Chandan Kavlekar

Apparel Merchandiser with experience across both vendor and retail sides.

Managed

Adidas accounts at Gokaldas, scaled 500+ SKUs at KOOVS, currently building Gharakh home textiles and managing custom uniform orders. Rotating through manufacturing operations and pursuing MBA to round out the perspective. The combination gives me insight into how both sides actually work. Open to buying or merchandising roles where that matters.

Co-Founder at Gharakh (2025-12 – Present)

• Building scalable multi-product, multi-channel home textiles business - architected market positioning ("Designed for Slow Living"), locked supply chain with 3+ vendors aligned to targeted budget, and mapped go-to-market across D2C, e-commerce, and B2B (hospitality, healthcare, corporate gifting, Airbnb)
• Developed brand strategy and marketing plans - created positioning framework ("Designed for Slow Living") and launch strategy for new product lines, establishing consistent brand narrative across channels

Merchandiser at Gokaldas Exports Limited (2024-06 – 2025-06)

• Managed 30+ seasonal styles end-to-end - owned tech pack interpretation, sample development from brief to buyer approval, coordinated lab reports and shade verification checks, and ensured quality and timeline clarity across nominated vendors
• Owned Time & Action calendar and shipment execution - managed production timelines across 8+ vendors, prepared shipment documentation (packing lists, yellow slips), and maintained on-time delivery performance with premium quality standards
• Streamlined sample approval process - established clearer early-stage checkpoints and vendor communication protocols to accelerate feedback loops and reduce sample turnaround time

Associate E-commerce Merchandiser at KOOVS.COM (2023-06 – 2024-06)

• Supported development of 500+ on-trend SKUs - collaborated with designers and sourcing teams on tech packs across fast-fashion categories (shorts, t-shirts, co-ords, jackets, hoodies), moving concepts from brief to launch
• Managed vendor execution and e-commerce operations - tracked orders, coordinated MOQ/pricing compliance with vendors, and owned cataloging and launch timelines for seamless backend execution
• Drove collection strategy through data - conducted trend research and developed seasonal collections focused on customer engagement, supported by visual merchandising optimization

Catalog Associate at Kolektive Ventures Limited (2024-01 – 2024-05)

• Managed product catalogs for multiple UK-based luxury footwear brands - coordinated image editing, product data entry, and specifications/pricing accuracy across brands to maintain premium standards
• Ensured backend e-commerce integrity - maintained data accuracy across product descriptions, specifications, and pricing, enabling seamless backend operations and consistent customer communication

Project Intern at Koovs.Com (2023-01 – 2023-05)

• Identified and resolved SKU discrepancies - discovered widespread seasonal code duplication causing misassigned products and incorrect deliveries; designed structured nomenclature system (Season, Style Number, Color, Product Details) with standardized barcoding
• Established scalable inventory system - improved accuracy, reduced warehouse-website mismatches, and created reliable backend framework for product lifecycle management

MBA in Business Analytics And Artificial Intelligence – PES University (2028-05)

Bachelor Of Fashion Technology in Apparel Production – National Institute Of Fashion Technology (2023-05)

Diploma in Textile Science – K.S.Rangasamy College Of Technology (2019-05)