S5 E10: Building a career in Buying with Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories for Jigsaw

In this episode, we’re joined by Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories at Jigsaw. It’s a nostalgic one as we all began our buying careers together on the bags team at Accessorize a real full-circle moment for us ex-Accessorize girls!

Lucy walks us through her journey into buying, from her early love of fashion (inspired, of course, by Rachel from Friends lol), to studying Fashion Management and Marketing, and finding her true passion in product development. She shares candid insights from her early days, including a wonky-label incident, a lesson that made her loyal to the guillotine ever since!

We chat about the importance of truly immersive work experience, the excitement of seeing your product hit the shop floor, and the diverse learning that comes from moving between categories like bags, beachwear, and footwear. From embellished bags in India to beautiful shoes in Italy, Lucy’s career is a testament to saying yes to opportunities and growing with every challenge.

Lucy also opens up about stepping back from the fashion industry post-Covid, recognising burnout, and using that time to reset, travel, do some charity work and even launch her own Etsy shop. Her eventual return to buying via a Zoom interview in Ibiza led her to a brilliant role at Jigsaw, where she now leads her team with empathy, creativity, and experience.

💡 Top 3 Takeaways:

1. Say yes to change – Moving across product categories can supercharge your development and deepen your knowledge as a buyer.
2. Breaks are brave – Recognising burnout and stepping back can open space for personal growth, new ventures, and a stronger comeback.
3. Experience matters – Real work experience should show the full picture  not just filing swatches! Be curious, ask questions, and get involved.

This episode is packed with laughs, honest reflections, and brilliant advice for anyone navigating a buying career. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for your next step.

Join us for our next Retail Buyer Meet up in London on Wednesday 28th April! Go to www.jointhebuyersclub.co.uk or DM us @jointhebuyersclub

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