Visual Merchandising Manager EMEA - Paris - Acne Studios

Description

Acne Studios is a progressive luxury house and through collaboration and curiosity, we set high aspirations and strive for excellence. We value everyone's contribution and embrace feedback to develop ourselves and others. We aim to minimise our environmental impact across all our operations and to address societal challenges in the way we conduct our business.

CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

We firmly believe that when you feel supported, included, and trusted, it enables you to enjoy your work and thrive in it. You will be a part of a team of colleagues with diverse roles and backgrounds, each with their unique skills and experiences.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

As Visual Merchandising Manager EMEA based in Paris, your main contribution will be to shape and elevate the visual merchandising vision across the EMEA region. Partnering closely with Global Merchandising and Brand Experience, Buying and Allocation and Regional Leadership, you will contribute by ensuring that global concepts translate into consistent, high‑impact visual execution across the market. You will serve as the strategic feedback loop between the global VM organization and regional retail realities—driving alignment, elevating store performance, and ensuring brand consistency.

You will oversee visual merchandising strategy and execution for more than 30 stores and locations across Europe and future EMEA markets, as well as key wholesale touchpoints. You will deliver world‑class product presentation, evolve seasonal directives, optimise operational processes, and support the commercial ambitions of the region. You will report to the President EMEA. You will play a vital role by:

• Define a clear VM vision for EMEA and align it with global leadership, Merchandising, Brand, and buying teams—from concept through execution
• Participate in early pre‑season strategy touchpoints, providing market insights and driving a consistent global standard across EMEA
• Contribute to the evolution of global VM directives by establishing a strong and continuous feedback loop with store teams and regional partners
• Champion globally consistent VM principles while adapting execution to meet local commercial and operational needs
• Oversee all visual merchandising operations across more than 30 stores, including seasonal floorsets, launches, global initiatives, and seasonal resort locations
• Manage end‑to‑end processes for store and brand experience changes: product/prop ordering, logistics coordination, vendor collaboration, and onsite installation
• Ensure that all stores maintain global visual standards through routine visits, audits, coaching, and directives—documenting visual changes with clear reporting and photography
• Work daily with Regional Merchandising to align VM execution with delivery calendars, collection strategies, and store‑level priorities
• Partner with Retail Leaders to drive visual performance, store results, and operational readiness
• Collaborate with Global HQ and Brand Experience teams on fashion week activations, high‑profile installations, and special projects, ensuring flawless execution
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of two Area Visual Merchandisers, fostering a high‑performance culture and strengthening VM capability across all EMEA stores
• Build and scale tools, processes, principles, and communication channels that enable stores to deliver best‑in‑class brand experiences
• Promote store autonomy and capability through training, support, and hands‑on development of store teams
• Manage all visual components of special events including trunk shows, press previews, collaborations, and retail activations
• Lead special orders, pop‑ups, and large‑scale installations from concept to completion
• Own and control the EMEA VM travel and project budget, partnering with the Regional President to ensure efficient and impactful allocation
• Provide accurate reporting, planning, and forecasting across all VM activities

WHO YOU ARE

You have high aspirations and focus on details that create substantial impact. You enjoy working as a team and you embrace feedback to develop yourself and others. You are curious and thrive in a dynamic environment. Cooperation, respect, and clear communication are important, along with your ambition to learn and grow. If these qualities speak to you, we would love to have you on our team.

Specific personal qualities for this role:

• Strong experience managing cross‑country teams, with proven leadership skills
• Excellent communicator with strong presentation, analytical, and conceptual abilities
• Advanced planning, organisational, and project‑management skills; thrives under pressure and tight timelines
• Strong visual eye with deep understanding of current trends, colour, storytelling, and experiential retail
• Self‑motivated, energetic, creative, and detail‑oriented
• Flu‑ent in English—French or Southern European languages are a plus
• Flexibility to travel up to 50% across the region

Specific experience and knowledge for this role:

• 8–10+ years of experience in Visual Merchandising within fashion, luxury, retail, or artistic sectors
• Skilled in shaping strategy as well as driving execution—comfortable working across global and regional levels
• Proficient in MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar 3D visualisation tools

What matters most to us is not whether you master all the listed knowledge and skills. We are dedicated to recognising the potential in each individual. We embrace diversity of people as well as ideas and viewpoints and encourage everyone's individual expression of their own identity.