June 28, 2025 • 13 mins
Gut instinct isn’t fairy-dust; it’s experience plus data. Its is powerful when it’s backed by data.
In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale dissects the buyer’s phrase “I’ll know it when I see it,” True intuition is built on commercial frameworks, customer insight and relentless pattern spotting.
She shares some real life examples and you’ll learn three practical ways to train your eye, trust your gut and buy with confidence.
Perfect listening for junior and mid-level buyers who want to level up from reactive to strategic.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Welcome to the Thrive in Fashionpodcast where we explore the
role of the fashion buyer, the knowledge and skill sets
required for success and the impact of the role in your
retail business. In each episode you will learn
about industry best practise andhow the buyer's role is evolving
in this ever changing, fast-paced industry.
And now here is your host, a fashion industry expert with
(00:26):
over 20 years of experience, Elizabeth McHale.
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Thrive in Fashion
podcast where the focus is on all things fashion buying and
merchandising. I'm your host, Elizabeth McHale.
If you've ever worked in a buying office, you have probably
(00:49):
heard or even said the phrase. I'll know it when I see it.
It's shorthand for that gut feeling, that buyers intuition,
the sense that a product has something, it has a spark or a
magic. But here's the thing, that gut
instinct, It's not random and it's not magic really.
(01:10):
And it's definitely not enough on its own.
In fact, one of the biggest lessons I try to pass on to
junior and mid level buyers is this.
Intuition is important. Really important, but it only
works when it's backed by strategy.
(01:31):
To the uninitiated, I know it when I'll see it sounds really
fluffy. To junior buyers, it can feel
somewhat vague when it's used without any substance to back it
up. But to an experienced buyer,
it's shorthand for years of experience and instinct that
they have gathered and nurtured.They are drawing from a strong
(01:53):
understanding of product knowledge, pattern recognition,
and a mental checklist that is processing whether this is the
key piece for the range. It's not just buyers that use
this phrase because I've heard similar from some unexpected
places. I was recently watching Auk
(02:14):
talent show called The Piano when the American musician and
judge on this season's show, JonBatiste, made a comment that
stopped me mid sip of tea. When asked what he was looking
for in a contestant, he said we won't know what we're missing
until we hear it. He talked about the wide range
(02:36):
of talented pianists and storiesthat had already been
represented, but what excited him was what they hadn't yet
discovered. In other words, he can't spell
out the perfect performance in advance, but he'll recognise it
instantly when it arrives. My buyer brain went into
(02:56):
OverDrive. Yes, that's exactly how range
building feels at the start of his season.
There is that sense of excitement that you're looking
for something, that you haven't seen that something.
Once you see it, you'll go, aha,that's what I'm looking for.
That's exactly it. I remember also an interview I
heard on the Diary of Aceo podcast with Simon Cowell and
(03:21):
whether you love him or hate him, his track record is
undeniable. When he was asked if he knows
exactly what he's looking for ina new artist, he said no.
Until you see it, you just don'tknow.
Now don't be fooled. What I want to emphasise here is
Simon has a framework. He knows what works and he
(03:44):
understands the genre, the audience and the gaps in the
market. So when he says I'll know it
when I see it, he's really saying I'm clear on the
framework. I'm just looking for the right
pieces to fit into it. I've also heard a buying
director on another TV competition show where producers
(04:05):
pitch their new food or beauty products to get onto supermarket
shelves say the same thing. I'll know it when I see it.
And again, what's behind that statement is not just potluck or
purely left to chance. There's actually a structure
that buying directors or senior buyers know.
They have a strategy. They know what the sales data is
(04:28):
telling them, where the white space or those opportunities
are, and what the customers are responding to.
So when a new product shows up that meets that criteria, even
if it's unexpected, it just clicks and fits and that's when
you know it's the right one and it's working.
(04:48):
So if you are a junior or a mid level buyer or someone
transitioning into a fashion buying career, I want you to
take it seriously because regardless of what you might
think or regardless of what social media might say, having
an eye for product without a framework or strategy to back it
up just doesn't work. It just doesn't cut it.
(05:11):
In fashion buying today, you cannot rely on gut instinct
alone. And while many will say that
buyers are born with it, that they're born with an eye for
fashion, intuition isn't magic. What looks like instinct is
actually experience, and it's pattern recognition.
It's an archive of what worked and what hasn't and why.
(05:34):
And when a senior buyer says I'll know it when I see it, what
they're really saying is I've developed a strategic lens that
is so sharp, I can philtre 90% of what I'm shown and then
quickly spot that 10% that will be perfect for our customer,
that will fit our margin targetsand that will complete our
(05:54):
range. And that's not magic.
That is mastery. And you can learn it.
You build it by doing the research, by studying the
numbers, by understanding your customer and always being
curious, deeply curious, observing patterns and finding
patterns in the data and being open to surprises.
