ABOUT US

Kari Harsch

Kari started working in retail at the ripe age of 13, primarily to support her clothing addiction. She fell in love with the industry and got her degree in merchandising. Kari spent the first part of her career in retail management and private label merchandising. In 2006 she started Apparel Resource Professional Recruitment.

Leslie comes from public relations roots and can talk to mud, so found herself well suited for recruiting. She spent six years at Lands’ End recruiting for a variety of disciplines but ultimately found her true niche recruiting for Merchants and Designers.

Leslie knew of “Kari the headhunter” and Kari knew of “Leslie the go-getter”. Then one day we finally met and found we partnered quite well together as vendor and client. Fast forward to 2010, the two of us joined forces and the rest is history. We feel so fortunate to have built a robust business and are thankful to have such an amazing network of candidates and clients.

Over the last decade we have learned a few things along the way. Life is short, so just do the right thing. Listen more and talk less. We are not sales people and we are thankful we haven’t needed to be. Culture and chemistry fit are just as important as tactical skill set. A trip to corporate offices to sit down with leadership is well worth the time and money. Take on work you believe in. If something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.

Outside of our recruiting work we are normal chicks. We are moms, wives, fitness fanatics and pet owners. We volunteer in our communities at hospices, preschools, high schools and humane societies. Oh, and we enjoy a full pour of pinot noir and a good dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives every now and then too.

Cheers!

Kari + Leslie

Leslie Young

Recommendations of Apparel Resource

Missy Park – CEO, Title Nine

If you are looking for a recruiting firm, there is quite simply none better than Apparel Resource. When Kari and Leslie take on an assignment, they take it on wholly and deeply. When we hire them for an assignment, it is like we have an in-house recruiting team...only better. Their breadth and depth of knowledge of the apparel industry is unmatched. Their integrity is unassailable. Their insights and intuitions about people, companies and cultures enable them to find the right person for the right job. Most importantly, Kari and Leslie are not just in it to win it, they are in it for the long haul.

Gordon Seabury – CEO, Toad&Co

Working with Kari & Leslie is a true pleasure. We felt like we had exhausted our quality recruitment options through the sustainable outdoor and lifestyle apparel channels. Apparel Resource completely changed the game for our search, opening doors we didn’t know existed and provided a deep candidate pool that ended with a best case scenario transition to our new head of product design and merchandising.

Neeraj Sachdeva – Creative Director, United Colors of Benetton

When asked to recommend the best recruiters to connect with, Leslie and Kari are the first names that come to mind, instinctively. Their communication and guidance while things are in progress are very honest and intuitive. They work with you every step of the way, help you with preparation, research, pitfalls and opportunities all the way through to the end. What sets Leslie and Kari apart from everyone else is not just their ability to recruit talent but that they create relationships. They are connectors of ideas, people, and opportunities that truly inspire greatness. They bring the highest level of professionalism, knowledge, grace, warmth and most importantly humanity to their work. You’re never just a candidate. Leslie and Kari recognize that looking for a job, no matter what your circumstance, can be an emotional experience and they are genuinely respectful, honest and perceptive of each individual. It is a privilege to know Leslie and Kari.

Kelly Ritchie – SVP Employee Services, Lands’ End

I had the pleasure of working with both Leslie and Kari at Lands’ End before they started Apparel Resource. Leslie was on my team, delivered high quality results and quickly accelerated to become our Director of Recruiting. She was an outstanding recruiter and built strong relationships at all levels (both internally and externally) and moved up quickly in her career. Kari was in multiple leadership positions in retail and merchandising at Lands' End and did a great job in these areas. Her passion for the brand and product made her a great fit for these roles. She clearly understood the business and the needs of the customer. Both are high performers, driven, self-starters and possess excellent follow up skills. We were sorry to see them leave Lands’ End. I would highly recommend Leslie and Kari if you are looking for a recruiting partner that is well connected to the business, clearly understands what it takes to get the job done and the proven ability to recruit top talent.

Kelly Kress – Director of Talent Acquisition, Tory Burch

Working with Leslie and Kari is truly an extension of your team! They fully immerse themselves into the business and are extremely well networked. They play the role of coach/mentor along the way that will guide you in making the right decisions. I have been a candidate and client of Apparel Resource so I can say from both sides they are great partners!

Tami Ludwig – Senior Recruiter, Amazon

I’ve had the opportunity to partner with Kari and Leslie as a specialized resource across fashion, design and merchandising. They continue to be one of my most valuable partners based on their expertise in the fashion space, high touch candidate approach and their consistent ability to provide top talent on tough searches. Kari and Leslie truly care about their business partners’ needs and are experts in adapting as business needs evolve. Based on their exceptional service and partnership they continue to be at the top of my list.

Janet Baluyot-Wilson - Head of Product Development & Design, Meijer

Apparel Resource has a superior industry network and is committed to matching the ‘right fit’ for their clients and expert talent. They are one of the most trustworthy and genuine search agencies I have partnered with.

Christopher Windham - Designer, Amazon Private Brands

Leslie and Kari are absolute treasures and were fantastic to work with. They had multiple opportunities for me, and when I entered a rigorous interview process, they provided thoughtful coaching and mentoring. Working with Apparel Resource was a pleasure and definitely put me in a position for success.

Randy Pyles – VP Product, The Territory Ahead and TravelSmith

Resourceful? Absolutely. So much gratitude to Apparel Resource for facilitating the placement in my last role which I consider my best career move. I could not have had this awesome experience without their professional help and guidance. Looking forward to continuing to work together in the future!

Serena Suckow - Sr. Manager Creative + Merchandise Recruiting, Ross Stores

As an experienced corporate recruiter, I tend to shy away from leveraging external search firms. The cost, the extra time added to a process, the “I can do this myself” mentality all factor in. Kari and Leslie are unlike other agencies. Several years ago our relationship started as a high level connection, that burgeoned into partnering on a single search, which eventually led to a long-standing, deep-seated relationship. Time and time again, they’ve proven to be a value-add in supporting my team with market intel, qualified candidates, and thought partnership. As individuals, Kari and Leslie are both wonderful – honest, transparent, communicative, supportive. And as a team, they continuously deliver. I could not recommend them more highly!

Jillian Calkins - Senior Recruiter, Nordstrom Product Group

As an internal recruiter with a private label organization, I never thought twice about who to engage for those niche, tough to fill positions. When we needed to expand our network, I’d turn to my friends at Apparel Resource for leads and insights. Leslie and Kari aren’t only extremely knowledgeable about the market, but they are personable and genuinely interested in finding the perfect match. I would recommend Apparel Resource to any recruiter/hiring manager that wants to cut through the sales pitches and get to the quality hire. They are the very best!

Hillary Albanese – Recruiter, Victoria’s Secret/PINK

I had the pleasure of working with Leslie and Kari as a supplemental resource to our enterprise talent acquisition team. They are incredibly helpful and were truly a guiding force on our tough searches. Kari and Leslie were able to adapt quickly to the ever changing needs of our business and truly felt like an internal resource and partners thanks to the effort they put into learning our business. Their exceptional service, follow up and partnership was always greatly appreciated and made them a very valuable asset to our team.

59 Companies we have helped
23,893 Candidates in our network
16 Years we have been in business

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