THE RETAIL ADVISORY
[ by House of Harlin Consulting x The Borden Agency ]
Expert BUYING. Stronger RETAIL.
Where Fashion Expertise Meets BUSINESS STRATEGY.
The buying office and planning partnership helping independent boutiques buy smarter, plan better and build stronger businesses.
THE RETAIL ADVISORY
[ by House of Harlin Consulting x The Borden Agency ]
Expert BUYING. Stronger RETAIL.
Where Fashion Expertise Meets BUSINESS STRATEGY.
The buying office and planning partnership helping independent boutiques buy smarter, plan better and build stronger businesses.
You run a great boutique. You don’t have to run it alone.
You know your customers and what sells. But between buying at market, managing inventory, watching cash flow and leading your team, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.
From keeping your assortment fresh and discovering new brands to making smarter business decisions, staying ahead takes more than great instincts. And getting it wrong can cost you more than time.
Raise your hand if…
You want to buy with a clear plan. Walk into every market knowing what you need, so appointments feel focused and decisions feel confident.
You want to arrive at market prepared. Expert guidance, brand knowledge and a clear direction, all in place before you step into a showroom.
You want an inside line to the brands. Someone in New York building relationships, opening doors to new lines, navigating distribution conversations and advocating for your store all year long.
You want your inventory working for you. Stock that sells, cash that keeps moving and margins you feel good about.
You want to know what’s really working. Clear insight into which brands are driving your business and where to invest next.
You want reports that lead to decisions. Numbers that give you clarity, not just more data.
You want your buying and your business plan moving together. Every buy supporting this season and the long-term vision for your assortment.
You want a partner, not just more on your plate. Support that lightens the load so you can focus on leading your business.
You didn't build your boutique to spend every day putting out fires. You built it to grow.
Two Areas of Expertise.
One Stronger Business.
Your buying and your numbers should never operate in separate worlds.
That's why we brought House of Harlin Consulting and The Borden Agency together.
The Buying:
THE BORDEN AGENCY
The right brands, the right assortments and fresh opportunities.
Catherine works alongside you year-round to refine your assortment, discover new brands, build showroom relationships and develop a buying strategy that reflects your store's identity, keeps your merchandise fresh and helps you stay ahead of the market.
The Business:
HOUSE OF HARLIN CONSULTING
The right numbers, plan and systems.
TJ turns your store's data into a clear, actionable plan, helping you understand performance, manage inventory, plan cash flow and make confident business decisions. She builds tailored reporting and practical systems that strengthen your operations and give your team clarity and direction.
Together, we bring fashion buying and business planning under one roof, connecting what's happening at market with what's happening inside your business. The result is a more thoughtful, strategic approach to running and growing your boutique.
WHAT WE OFFER
Our Proven Approach
Our partnership brings together two complementary services, designed to give you the expertise and support needed across the entire retail business.
HOUSE OF HARLIN CONSULTING
Retail Consulting & Business Planning
We turn your business data into a clear plan, giving you the tools, insight and structure to make better decisions.
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Sales planning: actuals, targets and previous-year comparisons.
Monthly open-to-buy planning by category.
On-order tracking by delivery.
Cash flow forecasting and in-season adjustments.
Buying budgets tailored to your store and its selling patterns.
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Sell-through reporting by full price, discount, promotions and employee purchases.
Margin analysis by brand.
Markdown and aged inventory reporting.
Size curves and product performance.
Brand scorecards to identify what to cut, hold or buy deeper.
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Best sellers and underperforming products.
Product performance with visual references.
Online versus in-store sales analysis.
Clear recommendations on what to push and where to focus.
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A shared, live client book organised by spend and customer tier.
Customer preferences, favourite brands and core sizes.
Last-contact tracking.
Identification of lapsed, high-value clients.
Monthly updates and staff walkthroughs.
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POS and reporting system clean-up.
Inventory and reorder processes.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Team roles, responsibilities and training.
Retail operations and floor planning.
THE BORDEN AGENCY
Buying Office & Brand Development
We simplify buying, helping you build a thoughtful assortment, strengthen your brand mix and maximise every market season.
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Seasonal buying strategy and assortment planning.
Brand mix refinement and product direction.
Keeping merchandise fresh, relevant and on trend.
Buying decisions aligned with your store's identity and customer.
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Discovery of established and emerging brands.
New brand and showroom introductions.
Year-round brand research and market insight.
Sourcing aligned with immediate needs and long-term goals.
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New York and Paris market preparation.
Advance brand research and appointment planning.
Expert buying guidance and market navigation.
Representation and advocacy throughout market.
So how does it all come together?
The numbers inform the buy. The buy feeds back into the numbers.
