Jamie Freed, Global VP, Private Client at Farfetch, is one of the most talented and forward-looking retail geniuses I’ve come across. Her background is a case study in onward and upward starting with J. Crew (where Mickey Drexler discovered her) to important stints at Bergdorf Goodman in Advanced Designer and Global Personal Shopping, to opening Maison Martin Margiela in NYC to the launch of Moda Operandi.

Now, as she is about to move to London, we are fortunate to have her do a Q+A segment for Zandl Slant . Thank you Jamie!

Read on below.

 

You’ve lived in NYC for how long?

•  11 years 

When it comes to VIP, Brooklyn or Manhattan?

• Manhattan if you know the owner.
• Brooklyn if you know the band or bartender.  

Globally, what city is the most VIP?

• Abu Dhabi 

What are people most curious about when they see your title?

• What I actually do! 

If you had one superpower, what would it be?

• Teleportation – would save travel time & jet lag 

Three people alive or dead that you would like to have dinner with?

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Martha Stewart
• Madonna circa 1989
• All at the same table. 

What’s the first career you dreamed of having as a kid?

• Marine Biologist – I was obsessed with Jacques Cousteau

What’s one thing about you that surprises people?

• I’m a PhD dropout

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

• Stop fearing failure & imperfection. The more you fail, the more successful you become. Perfection is boring. 

What does success mean to you?

• Having the awareness that I am enough, and that I control my happiness. Once I realized that I like who I am, like what I do, and like how I do it, I finally felt successful. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

• Don’t talk about things from more than 5 years ago – they’re irrelevant now. (Irma Zandl)

If you had to choose only 3 adjectives to describe yourself, which would you choose?

• Ambitious, kind, genuine.  

What did you have to give up to achieve your current level of success?

• Sleeping in 

Who are your role models or mentors

• Mickey Drexler
• John Rittenhouse, former COO of Walmart
  
• Denise Sabo, my friend & most talented career coach I’ve ever worked with
  
• Lauren Santo Domingo
• Bill Brobston, former SVP of Bergdorf Goodman

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken

• Leaving grad school to pursue a career in the fashion industry. I was terrified when I did this 20 years ago – it forced me out of my comfort zone, but taught me that when I do this I thrive.

JAMIE FREED – you are awesome. NYC and all your friends and colleagues will miss you. Thank you once again! Can’t wait to hang with you in Europe.