(06:17):
And it all happens within a commercial framework.
And that's where the challenge of creating your range or
editing your collection comes. There are parameters.
You just can't buy what you want.
There are budget restrictions and finance restrictions.
There are timelines and dates within which you need to fit.
It's pattern recognition plus context, and anyone can
(06:40):
cultivate that. Simon Cowell talks a lot about
work ethic and patience, and JonBatiste talks about curiosity
and discovery. And I would say all of these are
part of the recipe for what makes a really great buyer.
It's important that you build your knowledge so that you can
trust your instincts. And the next time you say I know
(07:03):
it when I see it, ask yourself, what framework is that instinct
sitting on? What strategy is shaping that
gut reaction? Because if you're clear on what
you're building when that product shows up, you will
definitely know. The more you buy, review,
debrief and analyse, the stronger your judgement becomes
(07:28):
as a result. You will learn to spot
silhouettes that repeat. You will notice fabrics that
could be problematic. You will know the difference
between a trend that's peaking versus one that's gaining
traction, and you can balance your feelings with commercial
evidence. There are often times that I've
(07:49):
been with a supplier working on product development and I've
seen a style that they have developed that initially I am
super excited by. But when it comes to making a
decision, I review it and decide, yeah, it had a good
print, but no sleeve, the neckline wasn't quite right, and
it was $10 over budget. So was it a strong product?
(08:12):
Yes. Was it right for my range?
No. And that's the difference
between personal taste and commercial instinct.
You need both, but you need to know when to use which.
In every successful product selection, there is a structure
(08:33):
behind the scenes. There is a clear product
strategy, a balanced option plan, a view of what's worked
historically, and a deep understanding of the customer.
And your instinct might tell youthat something is super
exciting, but your strategy should confirm whether it's
right or not. And the real advantage comes
(08:54):
when you combine both of these, the eye to spot a winning
product and then the discipline to back it up with the data to
make sure that it is business right, it's customer ready.
And if you find yourself making gut decisions without being able
to articulate the why, ask yourself these questions.
(09:17):
How many options do I need in this?
What size ratio do I need to consider?
What's the OTB, the open to buy,and what other styles will this
be competing with in my range? As a buyer, you don't buy in
isolation, you buy in context. In fact, a lot of what you do is
(09:38):
done in context and that's what separates great buyers from good
ones. Great buyers don't make
decisions on gut feeling alone. They translate it into
commercial numbers. If you're a junior or mid level
buyer, this is where it gets practical to know it when you
see it. You need to build these three
(09:59):
things. Firstly, a clear commercial
framework. Know your metrics.
So what is the product's role within the range?
What are the category performance trends?
What are the KPI targets? Your option counts, your price
points, intake, margin, OTB. Do you have any OTB left this
(10:20):
month? Secondly, it's not just enough
to like the product, you have toknow who you're buying it for.
So keep reminding yourself of your target customer.
The more that you can judge the product through her lens and ask
yourself, would she wear this tobrunch or to work?
(10:40):
Is she layering it or wearing itsolo?
What's her budget? Where is she shopping when she's
not buying from you? The sharper the picture of your
customer, the easier it is to spot the right product.
And thirdly, develop your visualliteracy and pattern
recognition. Walk stores weekly.
(11:02):
I mean, that's something that wealways do that I've talked a lot
about when doing comp shops. Take images, write it down or
take a picture. Categorise why something looks
good, why it looks fresh, why itlooks different.
The more references that you have in your brain, the Wicker,
you can match where something feels right to.
I know why it's right. Have a visual archive where you
(11:27):
can scan through hundreds of options and land on the ones
with potential. And I know this is one of my
strength. When I was reviewing a range
with a buyer and she was showingme products that she had
developed and I realised that one wasn't quite right.
And I remembered that we had a reference sample and I was able
(11:49):
to tell her exactly what the reference sample was and where
we bought it from and described the colour.
And she's looking at me going, how do you remember that?
But that's one of those things that's a skill that you develop
and you learn and you build on it season after season because
you will always use it when you're building your range.
(12:09):
So the next time you find yourself saying, I know it when
I see it, stop and ask yourself,what framework is supporting
that gut instinct? Can you explain the why as
clearly as the Wow? I've got to have that.
And if you're clear on what you're building, then when that
new and exciting and perfect product shows up, you will know
(12:32):
instantly and your customer confirms this when they purchase
it at the till. Remember, train your eye and
trust your instincts, but always, always back it up with
the numbers. Intuition is a tool but strategy
is the skill. That's all for this week.
(12:53):
Thank you for listening. Until next time.
Thank you for listening to today's episode.
If you enjoyed it, make sure to like, subscribe, follow, and
share the show. For more of Elizabeth's industry
tips and to learn more about howyou can develop your buying
skills, visit thriveinfashion.com.
