The international fashion shows are not just an opportunity for bloggers to gush over new bags. This is where buyers from your favourite stores come to pick out the clothes you'll be wearing next season.
Elise is the buyer for The Corner Store in Sydney and we caught up at the Isabel Marant show at the Sorbonne in Sydney. Elise had just come from a long stint of appointments in New York where she snapped up R 13 denim, Alexander Wang and Phillip Lim for Australian shoppers.
In Paris, Elise was keen on the entire Isabel Marant collection, and with plenty more appointments still to go, you can expect some exciting new finds in the Sydney store soon.
At the end of the show we had time for a quick Q & A before she was off on another buying mission.
TheVine: Which city's fashion week do you find most exciting for you as an Australian buyer?
Elise: Because I am French, I get pretty excited by the fashion in Sydney and Melbourne; it is unlike anything else in the world!
TheVine: What's really exciting you in fashion right now?
Elise: I am fascinated by the talent of Alexander Wang; his Autumn Winter show makes you want to buy every silhouette.
TheVine: Besides your excellent buying, what do you think is the main factor that drives your shoppers to choice your selections? Street fashion? Celebs? Style bloggers? Magazines?
Elise: The word of mouth has always been the best friend of The Corner Shop.
TheVine: People often think that everything to do with fashion is non-stop glamour. What is the hardest or most difficult aspect of your job?
Elise: One of the most difficult things is to work within a budget as the collections we see are so beautiful… And the relentless buying trips are also more about exhaustion than glamour!
TheVine: Does it annoy you that a certain major Australian high street fashion store directly copies labels you buy like Marant?
Elise: No, because our customers like their clothes to have the real tag in them!