I’m Anne-Marie Bodal, a Danish third-culture kid turned global design executive. Raised across several countries, I lived in 15 and worked in six, and I learned early to observe, adapt, and read a room. That’s how I read markets, cultures and customers today. I’m now based in southern France, where I work as a fractional Design Director and fashion business mentor.

For more than 20 years, I’ve led design and product for brands and retailers across fashion, footwear, accessories, home and lifestyle in the UK, South Africa, Singapore, Spain, Australia and India. I’ve led design for multi-billion-dollar private-label portfolios and for start-ups launching in six markets simultaneously.

My mother, a lifelong lover of fashion, taught me to value craft and well-made things, and I trained as a footwear designer. I know what it takes to take a product from first insight to the shelf, whether the team is one person or one hundred.

What I've built

Behind every result below is a team I am incredibly proud of:

  • Yousta (Reliance Retail), India: I ideated and launched the brand across clothing, footwear and accessories with a 40-person team. We cut development cycles by nearly two-thirds and pioneered licensed, multi-product collaborations with major global entertainment properties.

  • Kmart Australia: As Design Director for Anko, Kmart’s private label fashion, home & lifestyle brand, I led a 100-person creative and technical team across a multi-billion, multi-category portfolio. We shortened the critical path by more than half, reduced team turnover and delivered double-digit year-on-year sales growth.

  • MIMCO (Country Road Group), Australia: Revived the brand’s archival codes and launched the new category of demi-fine jewellery and home decor, whilst reducing design costs, and leading a 16-person design team.

  • Lazada SEA (Alibaba), Singapore: As SVP Fashion, I founded a private label youth fashion brand inside a $1B marketplace, launched it across six Southeast Asian markets, built the vendor base across China and Southeast Asia from nothing, and grew a 35-person international team.

  • Woolworths South Africa: Piloted a design-led critical path in footwear and accessories that was later adopted across the clothing business, and grew the category many times over.

How I work

I lead with creativity and instinct, backed by data, AI and a deep understanding of what makes people fall in love with a product. I don’t just lead design teams; I build brands worth believing in, defining the DNA, telling the story and making sure the product delivers on every promise the brand makes.

I start with the customer and the numbers. Shopping behaviour, sell-through and returns data show the gaps, and forecast-versus-actual reviews keep every decision honest.

I use AI where it earns its place: forecasting, 3D design and development, PLM and design workflows, always with human validation. In my last two roles, that approach saved months in development without removing human judgement from the process.

I lead across time zones. My teams have spanned India, Australia, Southeast Asia, South Africa and Europe, and I’ve worked with manufacturing partners in India, China, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Indonesia, South Africa and Thailand.

Beyond the work

I owe a great deal to the women who mentored me, and I make a point of supporting women and underrepresented communities in their careers. Away from the desk you’ll find me in galleries, out hiking, practising yoga or deep in a book.

BA (Hons) Fashion Design (Footwear Specialisation), 2:1, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom | Agile Leadership trained; Digital Transformation Lead; Leadership Mentor | Languages: English (native), French (B1 - studying to B2), Spanish (basic)

TESTIMONIALS

“I worked closely with Anne Marie at Reliance Retail, where she led product and design for Yousta through the foundational phase of the brand’s launch. Much of what gave Yousta its clarity and confidence came directly from her work. She defined the brand guidelines that set out what the brand stood for and how it should look and feel. That gave clothing, footwear, accessories and beauty a shared point of reference.

Just as important was the capability she built. Anne Marie invested real time in the product and design teams. She raised standards, sharpened their thinking and gave them the confidence to make good decisions for themselves. She brought international best practice into the business, drawing on her experience across the UK, South Africa, Singapore and Australia. She also adapted that thinking to the Indian customer rather than simply importing it. The team she left behind was stronger, more capable and better equipped than the one she inherited.

What makes Anne Marie stand out is the combination of genuine creative conviction and real commercial discipline. She understands that great design has to connect with the customer and deliver results, and she treats both sides of that equation with equal seriousness. She works well across functions and with senior stakeholders, which matters enormously in a business of Reliance’s scale and pace.

For any brand at a launch, growth or reinvention moment, Anne Marie would be an outstanding partner.”

Scott Roberts: Director of Trade and Planning - Anne-Marie reported to Scott at Reliance Retail