Business Details
6 Years
experience
Specialist Recruitment for Fashion & Lifestyle Industries
Encore Recruitment was founded in October 2020 with a clear mission: to transform recruitment in the fashion and lifestyle sectors by prioritising human connection and belonging. With over 20 years of industry experience, our team understands the unique challenges of fast-paced, creative industries. We specialise in matching talented professionals with roles where they can thrive long-term, evidenced by our 83% retention rate for placements made between 2022-2023. Our approach combines deep sector knowledge with a commitment to ethical practices, including supporting social causes through 1% for the Planet. We work closely with clients to understand their culture and candidates' aspirations, ensuring mutual compatibility.Our services span permanent placements, contract roles, and executive search across fashion, accessories, beauty, and homeware sectors. By maintaining close industry relationships and tracking emerging trends, we provide tailored solutions that address evolving skill requirements. Our success is measured not just by placements made, but by the lasting satisfaction of both employers and employees. This philosophy has driven our growth since establishment, establishing us as a trusted partner for businesses seeking sustainable talent solutions.
Services
Sales Recruitment
Merchandising Roles
Design Positions
Leadership Appointments
Contract Placements
Details
- Year established: 2020
Highlights and features
- We achieve 83% candidate retention through belonging-driven placements
- Our team has 20+ years' experience in fashion and lifestyle recruitment
- We specialise in matching candidates with companies where they'll thrive long-term
- We maintain industry-leading knowledge of evolving sector requirements
- We support social and environmental causes through 1% for the Planet
What people say
Lasting placements
Industry expertise
Cultural understanding
Ethical approach
Career growth support
Services
Sales Recruitment
We specialise in placing sales professionals in fashion and lifestyle organisations. Our expertise covers account management, business development, and senior sales leadership roles. By understanding both market demands and company culture, we identify candidates with the right blend of industry knowledge and relationship-building skills. Our process ensures candidates possess proven track records in driving revenue growth within retail environments.
Merchandising Roles
Our merchandising recruitment service connects retailers with professionals skilled in demand planning and inventory optimisation. We source candidates with expertise in data analysis, seasonal forecasting, and cross-functional team leadership. Our candidates demonstrate proven ability to maximise category performance while aligning with brand strategies and commercial objectives in fast-moving fashion environments.
Design Positions
We place designers across fashion specialisms including womenswear, lingerie, and accessories. Our candidates combine creative vision with technical proficiency in CAD software and fabric specification. We focus on matching designers with brands where their aesthetic sensibilities and commercial awareness will create collections that resonate with target markets while maintaining brand identity.
Leadership Appointments
Our leadership recruitment targets senior roles requiring strategic vision and team management capabilities. We identify executives with proven experience driving business growth in fashion and lifestyle sectors. Our candidates demonstrate expertise in cross-functional collaboration, operational management, and developing talent pipelines that support organisational objectives.
Contract Placements
We provide interim professionals for maternity cover, project-based work, and seasonal demands. Our contract candidates offer immediate expertise in areas like product development and retail operations. These placements maintain business continuity while providing flexibility for companies navigating changing market conditions or staffing transitions.
People
Lucy Ratoff
Recruiter & Co-founder
With 20 years' experience in fashion recruitment, Lucy founded Encore Recruitment to address high staff turnover in the sector. She pioneered the company's belonging-driven approach after identifying cultural misalignment as a key reason for candidate exits in creative industries.
Sam Delargy
Recruiter & Account Manager
Sam brings extensive sector knowledge to client relationships, specialising in matching candidates with companies where they'll thrive long-term. He focuses on understanding both organisational culture and individual career aspirations to create lasting placements.
Paul Bryce
Co-founder
As co-founder, Paul provides strategic leadership while maintaining hands-on involvement in key client relationships. His industry insights help shape the company's approach to addressing talent challenges in fast-evolving fashion and lifestyle markets.
Questions
What makes Encore Recruitment Recruitment different from other agencies?
We focus on cultural fit and long-term success rather than just filling vacancies. Our belonging-driven approach ensures candidates join companies where they'll thrive and stay.
Which sectors do you specialise in?
We focus exclusively on fashion and lifestyle industries, covering apparel, accessories, beauty, homeware, and related sectors where creativity meets commercial awareness.
How do you ensure successful placements?
Through in-depth consultations with both clients and candidates, we match not just skills but also values and long-term career aspirations for lasting success.
What's your retention rate?
83% of candidates placed between October 2022 and September 2023 remained in their roles as of October 2025, reflecting our focus on sustainable matches.
How can I apply for roles?
Visit our website's 'View Jobs' section to search current openings. You can also register your details for future opportunities matching your profile and preferences.
Reviews (4)
Mark Bideleux
Jun 22, 2022
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I have been a member of TEaM for over 7 years and always find the head office staff and service providers to be an excellent resource to lean on. For a small or medium sized recruitment business, membership and involvement is a must.
Maxine Hart
Jun 14, 2022
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Best buying decision we've made in 32 years of business. Not only do we receive supplier discounts, help with documentation and back office support, we get to network and share business with like minded independent recruiters. Why wouldn't you want to do that?
Melanie Johnson
Jun 11, 2022
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TEAM offers great support for all stages of your recruitment business. The service providers are all experts in the recruitment sector, so the advice you receive will be up to date and relevant to the recruitment market. What attracted me to TEAM was the ability to split fees with other TEAM members. This USP separates TEAM from other recruitment networks in the UK. They also partner with other global split fee recruitment networks, so becoming a member is a no-brainer!
Tim Lane
Jun 11, 2022
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