The Fashion Buying Consultant Who's Been in Your Shoes

I’m Elisabeth Mac Hale. If you’re feeling stuck, underprepared, or frustrated in your fashion buying career, I get it. Because I’ve been there too.

After 25+ years in fashion buying and design, I’ve learned something important. Specifically, the biggest barrier to success isn’t talent or ambition. Rather, it’s the gap between what you’re taught and what you actually need to know.

From Factory Floor to Buying Office: My Journey Through Fashion

After graduating from Art College my fashion career began on a factory floor as a designer. There, I learned how unprepared I was for the reality of working in the industry and I learned firsthand how products come to life. From there, I moved into a retail buying office as a designer. Eventually, I transitioned fully into buying roles where I discovered my true calling.

Importantly, this unique path gave me insights most people in our industry never get. Because I understand both the creative and commercial sides of fashion.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked across the complete product journey. From sketching garments to leading buying strategies for global retailers. Along the way, I’ve managed teams, developed junior talent, and seen what separates successful buyers from those who struggle.

But here’s what really drives me: I’ve watched talented professionals struggle simply because no one taught them the commercial skills they needed. Moreover, I’ve seen companies lose good people because proper training doesn’t exist. Additionally, I still see qualified candidates who are unprepared for the realities of the job.

Bridging the Gap That No One Else Addresses

The truth is, the fashion industry has a training problem.

First, fashion schools rarely teach the commercial side of buying.
Second, companies expect new hires to “figure it out” on the job.
Third, senior buyers are too busy to train properly.

Consequently, talented professionals get stuck in a cycle of hoping they’re doing things right without ever knowing for sure.

That’s exactly the gap I’m here to close.

Therefore, I created The Design Directive and our fashion buying courses. My goal? To give fashion professionals what they’ve always deserved: real-world training that builds real capability. Not fluff. Not theory. Instead, the actual skills you need to think commercially, make strategic decisions, and earn the trust that leads to promotions.

What Makes My Fashion Training Different

Simply put, I teach you how to think like a buyer, not just do the job of one.

My approach is grounded in 25+ years of real experience:

Commercial focus:Every skill I teach connects to business impact and career growth • Practical application: You learn by doing, not just listening
• No-fluff honesty: I tell you what you actually need to know, without the industry myths • End-to-end perspective:From product development to sales analysis, you understand how everything connects

Most importantly, I meet you where you are. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to break through to the next level, I help you build the specific skills that will move your career forward.

Case Study 1

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Getting a project brief to create a new brand and strategy provides a great challenge to deliver something that does not already exist. Our case study explores how this vision became a reality through meticulous planning and strategic execution.

Case Study 2

RANGE TRANSFORMATION

In this case study, we embarked on the exciting journey of rejuvenating a retail concept to offer a fresh and engaging shopping experience. This transformation involved a complete rebranding of the product offer and the development of robust standard operating procedures to ensure its success.

"Our project was very successful thanks to a very competent partner that is very capable of mixing strategy, analysis and insights with primary and secondary data researching!"

- Jace Alexander

"She helped me convert creative skills into business strategy, focus on my target customer and develop a strong brand profile, conduct in-depth sales analysis and product analysis, and offered consultation on many other necessary skills."

- Sita Raiter

"What I liked was her professionalism and her in-depth knowledge of retail design, merchandising and planning. Her expertise in understanding trends and spotting trends is really good.!"

- Madhu Dutta

Fueled By

LET’S GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

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Fueled By

Muddy Paws

Fueled By

A Trip to the Sea

How Can We Work Together?

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The Shop

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Photos

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The Course

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HOW TO MASTER FASHION BUYING: YOUR ULTIMATE ANSWER GUIDE

DOWNLOAD this free guide with answers to the most frequently asked questions about fashion buying. As a buyer you need to know how to manage each step of the buying cycle. Get the answers you need to go from good to GREAT !