5 Things to Look For in a Store Manager for a Luxury Brand

Luxury brands exist in a different space from many other businesses. Store managers need to be familiar with the unique characteristics of a premium brand; thus, if you’re looking to hire a new store manager, you need to look for specific characteristics. What are those characteristics?

1: Ability to Handle Opposites

The premium and luxury space is often fraught with contradiction. Some people operate on logic, while others use intuition. Some focus on perceptive creativity, while others are pragmatic business leaders. The twist is, many of these are the same people.

Often, a successful store manager will need to engage with people who have developed their own unique logic.

It is essential, especially in the luxury and premium space, to handle people with a broad variation in thoughts and perspectives.

2: Command of Language

Part of what makes premium and luxury brands as timeless as they are is the capacity to appeal to the sensibilities of people all around the world. Luxury brands operate in many different spaces, in different countries with different languages, cultures, and attitudes.

Of course, when it comes to fluency in languages, the more the merrier. But even a store manager who can operate in at least two languages (that of their location and that of the head of their brand) would automatically be a very strong candidate.

“A Luxury Manager cannot afford a single mistake in delivering the right message to his/her clients, vendors, team members, or management. Hence, this is the foremost soft skill.” – Abhay Gupta.

3: Flexibility and Adaptability

No two luxury brands are alike. Whether you’re a brand with centuries of history behind you, or a relatively new face to the industry, your premium brand has its own niche and needs.

When hiring a store manager you need to find candidates who are flexible and adaptable. They need the capacity to learn and change to fit your environment while still bringing in their own expertise and outlook.   Consider asking if the candidate has been with a brand during a time of profound shift, such as a designer change, where they had to successfully transition a sales team and brand clients to a new design philosophy

Additionally, some of the best candidates are also looking for flexibility and adaptability. Sometimes meeting them in the middle, with remote work options on admin days, or enhanced benefits could be exactly what you need to attract the best talent in the industry. 

4: Insight

Store managers are leaders in the making.

They may start small, or they may bring years of history with them. Either way, they need to be insightful to bring that value to the fore.

The best store managers are the ones with a keen eye for detail, the attention to detail required to dig beyond the surface level, and the capacity to think critically about every aspect of running a premium store.

You can identify insightful candidates as early as the interview stage. Look for the kinds of questions your candidates ask. They will indicate whether they’re truly interested in the position, or are just asking questions to appear interested.

5: Genuine Interest

Some brands hire anyone who meets their basic needs. But premium and luxury brands don’t operate that fast and loose- their leaders must be passionate brand advocates and ambassadors.

The most successful brands in the premium and luxury space are the brands that hire individuals with a genuine interest in their customers. The ability to tactfully engage on topics ranging from politics to global trends to the environment is highly beneficial.

A great store manager is capable of engaging on these topics through their own genuine interest because they learn and read on the subjects on their own time.

Picking Up the Best Management

Whether you need executive leadership, store management, creative guidance, marketing expertise, or any other role within the luxury and premium space, you’ve come to the right place. The Bowerman Group specializes in premium and luxury talent across many niches and specialties. Contact us today for a direct consultation, customized service, and the best staffing available for your needs.