.”

Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to people who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs. We explore the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly, the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned on the journey.

For many in fashion, ascending to the mountain’s highest peak is the dream, whether their destination is designing for a faraway fashion house or sitting front row at one of its shows. But Ellie Grant-Taylor, Senior Buyer for Australian Designer at The Iconic, didn’t set out with a dream job in mind. Throughout her journey to a senior role at one of the region’s largest fashion platforms, Ellie has focused on just that – the journey.

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Like many creatives, Ellie’s career path has taken its fair share of detours, and they weren’t always glamorous. Along the way, she bounced from law to psychology to real estate, with her interest in design always quietly present in the background. Some roles on her resume weren’t her first choice, but she sees each position as a compass pointing her to where she is today.

“One of the biggest lessons has been understanding that not every step needs to look like forward progress from the outside,” she explains. “Sometimes a role can feel like a detour, but still give you valuable skills, perspective or relationships that become important later.”

Now, Ellie has found her calling in a role that balances data-led strategy with creative thinking and an instinct honed by a wide breadth of experiences. Looking back, what she once saw as the challenges of her non-linear path are what made the journey worthwhile. “There isn’t one ‘right’ route and I think that’s one of the most exciting things about the industry.”

Fashion Journal: Hi Ellie! What do you do and what’s your official job title?

Ellie: I’m the Senior Buyer for Australian and New Zealand Designer brands at The Iconic. I’m responsible for shaping an assortment that feels relevant and inspiring for our customers, from deciding which brands we range to selecting the styles we invest in. It’s a mix of trend forecasting, commercial strategy, relationship-building and, yes, plenty of shopping!

Did you have an idea of your dream job growing up?

Not at all! I had plenty of interests, so I spent a while jumping between ideas, including studying law, psychology, real estate and business. It wasn’t until I returned to study Applied Fashion Design and Technology that I discovered the role of a buyer.

It felt like a perfect fit because it brought together my interest in business and fashion, while balancing creativity with commercial strategy. I liked that no two days were the same and that the role involved both big-picture strategic thinking and the detail of deciding which products would make it onto the shop floor – or, in this case, onto the platform.

Take us back to when you were first starting out in the industry. What was your pathway into buying?

My path into buying was a mix of study, retail experience and following opportunities as they came up. After completing a Bachelor of Business Management, I worked in-store at Sass and Bide before returning to study Applied Fashion Design and Technology. As part of the course, I completed an internship at the Sass and Bide head office, which gave me my first experience of working behind the scenes in fashion.

Soon after, I joined The Iconic as Category Administration Assistant. It was my first head office role and a great foundation for understanding the business from the ground up. From there, I worked my way up the buying pathway. I didn’t have a perfectly mapped-out plan, but each step helped point me toward the career I wanted to build.

How did you land your current role with The Iconic?

I spent a few years there, working my way up from Category Administration Assistant to Buyer before leaving to explore different areas of the fashion industry and broaden my experience. I worked in product development as a merchant for a global brand and in wholesale as a senior brand and sales manager.

My career hasn’t followed a linear path, but each role gave me a different perspective on the industry and helped build my commercial understanding. Leading the women’s designer portfolio at The Iconic had been a career goal of mine for some time, so returning to be in this role was a really exciting full-circle moment.

Can you walk us through a typical day in your life on the job? What are some of your daily tasks?

There’s rarely a typical day in buying, which is one of the things I love about it. The role can involve everything from reviewing current-season trade and customer data to brand appointments, assortment planning, working with marketing and styling, and planning the forward strategy for the department.

During key market periods, the pace picks up even more. I move between runway shows and appointments, review upcoming collections, identify key trends and keep on top of how the current season is performing. It’s a constant juggle of creativity, commercial thinking and understanding what will resonate with our customer.

What exciting projects have you been working on recently?

Last month, we headed to Auckland for New Zealand Fashion Week, where The Iconic brought its Front Row runway show to life. This year, the show featured a branded designer assortment alongside our own brands, which was a really exciting way to showcase the breadth of the department.

It was fantastic to be on the ground in New Zealand, seeing the collections come to life, meeting with existing partners and discovering potential future opportunities. Fashion Week is always a busy few days, but it’s also one of the best reminders of how much creativity and talent exists across the region.

What challenges have you faced getting to where you are now?

My career journey hasn’t been linear. There have definitely been roles or categories that didn’t feel like an obvious fit at the time. Looking back, those experiences were often contributing to the bigger picture in ways I couldn’t see yet.

One of the biggest lessons has been understanding that not every step needs to look like forward progress from the outside. Sometimes a role can feel like a detour, but still give you valuable skills, perspective or relationships that become important later. It’s a privilege to work in a category you feel strongly about, but I don’t think I would have the same perspective without spending time in areas that weren’t necessarily my favourite. The roles I didn’t love still taught me a lot and helped clarify exactly where I did want to be.

What’s the best part about your role?

For me, it’s the balance between creativity and commercial thinking. I get to work with an incredible mix of established and emerging Australian and New Zealand designers and be part of their brand journeys that contribute to our bigger picture designer strategy.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see an idea or collection at the start of the buying process, being involved in ranging and developing it and then watching it resonate with customers once it lands on The Iconic. My favourite moments are probably the unexpected ones, seeing someone on the street wearing a piece you’ve worked on and thinking back to the CAD, range appointment or tiny fabric swatch that helped lead to the finished product.

What would surprise people about your role?

Probably how data-led buying is. There’s naturally a creative and instinctive element to the role, but we also have access to a huge amount of product, brand and customer data that helps us understand how customers are shopping, what’s performing and where demand is building. Technology and AI are increasingly helping us work through that information more efficiently too. Ultimately, though, buying is about combining those insights with experience, brand vision, product knowledge and instinct.

What skills have served you well in the fashion industry?

Being able to balance commercial thinking with creativity and gut instinct is incredibly important. Data can tell you a lot about customer behaviour and product performance, but buying also requires an understanding of brand, product, timing and what might resonate next.

I’d also say adaptability, curiosity and relationship-building have served me well. Fashion and retail move incredibly quickly, so being open to learning and building strong relationships across the industry can make a huge difference throughout your career.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a buyer?

There are so many different pathways into fashion buying, whether through study, working in retail, internships or starting in an entry-level head office role. There isn’t one ‘right’ route and I think that’s one of the most exciting things about the industry. It attracts a diverse range of people with varied backgrounds.

Regardless of the path you take, apply yourself from day one and stay open to learning. Say yes to opportunities that expose you to different parts of the business, even if they aren’t exactly what you imagined. The retail industry in Australia and New Zealand is a small and close-knit community. The work you put forward, the attitude you bring and the relationships you build early in your career have a long-term impact.

What about a practical tip?

Get as much exposure to the industry as you can and don’t underestimate the value of an entry-level opportunity. Be curious, ask questions and learn how different parts of a retail business work together. Buying isn’t just about having a good eye for product. Developing your commercial understanding and learning how to interpret customer and sales data will serve you just as well.

For more on becoming a buyer, try this.