Interview with Franziska Igel, Team Lead Merchandise Planning for Outlet by Zalando
Franziska’s career shows what’s possible when curiosity and a proactive approach to learning come together. In our interview, she takes us through her 10-year journey at Zalando across departments and business units – always growing and evolving. Today, as Team Lead Merchandise Planning, Franziska leads a team that ensures all Outlet by Zalando locations are stocked and running smoothly.
3 min
04 November 2025
Hi Franziska, thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your career at Zalando?
I’m a true Berliner, so no relocation stories here. I even share the same postal code as Zalando. I joined the company back in February 2016, which means it’s been almost ten years of growth, learning, and exciting changes. In my current role, I lead the Merchandising Team and Team Assistants which means we manage the heartbeat of our store inventories. We make sure all our stores are always stocked with the right merchandise at the right time.
What do you like most about your job and working at Outlet by Zalando?
I love that I get to grow and constantly learn. My colleagues here are simply incredible. We’re not just managing merchandise, we’re encouraged to try things, make mistakes, and learn from them. That’s how humans (and, apparently, AI) learn best.
What motivates you in your daily work?
What truly drives me every day are the people around me and knowing, that our combined efforts have a significant, measurable impact on the business. Seeing how cross-team collaboration leads to real results is incredibly rewarding.
What advice would you give to others who’d like to do what you do?
My advice is simple: Be bold. Your career is yours to shape. Don’t wait for someone to ask if you want to develop and grow, be proactive: clearly define what you want to achieve, and map out how you plan to get there. Then, speak up. This is the kind of clarity and drive that opens doors.
How would you describe your team culture?
Our culture is open and supportive—everyone has a voice, and we truly have each other's backs. We keep things light to stay energized, which allows our creative thinking to flow freely. The result? A team that consistently delivers highly impactful outcomes and has fun at the same time.
What do you like about retail?
To be completely honest, I often default to the couch and online shopping myself. However, what I absolutely love about our Outlet Stores is that it’s like a guaranteed treasure hunt. There’s nothing better than the moment you spot that amazing piece at an absolutely unbelievable price.
You mentioned you moved between different areas at Zalando — can tell us a bit about that journey and how you see it continuing?
My personal development journey is one of broad internal mobility that took me from e-commerce to retail. I moved from Campaign Operations and Content Leadership at Lounge by Zalando to Performance Management at Zalando Fulfillment Solutions (ZFS). In my current role I'm focusing my combined expertise on Outlet by Zalando and I definitely plan to continue deepening it.
What’s your approach to learning and development?
I've learned that you can't solve issues overnight. Everything takes time and my recommendation is to always do things step by step. I make sure to reflect on situations, discussions, exchanges with colleagues, and my own thinking.That reflection time is key to turning experiences into learnings.
What makes you proud to work at Zalando?
I'm incredibly proud of our team power. We truly operate as one unit, supporting each other through all the ups and downs. Beyond that, I also love witnessing Zalando's huge transformation. We've grown from being ‘just’ a fashion platform to a company that’s deeply focused on people, culture, and social responsibility, which is genuinely inspiring.
Would you like to be part of our Outlet team? Learn more about our open positions, locations and teams.
