Check out the 2024 INDX Trade Show schedule here

clothing rail in store with clothes on rail

AIS Fashion Buying

As the leading fashion buying group in the UK and Ireland, we work with a global network of brands across all sectors, including our womenswear own label First Avenue.

introduction to AIS fashion

Get access to the best fashion brands

With our collective buying power and expertise, AIS helps independent retailers get their hands on the best fashion brands across womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, intimate apparel, and childrenswear. We have a particular focus on sustainable, lifestyle, high street, and high-end brands, to help indies stand out in the market.

First Avenue

We’re not just a fashion buying group. At AIS, our in-house team of fashion experts has a wealth of knowledge spanning design, retail, buying, sourcing, and merchandising, allowing us to fully understand an independent retailer’s needs. As a result, we created First Avenue, our own label womenswear brand exclusive to AIS Members. First Avenue adapts seasonal trends to provide a complete wardrobe solution for a stylish and timeless customer.

INDX fashion trade shows

Curated by our fashion buyers, the INDX fashion portfolio delivers 12 category focused trade shows a year. Covering an exciting and inclusive product offer across menswear, womenswear, kidswear, intimate apparel, sports & leisure, accessories, and footwear, INDX fashion shows are key order-writing events and open to all retailers.

Retail Buying and Merchandising

Retail Buying and Merchandising offers a one-stop shop of retail industry expertise across the home and fashion sectors, providing a bespoke service. This is an exclusive benefit of AIS membership.

AIS brings together the very best industry best practices for merchandising and budget management for today’s fashion and homewares environment, within independent retail.

Why become an AIS fashion Member?

From sourcing the best brands and designing the best own label product ranges, to negotiating exclusive terms and discounts and curating the INDX Fashion shows, AIS Fashion delivers a complete service to enhance our Members margins and to drive their profitability.

price tag icon
Exclusive labels

Our exclusive womenswear brand, First Avenue, is a highly commercial collection that delivers high margins and seasonal newness. Quality and style for a contemporary-classic customer.

banking icon
Payments made easy

As a Member, pay all AIS preferred suppliers with one simple direct debit payment. You’ll also get access to discounts, extended payment, and other beneficial terms.

support icon
Expert support

Our fashion team share weekly newsletters packed full of the latest updates and news from AIS and the wider industry. Our Members can join monthly community calls to share best practice and other insights.

icon pin
INDX Fashion trade shows

Menswear, womenswear, kidswear, intimate apparel, footwear, and accessories, explore the latest products and trends at our independent retailer focused INDX Fashion trade shows.

calculator

Planning and budgeting

With seasonal performance reports at your fingertips future seasonal budgets and investments can be planned better. AIS provides recommendations using historical performance, current seasonal performance, intake margin, and where applicable stock levels to enhance your profitability.

trading icon

Trading

Get full visibility of your sales, markdown, margin and profit by style, category, and department so you can understand your trading patterns. Our reporting will help you analyse and assess “New” season performance versus older products to save you time in manual auditing. Real-time analysis allows you to optimise each season, we'll recommend markdown strategy on poor-sellers too.

stock management

Stock management

We can protect your best-selling lines that take a high percentage of department sales. Our delivery scheduling service allows visibility of all your orders placed and their delivery dates to allow you to plan and prepare.

brand selection

Buying and brand selection

Curating collections, brands, and products tailored to an independent retailer’s customer base and location is a specialist skill that combines creativity and experience with strategy, commercial acumen, and sector insight knowledge. AIS has a team of experts to help you range plan, negotiate the very best prices, and develop your promotions to maximise every sales opportunity.

price tag icon

Exclusive brands

With our AIS exclusive own label womenswear range, we help you stand out on the high street; delivering strong margins and effective stock forecasting. As a Member of AIS you can also contribute to our future product development to drive growth and sales.

support icon

Supplier relationship management

Our teams have developed and secured a breadth of suppliers to suit all independent retailers. AIS can leverage buying power and negotiate the best prices for you. We'll help oversee your relationship with brands and suppliers, saving you time with the assurance that you have an expert team working on your behalf.

Our Products and Services

We have a team of highly respected experts across home, fashion, leisure, sports, and toys.  We source the best brands, suppliers, exclusive products and provide essential, commercially driven services to support the independent retailer.

Teal velvet sofa
Furniture Buying

Furniture is at the heart of the AIS buying group. We give independent retailers access to new, bestselling, and exclusive furniture products across upholstery, cabinet, bedroom, lighting, accessories, and garden.

Find out more
homeware buying
Homeware Buying

From well-known brands to exclusively sourced ranges across cookware, kitchenware, small electricals, dining, glassware, home fragrance, and home textiles, AIS is the UK and Ireland’s leading homeware buying group.

Find out more
a customer looking through the womens wear apparel
Fashion Buying

Explore men's, women's, and kids ranges across fashion, accessories, and footwear. With access to exclusive brands, a strong focus on lifestyle, high street, and high-end names, plus our own label First Avenue.

Find out more
AIS flooring and carpet
Flooring Buying

The AIS Flooring One team offers Members the best quality, largest, and most innovative selection of floor coverings in the UK and Ireland, with a wide variety of traditional and contemporary products to suit every room of the house.

Find out more
independent retail owner serving a customer
Retail Buying and Merchandising

A one-stop-shop of retail industry expertise, supporting with annual strategy and planning, buying, and brand selection - all designed to improve margins and profitability.

Find out more
AIS sports and leisure clothing
Sports and Leisure Buying

Our newest division, the AIS sports and leisure team work with leading sports, active lifestyle, performance wear, and team wear suppliers with a focus on innovation, expertise, and quality.

Find out more
toys from the largest buying group in the uk
Toy Buying

Playroom is the home of market-leading toy brands as well as unique and sustainable products for children and nursery. As an AIS Member you can get access to exclusive margin-beating import programmes too.

Find out more
industry expert from AIS
Easy Payments

CENPAC is our unique AIS central payment system. CENPAC enables Members to settle all invoices from our preferred AIS suppliers with one easy and convenient direct-debit payment.

Find out more
Fash - White Stuff
Fash - Levis
Fash - Wrangler
Fash - Joules
Fash - Weird Fish
Fash - Triumph
Fash - Super Dry
Fash-Joe_Browns
Fash-Happy_socks
Fash-First_Avenue
Showing 10 of 88

Become a Member of AIS

Membership is by Application. Register your interest and start your application today.