AllSaints appoints ex-Zalando director as Chief Merchant

British retailer AllSaints has appointed former Commercial Director of Zalando, Nichole Strydom, as its Chief Merchant, effective from 5 May 2026.

Strydom joins the East London-based contemporary fashion brand from international online retailer Zalando, where she has been for eight years. In her most recent role, she was overseeing strategic brand partnerships across 25 international markets. She has 20 years of experience in global fashion and retail, including at South African-based fashion and footwear retailers Cosmo Footwear and Truworths.

In her new role as Chief Merchant, Strydom will lead AllSaints’ global merchandising strategy, tasked by the company to ensure its buying, merchandising and sourcing functions across all regions and channels work "faster, bolder and smarter than ever before".

"AllSaints has a distinctive creative identity and a strong global following," Strydom said.

"Retail is evolving rapidly as customer expectations change, and I’m excited to join the brand at such a pivotal moment. My focus will be on aligning commercial strategy with customer insight to drive sustainable growth, deepen brand affinity and support AllSaints’ continued evolution."

To achieve this, she will be closely working with the recently appointed Chief Creative Officer, Aaron Esh, who joined AllSaints in October last year. Esh is a Central Saint Martins graduate and launched his eponymous label in 2022, blending Savile Row precision with the attitude of East London night scenes.

Strydom will support Esh's creative vision by leading strong commercial execution to accelerate growth and drive AllSaints’ continued international expansion.

While based in London, AllSaints has regional studios in Los Angeles, Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo and operates around 220 retail outlets, including directly operated stores, concessions and outlets across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia, as well as operating its own web platform.

Peter Wood, Chief Executive Officer of AllSaints, said: "Nichole is an outstanding commercial leader with a proven track record of driving performance across complex and fast-moving international retail markets, and her appointment is another important step in helping our brand continue to thrive for many more years to come.

"Her expertise will help us harness customer and partner insights, sharpen our execution and ensure our merchandising operating model delivers for our brand. I look forward to working closely with Nichole as we continue to drive AllSaints forward."

AllSaints reported a record year of profits despite a drop in revenue for the year ended 1 February 2025, following its continued turnaround efforts. The group’s EBITDA rose 1% to £69.5 million, marking a new record for the business. Profit before tax surged 55% to £28.2 million, while profit after tax almost doubled to £18.9 million, up 93% year-on-year.