How to Research Buyers Before You Pitch

by Jessel Brizan | VALSAYN, Trinidad and Tobago | 9 April 2026

 

This article is part of an ongoing fashion business series, 'Selling Fashion Collections'.

Securing a meeting with a fashion buyer is an important milestone for any designer or fashion entrepreneur. But one of the biggest mistakes emerging brands make is approaching buyers without preparation. In today’s competitive fashion market, buyers demand more than just creativity. They expect brands to align with their needs and values. Before pitching your collection, you must understand:

  • Who the buyer is

  • What their store represents

  • Who they sell to

The more knowledgeable your approach is, the more compelling and credible your pitch will be.

In Selling Fashion Collections: Navigating the Buying Process as a Fashion Entrepreneur, I emphasise the strategic advantage of researching buyers. Below are the key principles every designer should follow before stepping into a buyer meeting.

Why Buyer Research Matters

Not every retailer is the right fit for your brand. Identifying the right buyers requires thoughtful analysis instead of reaching out to many at once. Effective buyer research allows you to:

  • Refine your pitch by tailoring your presentation to the retailer’s needs.

  • Identify brand–retailer fit based on aesthetic, pricing, and target market.

  • Align your collection with the retailer's seasonal buying direction and product mix.

  • Speak the buyer’s language using relevant references and terminology.

  • Differentiate your pitch by demonstrating a thorough understanding of their business.

  • Anticipate potential objections related to price, production capacity, or delivery timelines.

Buyers immediately recognise when a designer has thoroughly prepared. Preparation demonstrates professionalism, commercial awareness, and respect for the buyer’s time.

Create a Buyer Profile Before the Meeting

A practical way to organise your research is by creating a buyer profile. This is a structured overview of the retailer’s business model, customer base, and merchandising strategy. A strong buyer profile typically includes the following elements:

  • Market Position and Design Level: Identify the fashion tier the retailer operates in to ensure your brand’s design level and pricing align with their assortment.

  • Retailer Type: Understand the retailer’s format (department store, boutique, concept store, or online marketplace) to anticipate their buying priorities, order size, and product expectations.

  • Target Customer Profile: Research the retailer’s customer demographics, lifestyle, and shopping behaviour to determine whether your collection matches their audience.

  • Product Categories and Assortment: Identify the store’s key merchandise categories and aesthetic to present only pieces that align with its assortment strategy.

  • Pricing Structure: Ensure your wholesale pricing allows the retailer to maintain their standard retail markup and remain consistent with their price structure.

  • Brand Aesthetic and Values: Analyse the retailer’s visual identity, storytelling, and values to highlight how your brand aligns with their positioning.

  • Buying Cycles and Seasonal Timing: Approach buyers during their purchasing windows and align your collection with their seasonal buying schedule.

Conduct a Retail Store Audit

Whenever possible, it is advisable to visit the retailer in person. During this visit, you should pay attention to the following aspects:

  • Store layout and visual merchandising

  • Product displays and styling

  • Price points and brand mix

  • How competing brands are presented

This firsthand insight helps you visualise how your collection fits within the retail store environment. It also demonstrates to buyers your commitment to establishing a meaningful partnership.

Where to Find Fashion Buyers

Once you understand how to evaluate buyers, the next step is knowing where to find them. Some of the most effective channels include:

  • Trade Shows and Fashion Markets

  • Market Weeks

  • Showrooms and Sales Agencies

  • Online B2B Platforms

  • Direct Retail Outreach

  • Networking and Industry Events

Preparation Creates Opportunity

In the fashion industry, creativity is essential for opening opportunities, but it is strategy that ultimately secures success. The designers who successfully establish retail partnerships are those who understand the buyer’s world as well as their own. When you walk into a buyer meeting well-informed, aligned, and prepared, it shows that you are offering a business solution for their store and not just presenting clothing. And that is what buyers are truly looking for.

This article is adapted from Chapter 4 of my forthcoming book, Selling Fashion Collections: Navigating the Buying Process as a Fashion Entrepreneur. If you are a designer seeking to understand the sales process, including buyer psychology and wholesale strategy, this book is for you.

Selling Fashion Collections: Navigating the Buying Process as a Fashion Entrepreneur is now available for pre-order at a 20% discount on Routledge.com. The book will ship after April 29, 2026.

A native of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Jessel Brizan is a fashion entrepreneur, educator and author with over two decades of experience in the creative industries, tertiary education, and the global fashion industry. He began his career in New York, working with Macy’s Merchandising Group and Solo Licensing Corporation on brands such as Alfani, Betsey Johnson, and Spalding. A graduate of American International College in Massachusetts, he distinguished himself academically, graduating summa cum laude as class valedictorian. He later pursued formal training in menswear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, where he deepened his expertise in design, production and merchandising. Jessel pioneered several firsts in the Caribbean fashion landscape. As founder of Jessel Brizan Design Group Ltd., he established the first local fashion e‑commerce platform, enabling global sales and fulfilment. In 2012, he launched Blue Basin Department Stores Ltd., the first local retail concept connecting Caribbean designers and artisans with international markets. He also played a key role in forming The Fashion Exchange Co‑operative Society Limited, the region’s first fashion co‑operative. An educator at heart, he served a decade at the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design, where he developed and taught courses in digital fashion design, technical illustration, creative fashion presentations and portfolio development. His work introduced the region’s first curricula in digital fashion design and technical package creation. Jessel’s expertise has been sought by FashionTT, the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the National Training Agency and the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, where he has contributed to the national standard for sustainable garment manufacturing. In 2023, he was awarded a prestigious Chevening Scholarship and earned a Master’s in Fashion Business Management from the University of Westminster. He continues to advocate for a globally competitive, sustainable Caribbean fashion ecosystem, presenting thought leadership at regional forums such as the Caribbean Investment Forum 2025. As an author, he has published Costing for Fashion and Technical Package Development for Excel, practical guides that support designers and entrepreneurs in navigating the global fashion landscape. Guided by his philosophy of “philanthropy through fashion”, he remains committed to education, industry development and mentoring at‑risk youth.

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