ASOS Brands Director on ushering in a retail renaissance via brand diversity, digital personalisation and innovation

In an exclusive interview at TheIndustry.fashion’s Retail Reset Summit, Shazmeen Malik, Brands Director at ASOS, shared how the online retailer is creating an elevated and engaging online experience by evolving its brand mix, digital innovation and connection with its customer base.

Having joined ASOS nearly two years ago, Malik now oversees relationships with over 350 brands, leading a team of 200 across buying and merchandising. Her career spans 20 years across major international retailers, beginning at Primark, before moving to GAP in New York as Director of Merchandising and Buying, then to American Eagle, where she worked across 900 stores. Her final stop in the US was at Macy’s, marking her first experience in multi-brand retailing, before she moved back home to London to take on her current role at ASOS.

"There aren’t many retailers that have as strong a multi-brand offering alongside their own in-house labels as we do," she said. "We’ve onboarded about 100 new, diverse brands in the past year. This has been a major focus for us. We’ve got a young customer, and we’re trying to evolve our portfolio while expanding into new segments."

One of those segments is premium. "For example, we recently signed Good American, and did a pop-up which was really well received. The customer reacted well to the brand," she explained. Another significant signing was House of CB, launched through ASOS’s partner fulfilment service.

Malik emphasised that every new brand partnership starts with instinct and cultural awareness: "Part of it is about knowing the customer, but also being on the pulse of what’s happening culturally. You can sit in our lobby in Camden and see where fashion is heading - our average employee age is 27."

She noted that ASOS’s partner fulfilment model is a growing part of the business, giving brands more flexibility while offering customers greater choice. |House of CB wanted to own its own stock, so AFS made that possible. Wholesale has evolved, and partner fulfilment allows us to find the best model for each brand."

ASOS’s visual identity remains key to how it showcases these partners. "There are core ASOS values and a clear USP. You can spot what’s been shot by ASOS and what’s been shot by a brand - our spin is always youthful and more fun," said Malik. "Outfitting is also really important to us. One brand’s styling isn’t the same as another’s, so we offer ‘buy the look’, from the lipstick to the shoe."

She highlighted Calvin Klein as an example of ASOS’s creative approach: "They don’t usually let retailers shoot their products, but they let us. We styled their underwear as outerwear in a youthful, on-brand narrative."

Looking ahead, Malik said ASOS is doubling down on digital engagement and personalisation. "We’re leaning into the app as that’s how our customers are evolving. We’ve also launched ASOS Live, our new shopping platform blending creator content with live shopping. Our buyers and stylists show the product directly to customers and 95% of viewers have been coming back..."

Malik also touched on the Topshop relaunch, describing it as "an icon of British retail" that has been "really well received". Teasing future plans, she added: "There’s lots more to come, watch this space".

"This next year is going to be really interesting for ASOS. We’re focused on improving the shopping experience and innovating through personalisation. It’s key to get the right product in front of the right customer, especially when you have so many brands," Malik concluded.