Influential Woman · Fashion tech

Gillian Peters

Vendor Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Amazon

New York, NY

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Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's degree in Psychology with minor in Advertising from Southern Methodist University in Dallas Degree Semester abroad at University of New South Wales in Sydney Degree Australia Degree Rotunda Scholar Degree PsyChi Honor Society

Her Story

About Gillian

I've been in retail since 2019, so about 7 years now. I've always been very interested in the fashion world - since I was young, I knew I wanted to be in retail. I live in Dallas originally and started my career at Neiman Marcus, then went to JCPenney, then to Christian Louboutin, and ended up at Amazon. Now I work with brands across many different categories, but I really focus on high-visibility launches that include premium brands as well as high-value emerging brands. I feel like I've put my foot into a few different areas at this point, but my interest has always been in fashion. My role has changed a lot in the past few years. I have almost 7 years of experience in buying, retail buying, so I'm definitely an expert there in doing the full beginning-to-end process, as well as managing the life cycle of a product and curating assortments, which I've leaned into at Amazon as well. In my current role, I've launched exciting brands on Amazon including Tory Burch, Everlane, Native (the beauty brand), and I'm working on a Supergoop launch right now. I've also worked on product launches including the MacBook Neo, which has been really exciting.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Gillian

01What do you attribute your success to?

I come from a family that has a banking background, so working hard in fashion has been fun, but also a lot of work. My family is very - we all live in New York City, so I think we all have that work ethic, and I never had an excuse to not have it. That drive and determination from my family background has really shaped my success.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I feel like following your passion is key, and there are many different ways to do that. I think prioritizing whether you want to be more creative, or strategic, or analytical, and then finding a place where you can do all of that is important. I found that in buying and now in my current role as well. I think being creative in terms of your job process and finding the right field early on, and then leaning into it and grinding for a few years - it does pay off.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I think luxury is a tough place to be right now. Brick and mortar is also challenging, but e-commerce business continues to grow across a lot of companies. Amazon continues to grow and expand. I think customers are becoming more and more focused on efficient shopping, getting everything delivered to their doors versus having to go in person. That shift is really defining the industry right now.

04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I would say I'm very loyal and determined, as well as assertive. I kind of make my mind up and push those ideas through. I think part of becoming more senior in companies or in any role is following your intuition, and sometimes that means pushing back on leadership and making sure your voice is heard. Those values of loyalty, determination, and assertiveness guide both my work and personal life.

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