Your buying decisions are backed by real sales data, brand performance and a clear open-to-buy plan. At the same time, thoughtful brand selection and ongoing assortment development help keep your store fresh, relevant and ahead of the market. What happens at market then informs your financial and inventory planning throughout the season.
With weekly communication between both sides, nothing gets lost between two separate providers.
One partnership. One shared strategy. One team working towards the same goal: a stronger, more profitable boutique.
This is for you if…
The Buying:
THE BORDEN AGENCY
The right brands, the right assortments and fresh opportunities.
Catherine works alongside you year-round to refine your assortment, discover new brands, build showroom relationships and develop a buying strategy that reflects your store's identity, keeps your merchandise fresh and helps you stay ahead of the market.
The Buying:
THE BORDEN AGENCY
The right brands, the right assortments and fresh opportunities.
Catherine works alongside you year-round to refine your assortment, discover new brands, build showroom relationships and develop a buying strategy that reflects your store's identity, keeps your merchandise fresh and helps you stay ahead of the market.
The Business:
HOUSE OF HARLIN CONSULTING
The right numbers, plan and systems.
TJ turns your store's data into a clear, actionable plan, helping you understand your performance, manage your inventory, plan your cash flow and build systems your entire team can work from.
The Business:
HOUSE OF HARLIN CONSULTING
The right numbers, plan and systems.
TJ turns your store's data into a clear, actionable plan, helping you understand your performance, manage your inventory, plan your cash flow and build systems your entire team can work from.
Meet TJ & CATHERINE
TJ HARLIN
Founder of House of Harlin Consulting
Retail Strategy | Financial Planning | Business Operations
I started working in fashion at 15, and for 12 years I owned and bought for a seven-figure boutique alongside my mum, a seasoned industry professional. Over the years, I've worked with fashion houses, PR agencies, retail conglomerates and celebrity stylists, building a deep understanding of the industry from every angle.
Today, I use that experience to help independent boutiques make sense of their numbers, build smarter buying plans and create systems that actually work for their businesses. I'm not just here to pull reports or analyse data. I'm here to make sure you understand what you're looking at, why it matters and what to do next. Think of me as your teammate, someone who cares about the details but never loses sight of the bigger picture.
CATHERINE BORDEN
Founder of The Borden Agency
Fashion Buying | Brand Strategy | Merchandising
With over 13 years of experience in fashion, I've built my career across luxury retail and buying offices. After starting on the sales floor of two luxury retailers, I spent eight years at a respected New York buying office, working closely with independent retailers, brands and showrooms. This gave me a deep understanding of the buying process, from customer behaviour and product selection to building successful brand partnerships. I founded The Borden Agency, a New York and Paris buying office, to bring that experience directly to independent boutiques, helping retailers shape their seasonal direction, refine their assortments and discover new brands.
I believe a great assortment is about more than buying beautiful product. It's about understanding your customer, having a clear point of view and knowing when to evolve. My approach goes beyond the buy, helping independent boutiques stay fresh and relevant, make thoughtful buying decisions and take the smart risks that set them apart. My passion is seeing independent retailers grow into businesses recognised for their distinct identity, thoughtful curation and ability to lead rather than follow.
Better decisions. Stronger businesses. Real progress.
We believe the best retail decisions happen when you understand what is working, what isn't and what needs to happen next. Our work is designed to create meaningful improvements across your buying, planning, inventory and customer relationships.
HERE'S WHAT WE HELP BOUTIQUES ACHIEVE:
Replace disconnected legacy planning services with reporting and planning systems built around their own POS data.
Identify high-value customers who have stopped shopping and create opportunities to reconnect with them.
Take brand scorecards and seasonal market books into buying appointments to make more informed decisions.
Build a stronger foundation for new stores through brand development, showroom introductions and retail planning.
Give owners and their teams a shared understanding of business performance and clear priorities to work towards.
"Building Eli Dreams has been an exciting journey, but I quickly realised how much goes into creating a successful boutique. TJ and Catherine have been incredible in helping me bring everything together, from business strategy and operations to buying, brand selection, and assortment planning. I feel so much more confident, organised, and prepared for opening. Having their combined expertise and support has made all the difference. I would wholeheartedly recommend them to any boutique owner, whether you're just starting out or looking to grow. You couldn't be in better hands!"
JENNIFER ROSENBLUM, ELI JAMES
Your Next Chapter Starts Here.
Tell us a little about your business, where you are now and where you'd love to go.
We'd love to explore what's possible together.
Your boutique deserves more than guesswork.
You have built something worth investing in.
Now it's time to give your business the structure, strategy and industry support it needs to grow.
Let's make your next season your strongest one yet.