There you can find show notes for this episode and every
(13:16):
episode. Also, register for the Thrive in
Fashion programme and sign up for weekly news delivered
straight to your inbox. Until next time.
Welcome to the Thrive in Fashionpodcast where we explore the
role of the fashion buyer, the knowledge and skill sets
required for success and the impact of the role in your
retail business. In each episode you will learn
about industry best practise andhow the buyer's role is evolving
in this ever changing, fast-paced industry.
And now here is your host, a fashion industry expert with
(00:26):
over 20 years of experience, Elizabeth McHale.
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Thrive in Fashion
podcast where the focus is on all things fashion buying and
merchandising. I'm your host, Elizabeth McHale.
If you've ever worked in a buying office, you have probably
(00:49):
heard or even said the phrase. I'll know it when I see it.
It's shorthand for that gut feeling, that buyers intuition,
the sense that a product has something, it has a spark or a
magic. But here's the thing, that gut
instinct, It's not random and it's not magic really.
(01:10):
And it's definitely not enough on its own.
In fact, one of the biggest lessons I try to pass on to
junior and mid level buyers is this.
Intuition is important. Really important, but it only
works when it's backed by strategy.
(01:31):
To the uninitiated, I know it when I'll see it sounds really
fluffy. To junior buyers, it can feel
somewhat vague when it's used without any substance to back it
up. But to an experienced buyer,
it's shorthand for years of experience and instinct that
they have gathered and nurtured.They are drawing from a strong
(01:53):
understanding of product knowledge, pattern recognition,
and a mental checklist that is processing whether this is the
key piece for the range. It's not just buyers that use
this phrase because I've heard similar from some unexpected
places. I was recently watching Auk
(02:14):
talent show called The Piano when the American musician and
judge on this season's show, JonBatiste, made a comment that
stopped me mid sip of tea. When asked what he was looking
for in a contestant, he said we won't know what we're missing
until we hear it. He talked about the wide range
(02:36):
of talented pianists and storiesthat had already been
represented, but what excited him was what they hadn't yet
discovered. In other words, he can't spell
out the perfect performance in advance, but he'll recognise it
instantly when it arrives. My buyer brain went into
(02:56):
OverDrive. Yes, that's exactly how range
building feels at the start of his season.
There is that sense of excitement that you're looking
for something, that you haven't seen that something.
Once you see it, you'll go, aha,that's what I'm looking for.
That's exactly it. I remember also an interview I
heard on the Diary of Aceo podcast with Simon Cowell and
(03:21):
whether you love him or hate him, his track record is
undeniable. When he was asked if he knows
exactly what he's looking for ina new artist, he said no.
Until you see it, you just don'tknow.
Now don't be fooled. What I want to emphasise here is
Simon has a framework. He knows what works and he
(03:44):
understands the genre, the audience and the gaps in the
market. So when he says I'll know it
when I see it, he's really saying I'm clear on the
framework. I'm just looking for the right
pieces to fit into it. I've also heard a buying
director on another TV competition show where producers
(04:05):
pitch their new food or beauty products to get onto supermarket
shelves say the same thing. I'll know it when I see it.
And again, what's behind that statement is not just potluck or
purely left to chance. There's actually a structure
that buying directors or senior buyers know.
They have a strategy. They know what the sales data is
(04:28):
telling them, where the white space or those opportunities
are, and what the customers are responding to.
So when a new product shows up that meets that criteria, even
if it's unexpected, it just clicks and fits and that's when
you know it's the right one and it's working.
(04:48):
So if you are a junior or a mid level buyer or someone
transitioning into a fashion buying career, I want you to
take it seriously because regardless of what you might
think or regardless of what social media might say, having
an eye for product without a framework or strategy to back it
up just doesn't work. It just doesn't cut it.
(05:11):
In fashion buying today, you cannot rely on gut instinct
alone. And while many will say that
buyers are born with it, that they're born with an eye for
fashion, intuition isn't magic. What looks like instinct is
actually experience, and it's pattern recognition.
It's an archive of what worked and what hasn't and why.
(05:34):
And when a senior buyer says I'll know it when I see it, what
they're really saying is I've developed a strategic lens that
is so sharp, I can philtre 90% of what I'm shown and then
quickly spot that 10% that will be perfect for our customer,
that will fit our margin targetsand that will complete our
(05:54):
range. And that's not magic.
That is mastery. And you can learn it.
You build it by doing the research, by studying the
numbers, by understanding your customer and always being
curious, deeply curious, observing patterns and finding
patterns in the data and being open to surprises.
(06:17):
And it all happens within a commercial framework.
And that's where the challenge of creating your range or
editing your collection comes. There are parameters.
You just can't buy what you want.
There are budget restrictions and finance restrictions.
