Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Websites
additional information
Timeline
Generic

Clare Surplice

Henley-On-Thames,Oxon

Summary

A visionary, passionate leader with over 20 years experience in luxury fashion, retail and lifestyle. Co-founder of a B Corp certified Womenswear brand and former Buying Lead at John Lewis. A strong background in both own label and brands across multiple Fashion categories. Proven expertise in international wholesale, building market entry strategies, developing brand partnerships, and scaling distribution globally. I have a curious nature and creative vision but very much balanced with commercial acumen and the ability to align cross functional teams to deliver growth while maintaining brand integrity.

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience

Work history

Director & Co-Founder

Cape Cove
01.2022 - 09.2025
  • Co-founded a B Corp certified womenswear lifestyle brand distributed globally through Nordstrom, Macy's, and John Lewis.
  • Spearheaded creative, production, and sourcing strategies to build international recognition.
  • Negotiated with global retail partners, managing contracts, margins, and brand positioning.
  • Oversaw omni-channel campaigns and ensured alignment between product, marketing, and retail teams.
  • Built strong international supply chain partnerships and established scalable operational frameworks.

Buying Lead, Womenswear, Accessories, Swim & Night

John Lewis Partnership
, London
01.2018 - 01.2021
  • Collaborated with design and merchandising leadership to drive volume and margins via sourcing strategy.
  • Led and supported teams across Womenswear & Accessories with trading worth £630m.
  • Managed cross-functional work with PR, Marketing, Trading, and Online.
  • Directed 4 direct reports and 35 indirect reports.
  • Delivered seasonal marketing and promotional calendars aligned to product strategy.
  • Nurturing and developing talent

Wholesale Brands Buyer

John Lewis Partnership
01.2015 - 01.2018
  • Delivered £55m sales through expansion of branded womenswear and accessories.
  • Executed sourcing strategy to drive margin and volume improvements.
  • Managed a team of 8 across buying and merchandising.
  • Negotiated partnerships and co-created brand assets to align with JL positioning.
  • Boosted customer acquisition via targeted campaigns and seasonal activations.

Education

BA - Fashion Management

University of Leeds

A-Levels - Business Studies, Art & Textiles

St Joseph's College

Skills

  • International Wholesale & Market Expansion
  • Brand Partnerships & Negotiation
  • Global Range Planning & Distribution
  • Commercial Strategy & P&L Management
  • Cross-functional Leadership
  • Luxury Fashion & Retail Expertise
  • Nurturing & developing talent

additional information

  • Portfolio: Cape-Cove.com
  • Awards: B Corp Certification
  • Independent Customer Excellence Award

Timeline

Director & Co-Founder

Cape Cove
01.2022 - 09.2025

Buying Lead, Womenswear, Accessories, Swim & Night

John Lewis Partnership
01.2018 - 01.2021

Wholesale Brands Buyer

John Lewis Partnership
01.2015 - 01.2018

A-Levels - Business Studies, Art & Textiles

St Joseph's College

BA - Fashion Management

University of Leeds
Clare Surplice