The appointment brings experience from eBay, Mattel and Nordstrom as the luxury resale platform looks to strengthen its assortment, personalize product discovery and expand growth opportunities through technology and data
The RealReal has appointed Alexis Hoopes as chief merchandising officer, adding an executive with experience across luxury retail, e-commerce and global fashion marketplaces to its leadership team. Hoopes will lead the company’s merchandising strategy, focusing on strengthening its luxury assortment, improving personalized product discovery and identifying growth opportunities through technology, data and global marketplace expertise.
Hoopes most recently served as vice president and general manager of global fashion at eBay, where she led the company’s $10 billion global fashion business. Before that, she was senior vice president of e-commerce at Mattel, where she built the company’s direct-to-consumer business, launched two digital commerce platforms and integrated American Girl’s e-commerce operations. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly 15 years at Nordstrom in leadership roles spanning merchandising, strategy, e-commerce and planning.
At The RealReal, Hoopes will oversee an area central to the company’s ability to connect buyers with authenticated pre-owned luxury goods across a broad and continually changing inventory. Her remit includes expanding the assortment and identifying new sources of supply, while using proprietary data and emerging technologies to make product discovery more relevant to shoppers.
“Alexis is a proven leader who brings a rare combination of luxury merchandising expertise, global marketplace experience and operational discipline,” said Rati Sahi Levesque, president and chief executive officer of The RealReal. “As we build on our leadership in luxury resale, her ability to connect exceptional merchandise with evolving consumer demand will be instrumental in accelerating growth, elevating the shopping experience and realizing the full potential of our platform.”
Hoopes said, “I’ve long admired The RealReal for bringing together the best of luxury fashion with the excitement of discovery. The opportunity to combine luxury products, deep proprietary data and emerging technologies to create a more personalized shopping experience is incredibly compelling. I’m excited to work with the team to expand our assortment, unlock new sources of supply and help shape the future of luxury resale.”
The appointment comes as resale platforms compete to differentiate their offerings through product selection, customer experience and technology. Hoopes’ background across traditional retail, direct-to-consumer commerce and a large global fashion marketplace aligns with The RealReal’s efforts to develop its merchandising strategy and broaden its position in the luxury resale market.