March 2011 was my first interview with someone working for Holt Renfrew. When I asked for a professional with years of experience for my Behind the Scenes column, the first name put forward was Christopher Novak. He had a little less time in the industry than normal for this column, but at the interview it was clear his story was a perfect fit. Charming, intelligent, knowledgeable and willing to share what it takes to succeed, it was also clear he loved what he did and the company he worked for. I have been told he has since been promoted. His LinkedIn profile now lists him as "Director of Sales Holt Renfrew Bloor Street." but I have not confirmed this is correct. Welcome to the journey of a professional in the retail section industry of the fashion industry.
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| Image by Wayne Mah Photography |
Two early influences shaped Christopher
Novak's life. First was the discovery of Jeanne Beker and FashionTelevision while flipping channels. Fascinated, it became a weekend
staple in his childhood and a source of inspiration. The second was
a trip with his aunt to see a production of Les Miserables where he
fell in love with theatre. The path that took him from those early
moments to his his current position as Divisional Sales Manager for
Cosmetics and Fragrances at Holt Renfrew Vancouver has taken him
around the world. This is his dream job and he makes no bones about
it – he is here to stay.
Despite his love for fashion and
theatre, Novak bowed to family pressure and enrolled in Pre-Commerce
at university. It was a first year theatre course he took for fun,
however, that caught his attention. He quickly became involved in
creating costuming and ended up being asked to take charge of the
wardrobe for an entire play – Sex and Perversity by David Mamet.
Then a chance meeting with a model
scout changed his direction. He was signed by Armstrong Men
in Toronto and headed off to Milan. He remembers, “I started out
wanting to be in front of the camera and found myself more
comfortable behind it. There is a lot of pressure and you have to
have a thick skin. You realize you're not as special as you think
when you go to a casting and there are a hundred guys who look
exactly like you.”
Novak had a side job to help pay the
bills when he was in Toronto – working at The Gap. One day they
asked if he would like to try the
position of Assistant Manager and he thought, “Sure, I can do this.
I would organize it differently , I would speak to the staff
differently and I would motivate them differently.” His kinetic
energy, love of people, an innate talent for merchandising and
constant drive for perfection led him quickly up the ranks. By the
age of 24 he was living in Vancouver and managing the multimillion
dollar Gap and Gap Kids Park Royal with a staff of 120 and 9
managers. Then he burned out. It was back to Winnipeg where
he took some time off and finished his degree in Drama and English.
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| Being interview by Erin Ireland at Hot Renfrew's Chanel launch in 2010 |
On graduation he returned to Vancouver
and again entered the retail industry. To challenge himself, Novak
chose to work in a different retail market. Although successful, he
learned to be the best you can be, you need to have the right match
between the product and your talents. A friend suggested he try
cosmetics. After finishing one basic fundamentals course at BlancheMacdonald, he applied to be a counter make-up artist at Holt Renfrew
and they took a chance on him. True to form, he brought all his
talent, experience and energy to the position and was eventually
promoted to divisional manager. “Here I am and I love it. My mind
is constantly going, trying to figure out the problems, how to
promote a product and how to get the right people. To me that's just
really fun.”
A typical day starts with a short
motivational meeting with his staff and then he walks the floor to
check in with everyone. Novak also tries to meet individually with
every one of his staff (80 in total) at least once a month. Working
closely with the brand representatives and head office to communicate
accurate information on any changes in the store's consumer base is
also important. When a new company comes in to set up their counter,
he helps them look at ways to represent their brand while blending
into Holt Renfrew's. Fortunately Novak loves working with people.
Hardest for him is when he has to let someone go. “I want everyone
to be their best, but sometimes it's not a fit, sometimes it doesn't
work. I believe in treating everyone with respect and sometimes that
means telling them what you see. Even if they don't want to hear it,
they need to hear it.” What is the best part of working at Holt
Renfrew? “Regardless of where you work in this company, your
opinion is taken. People listen. There is respect.”
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| Inside Holt Renfrew Vancouver |
The biggest changes Novak has seen in
the retail industry is the advent of social media. “It's not just
about happens in the store. E-Commerce is a game changer, increased
competition is a game changer and we have a really well-traveled
clientele, so we have to be on our toes. It's the total
customer experience." As someone who interviews, he also had some
advice to offer for those hoping to work in the industry. “Today
matters. The job you're in right now is the vehicle you're driving,
drive it the best way you know how. Be wow every day and do 110%.
Someone will recognize it and that will get you your next job.”
Christopher Novak continues to look for
new challenges. He tries to figure out what needs to be dealt with
and take care of it before his boss even notices. While there are
still many things to be accomplished in his current position, he is
looking forward to the new challenges to be found at Holt Renfrew for
years to come.
Holt RenfrewVancouver is located at the corner of Granville and Dunsmuir Streets in the
heart of downtown Vancouver. For more information please visit their
website at www.holtrenfrew.com
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