Head of Merchandising

About EKKE:

EKKE is a premium, homegrown, curated, multi-brand online platform showcasing contemporary Indian fashion, jewellery, and lifestyle brands. Positioned in the approachable luxury space, EKKE brings together design-led brands with global sensibilities, strong craftsmanship, and modern aesthetics.

EKKE is built for the modern Indian consumer who values design, quality, and individuality over mass-market fashion. It operates with a sharp focus on brand storytelling, limited drops, and long-term brand building rather than discount-led selling.

Role Summary:

EKKE is looking for a Head of Merchandising to own the platform's brand mix, assortment strategy, pricing logic, and commercial performance. This role plays a central part in shaping EKKE's identity while ensuring strong sell-through and revenue growth.

The ideal candidate brings together taste, category depth, and commercial sharpness, and has experience managing large assortments or multiple brands in fashion or lifestyle.

Key Responsibilities

Brand & Assortment Strategy

Build and continuously refine EKKE's brand portfolio across apparel, jewellery, footwear, and lifestyle categories

Define and maintain the right price ladder, category mix, and brand density

Ensure EKKE's positioning as an approachable luxury platform is protected and not diluted

Commercial Ownership

Own brand-level performance including sell-through, GMV contribution, and assortment health

Identify top-performing brands and work closely with them on scaling, exclusives, and EKKE-first launches

Proactively manage underperforming brands through corrective actions or exits

Drop & Launch Planning

Plan and execute monthly and quarterly collection drops and brand launches

Coordinate with marketing, content, and operations teams for seamless execution

Ensure every launch has a clear commercial and storytelling objective

Pricing & Margin Discipline

Ensure pricing remains competitive yet premium

Avoid unnecessary discounting and protect EKKE's brand and margin integrity

Recommend markdowns only when strategically required

Team Leadership

Lead and mentor the merchandising team

Oversee brand onboarding approvals and commercial negotiations

Set high standards for brand communication and execution

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with the Head of Business, Marketing, CRM, and Operations teams

Align merchandising priorities with growth and retention initiatives

Candidate Profile

5-8 years of experience in fashion or lifestyle merchandising (marketplace or large D2C preferred)

Experience managing multiple brands and large assortments

Strong commercial acumen with a refined eye for design

Data-aware and comfortable using insights to drive decisions

Hands-on, decisive, and comfortable in a fast-moving startup environment