Scoop's Fireside Chats: Fenwick buyer Melanie Westwood discusses modern retail challenges

Scoop rounded up its February 2026 edition this week, hailing solid attendance from buyers and a sense of optimism from exhibitors. This season saw the introduction of a new Fireside Chats programme, which saw Scoop director Karen Radley host a series of talks with buyers to address the reality of business in the present day.

One of these talks involved Melanie Westwood, a buyer at British department store Fenwick. After touching on her background in fashion, including past positions at Asos and House of Fraser, Westwood went on to discuss the evolving role of the buyer, which she said has become more holistic over recent years. Having initially been more product-focused, Westwood now finds herself involved in many aspects of the business, working with legal, finance, visual merchandising, commerce and creative teams to create an environment a product can thrive in.

Buyers take on a more holistic role in the present day

“Retail has always been competitive, but in the last five years, it’s become more competitive,” she noted. “As a buyer, it’s not just about buying the product, it’s about making sure you’re getting the stock in on time. From a merchandising delivery perspective, it’s getting involved in creating an environment, either in store or on your website, that really sells it to the customer. It’s about ensuring there are no blocks to driving sales and success.”

Westwood went on to outline the buyer's journey, from navigating budget with the merchandising team to analysing trend and customer data in establishing seasonal approaches to collection development. Trade shows remain an important part of this process, she added, alongside visiting independent retailers and scoping out the shop floor at Fenwick’s locations across the country.

“You have to be completely customer-obsessed,” Westwood told the audience. “It’s about understanding who your customer is, being in-store, observing how they shop and using every insight available, from social media to sales data, to inform buying decisions. Trade shows like Scoop remain incredibly important, not just for reconnecting with existing partners, but for discovering new brands and categories and understanding where the market is moving.”

Seasonality varies per category

Newness varies per category, particularly when introducing new products to the shop floor. Nursery accessories, for example, are only now being explored, so seasonality is currently not a factor. Jewellery, on the other hand, is 60 percent seasonal and 40 percent continuity. “Within jewellery, there’s going to be certain brands that are going to have those iconic pieces you can sell season after season,” Westwood stated.

When asked what brands she was excited about for the coming season, Westwood cited Swarovski’s ongoing collaboration with Ariana Grande, the first iteration of which launched last year and was received positively, she noted. Damson Madder, a British brand known for its distinctive identity, was also highlighted as a strong performer, with prints that are looking strong for the spring/summer season.

Fenwick takes customer-centric approach as future of department stores brought into question

Naturally, macroeconomic and political factors have weighed heavily on the workings of buyers. Westwood said that many suppliers and brands have responded to challenges by opening up UK or European warehouses, allowing stock to enter the country more easily, yet emphasised an increased need to understand where products originate from and for UK-based agents, if such representation is even possible for a label.

Beyond Brexit, however, discussions over the future of multibrand stores, or more specifically department stores, have been ignited by news of Saks Global’s bankruptcy and struggles faced by competitor Selfridges. Addressing queries on this topic, Westwood said Fenwick’s strategy is to zone in on customer service, emphasised by creating knowledgeable and passionate store teams, which she calls the retailer’s “point of difference”. “That’s where we’re seeing success,” she added.

Westwood was among a number of buyers speaking at Scoop, with sessions said to have been well attended. According to organisers, by adding a further layer of insight to the show, the intention with the new programme was to expand Scoop beyond simply a buying platform, to an event that encouraged reflection and meaningful industry connection.

“This season has really highlighted the value of taking time,” Karen Radley, founder and curator of Scoop, said in a statement. “From the fireside chats to the show floor, the conversations have been considered, honest and incredibly positive.”