Positioning Your Brand To Win Retail Accounts


Vanessa Molina Fashion Merchandising Management '18		Marisa Silber Fashion Merchandising Management '13		Natalie Martinez International Trade & Marketing '18

Tuesday, July 8 · 1–2 pm Eastern Time · VIRTUAL

FIT Alumni Relations, in collaboration with Good Citizen Collective, presents an informative virtual panel discussion designed to help you take your brand from e-commerce to retail shelves. Join industry expert Vanessa Molina, FIT alum and founder of Good Citizen Collective, as she moderates a discussion with professionals from top retailers who will share insider insights on how to successfully pitch retail buyers and land key accounts. This session is perfect for FIT alumni founders and professionals working at early-stage ecommerce brands with an interest in exploring retail opportunities.

Our speakers will break down the essential steps—preparing branding assets, crafting compelling linesheets, setting the right wholesale pricing, and more—so you can feel prepared to approach retail store buyers and maximize your chances of success.

Good Citizen Collective is a boutique consulting agency that helps emerging fashion brands scale with intention and impact. Blending strategy, storytelling, and deep industry expertise, we guide founders through growth across wholesale, product development, and brand positioning.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

MODERATOR:

Vanessa Molina, Fashion Merchandising Management '18
Founder, Good Citizen Collective

Colombian-born, NYC-raised Vanessa Molina brings a global perspective to fashion, honed at renowned brands like Chanel and Christian Dior. After graduating with a double major in Sales & Buying + Planning, she led sales and operations at Hunting Season, securing partnerships with retail giants like Net-a-Porter and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her ability to connect across markets was further proven while spearheading wholesale and product development at MERSI, securing partnerships with mass-market retailers like Target and QVC. Now consulting across diverse clients under Good Citizen Collective, Vanessa leverages her expertise as a connector, strategist, and leader, fueling success in the ever-evolving retail landscape. Her passion extends beyond business, furthered by her leadership roles at NYC non-profit organizations One Girl Inc. and Casita Maria, empowering the next generation and giving back to the community that raised her.

Marisa Silber, Fashion Merchandising Management '13
Buyer, Women's Designer RTW
Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus | SAKS GLOBAL

Marisa always knew she wanted to be in fashion, starting her journey at FIT beginning in high school, later graduating summa cum laude with a BS in Fashion Merchandising Management. While at FIT, Marisa interned at Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Barney's, and Bergdorf Goodman. She started her career as an assistant buyer at Bergdorf Goodman in women’s shoes. She is now a buyer for women's designer ready-to-wear for Saks and Neiman Marcus. Marisa volunteers as an advisor and mentor for RAISEfashion, is on the board for the Michael J. Fox young professionals, and is a New York City poll worker.

Natalie Martinez, International Trade & Marketing, '18
3PL Operations Manager
Amazon

Natalie Martinez is a logistics and operations leader with extensive experience managing multimillion-dollar supply chains across fashion, e-commerce, and tech. She is currently a 3PL Operations Manager at Amazon, leading initiatives that improve inventory accuracy, operational efficiency, and create scalable processes for team success. At Oniverse Group (Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Falconeri) and Brand Assembly, Natalie streamlined fulfillment operations, launched Oniverse’s first 3PL warehouse, and was responsible for the last-mile parcel strategy, retail store openings, and replenishment distribution. She brings a proven track record of building structured, high-performing logistics functions that support global growth.