There are timelines and dates within which you need to fit.
It's pattern recognition plus context, and anyone can
(06:40):
cultivate that. Simon Cowell talks a lot about
work ethic and patience, and JonBatiste talks about curiosity
and discovery. And I would say all of these are
part of the recipe for what makes a really great buyer.
It's important that you build your knowledge so that you can
trust your instincts. And the next time you say I know
(07:03):
it when I see it, ask yourself, what framework is that instinct
sitting on? What strategy is shaping that
gut reaction? Because if you're clear on what
you're building when that product shows up, you will
definitely know. The more you buy, review,
debrief and analyse, the stronger your judgement becomes
(07:28):
as a result. You will learn to spot
silhouettes that repeat. You will notice fabrics that
could be problematic. You will know the difference
between a trend that's peaking versus one that's gaining
traction, and you can balance your feelings with commercial
evidence. There are often times that I've
(07:49):
been with a supplier working on product development and I've
seen a style that they have developed that initially I am
super excited by. But when it comes to making a
decision, I review it and decide, yeah, it had a good
print, but no sleeve, the neckline wasn't quite right, and
it was $10 over budget. So was it a strong product?
(08:12):
Yes. Was it right for my range?
No. And that's the difference
between personal taste and commercial instinct.
You need both, but you need to know when to use which.
In every successful product selection, there is a structure
(08:33):
behind the scenes. There is a clear product
strategy, a balanced option plan, a view of what's worked
historically, and a deep understanding of the customer.
And your instinct might tell youthat something is super
exciting, but your strategy should confirm whether it's
right or not. And the real advantage comes
(08:54):
when you combine both of these, the eye to spot a winning
product and then the discipline to back it up with the data to
make sure that it is business right, it's customer ready.
And if you find yourself making gut decisions without being able
to articulate the why, ask yourself these questions.
(09:17):
How many options do I need in this?
What size ratio do I need to consider?
What's the OTB, the open to buy,and what other styles will this
be competing with in my range? As a buyer, you don't buy in
isolation, you buy in context. In fact, a lot of what you do is
(09:38):
done in context and that's what separates great buyers from good
ones. Great buyers don't make
decisions on gut feeling alone. They translate it into
commercial numbers. If you're a junior or mid level
buyer, this is where it gets practical to know it when you
see it. You need to build these three
(09:59):
things. Firstly, a clear commercial
framework. Know your metrics.
So what is the product's role within the range?
What are the category performance trends?
What are the KPI targets? Your option counts, your price
points, intake, margin, OTB. Do you have any OTB left this
(10:20):
month? Secondly, it's not just enough
to like the product, you have toknow who you're buying it for.
So keep reminding yourself of your target customer.
The more that you can judge the product through her lens and ask
yourself, would she wear this tobrunch or to work?
(10:40):
Is she layering it or wearing itsolo?
What's her budget? Where is she shopping when she's
not buying from you? The sharper the picture of your
customer, the easier it is to spot the right product.
And thirdly, develop your visualliteracy and pattern
recognition. Walk stores weekly.
(11:02):
I mean, that's something that wealways do that I've talked a lot
about when doing comp shops. Take images, write it down or
take a picture. Categorise why something looks
good, why it looks fresh, why itlooks different.
The more references that you have in your brain, the Wicker,
you can match where something feels right to.
I know why it's right. Have a visual archive where you
(11:27):
can scan through hundreds of options and land on the ones
with potential. And I know this is one of my
strength. When I was reviewing a range
with a buyer and she was showingme products that she had
developed and I realised that one wasn't quite right.
And I remembered that we had a reference sample and I was able
(11:49):
to tell her exactly what the reference sample was and where
we bought it from and described the colour.
And she's looking at me going, how do you remember that?
But that's one of those things that's a skill that you develop
and you learn and you build on it season after season because
you will always use it when you're building your range.
(12:09):
So the next time you find yourself saying, I know it when
I see it, stop and ask yourself,what framework is supporting
that gut instinct? Can you explain the why as
clearly as the Wow? I've got to have that.
And if you're clear on what you're building, then when that
new and exciting and perfect product shows up, you will know
(12:32):
instantly and your customer confirms this when they purchase
it at the till. Remember, train your eye and
trust your instincts, but always, always back it up with
the numbers. Intuition is a tool but strategy
is the skill. That's all for this week.
(12:53):
Thank you for listening. Until next time.
Thank you for listening to today's episode.
If you enjoyed it, make sure to like, subscribe, follow, and
share the show. For more of Elizabeth's industry
tips and to learn more about howyou can develop your buying
skills, visit thriveinfashion.com.
There you can find show notes for this episode and every
(13:16):
episode. Also, register for the Thrive in
Fashion programme and sign up for weekly news delivered
straight to your inbox. Until next time.
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