Behind The Scenes: How Each Season’s Curation Comes To Life
In light of everything going on in our world, we felt it was important to lean into our community and ask what kind of content you’d like to see. And we heard you loud and clear. Many of you asked about our product selection process and how we curate each season’s box. So, we rolled up our sleeves and sat down with our Head of Merchandising to ask the important questions. Follow along for a behind the scenes look at how Box of Style makes it happen every season.
Box of Style: What is your full name, title, and how long have you been at Box of Style for?
Heather Norgord: My name is Heather Norgord, Merchandising Manager for Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style. I’ve been with the company for just over three years now. (Back when Box of Style was just a year old!)
Box of Style: What does your day to day look like?
Heather Norgord: My days are always different. I’m either emailing or on calls with prospective brand partners, researching trends, understanding our customer and what they’re looking for, and one of the most fun aspects—testing samples on a daily basis! The Merchandise team is constantly testing products and working closely with Rachel to make sure every item selected is a good fit for our members. And most importantly, something Rachel would want to use on a regular basis!
Now that we’re in the midst of a pandemic, our new “normal” looks a little different. We’re constantly Facetiming with Rachel to show her the latest samples (which are sent directly to my house), and her selects will then get sent to her for final approval.
Heather and Rachel reviewing potential selects together.
Box of Style: How do you curate each season’s edit? How involved is Rachel in the process?
Heather Norgord: Before the start of each year, Rachel, myself and the team sit down and decide on the major categories we think would be a good fit every season. These decisions are typically based on trend forecasts and past product successes. Once categories are solidified, we’ll discuss with Rachel in depth about the style and colorways (i.e. bucket bags vs. work totes, neutrals vs. multicolored, etc.) that we think our members will want based on season. From there, we’ll hone in on brands that would be a good fit based on Rachel’s feedback, while also utilizing her industry knowledge and connections in the fashion realm. She is deeply involved with every step—from co-designing pieces to testing samples in tandem with the team to make sure they’re a great fit for all different types.
Working on a lean team and being at Box of Style from (basically) the beginning has allowed Rachel and I to build a seamless working relationship. We look to each other for guidance and opinion, while trusting that we’ll come to a place we are proud of and excited to provide for our members every season.
Box of Style: How do you forecast what trends will be in?
Heather Norgord: Rachel plays a huge part in trend predicting and I always look to her for guidance. My team also does a lot of research on our own—everything from flipping through magazines, following runway shows, and looking at what top retailers are investing in.
Box of Style: Is there a formula to the five product selection? What do you think does best?
Heather Norgord: The five products we end up selecting every season tell a story. They need to work together in a cohesive fashion, but also have the ability to be showcased individually. Rachel has and will always be a stylist at heart, and ultimately wants to share pieces that she can style for her members. We look at a product and say “How else can we wear this? Can this fit into our existing wardrobe? Can this be dressed up and down?” There’s a lot of thought that goes behind every box. We want to feature a balanced mix of fashion accessories, while also delving into Rachel’s (and mine) other love of skincare and beauty. Box of Style is a way for Rachel to style as many women as possible, so we use that motivation as a driving force behind every curation.
Heather in spring '20 Box of Style sunnies.
Box of Style: How would you describe your personal style?
Heather Norgord: I always have a hard time describing my own style, but I tend to gravitate towards trendy with a classic edge. I love pairing a vintage YSL blazer with a t-shirt and jeans from Zara, just as much as I love wearing a bold floral set. I used to rely solely on a solid black wardrobe, but have since embraced fun patterns and bright colors. (You would rarely catch me in flats until I suffered a foot injury from wearing heels too often. Go figure.)
Box of Style: Without giving too much away, what can our members expect for summer?
Heather Norgord: I have to say, summer is one of my favorite boxes yet. We have something we’ve never offered in a curation before, along with incredible clean beauty and a small special surprise for each member. This assortment will carry you through the whole season in style, and I guarantee these timeless pieces will be used over and over.