A word with: Jo Shapland from ASOS

28 August 2014
By Fashion Quarterly

Jo Shapland talks to us about the success behind ASOS.

Jo Shapland.
Jo Shapland.

ASOS Australia senior marketing and communications manager Jo Shapland is at New Zealand Fashion Week this year. She chats to us about the success of the online store and landing her dream job.

How did you land a job at ASOS?
A lot of timing and luck really. My background is in the consumer brand marketing space and I’ve had the pleasure of marketing some amazing brands across the FMCG, Telco, and retail space in New Zealand, the United Kingdom & now Australia. At heart though, I’ve always been a fashion girl and so it’s lovely to finally be in this space.

What does an average day entail for you?
The Nutri Bullet (the latest ’self-improvement’ attempt), wading through my daily mails from the UK, progressing marketing projects with the team and meeting up with interesting, creative people to try and make rad stuff happen.

What do you look for when scouting new brands?
Given that we have over 950 brands on site, it’s really important that each brand has a unique and consistent signature that customers can identify with instantly. It’s also critical that their signature resonates with a global audience and not just their local girl or guy.

What is the biggest perk of your job?
Working with my amazing, intelligent, and hard-working team in Sydney everyday

Are there any clothing items on ASOS you always buy?
Nike trainers are becoming an obsession.

Why do you think ASOS has been such a global success?
It’s very true to its brand ethos. There’s an utter dedication to newness, we exude a fun and uplifting energy, we’ve created a holistic destination that’s not just a store but loaded with style inspiration and we predominantly trade in social currency – consequently, that resonates with 20–something girls and guys the world over.

Which NZ designers are you most looking forward to seeing?

NomD, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Huffer and an old favourite, Zambesi.

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