Pieces of Me - An Inside Zalando podcast

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Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Lessons in happiness, creativity and innovation from inside Europe's leading fashion and lifestyle destination. Our host Janine Matos invites the thinkers, dreamers and builders from the worlds of fashion and tech to share three Pieces of Me: objects that tell the story of their lives and careers. To find out more about careers at Zalando visit: https://zln.do/3tdbumj

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 30, 202618 min

A love letter to queer spaces; inside Zalando's global pride campaign

What defines a queer space? Laura Veneklaas, Global Marketing Campaigns Manager, and Marcos Cabrera Garcia, Creative Director, share some thoughts from the Zalando global Pride campaign, ‘The spaces that made us: a love letter to queer spaces’. In this episode, Laura and Marcos join our host Janine to talk queer culture, community-led storytelling and the power of creating safe spaces. Their Pieces of Me include a morning reflection notebook, a cowboy hat from an Australian adventure and a very special four-legged office companion named Ziggy. To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de .

June 16, 202616 min

Standing out to recruiters and leading with authenticity

In this episode, Samuel Tallant, Talent Acquisition Partner at Zalando, joins our host Janine to talk about crafting a CV that tells your true story. They discuss CV structuring, the power of authenticity in interviews and how to create impactful spaces for LGBTQI+ leaders. Samuel also shares his three Pieces of Me. These include stacked family rings featuring a beloved dog's nose imprint, a trusted blue notebook tracking his career from day one and a festive team photo booth picture. To find out more about jobs at Zalando, head over to jobs.zalando.de .

June 2, 202619 min

The Twist That Makes Copy Stick

What makes a brand sound like itself? Sim LeCompte, Creative Director and Copywriter at Zalando, has some thoughts. In this episode, Sim joins our host Janine to talk bold ideas, inclusive language and the little twist that makes copy stick. Her three Pieces of Me include a well-loved leather notebook she's been journaling in every day since 2020, a campaign that made history at Cannes Lions and the podcast that helped her land the job. To find out more about jobs like Sim's go to jobs.zalando.de

May 19, 202617 min

Changing The Game; the future of sportswear

J uan Garcia, strategy expert in go-to-market initiatives in Sports at Zalando, joins Janine to explain how sports is at the cutting edge of shaping customer experience online. And to unveil his team’s strategic partnership with the iconic German Football Federation and the new jersey customisation options at Zalando Juan also dives into how innovative thinking, with the customers at the heart of everything, has allowed the team to tap into new markets. The conversation covers the mindset behind delivering Zalando’s large-scale projects, with Juan highlighting the importance of breaking down big ambitions into manageable steps. His Pieces of Me include a collection of medals and perhaps most importantly… a broken padlock? To find out more about careers like Juan’s go to jobs.zalando.de

May 6, 202618 min

What's Driving Zalando's Sports Success? Take a look through a Senior Buyer's eyes

Giannina Rengifo, Senior Buyer in Zalando’s Sports category, joins Janine Matos to explore how passion, data, and new AI technology are coming together in one of fashion’s fastest-growing areas. Giannina shares how the sports category has evolved - from huge growth and new customer acquisition to high profile events like the Berlin Marathon and major partnerships in football. She explains what it takes to manage Zalando’s diverse portfolio of sports, and how deep product knowledge is built through data, brand collaboration, and constant learning. The conversation also highlights how the company is continuously evolving the online sports shopping experience with better filtering and the development off remarkable AI tools. Giannina’s “Pieces of Me” reflect her journey and mindset along with one key career belief: play to win, dare to fail . To find out more about career’s like Giannina's, visit jobs.zalando.de

April 14, 202618 min

Selling Emotion; the world of beauty e-commerce.

Virginie Duigou, Head of Buying for Beauty at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore the relatively new and dynamic world of beauty e-commerce. How do you sell beauty products online, when customers traditionally need to touch, smell and discover new products in person? Virginie explains how Zalando sells beauty online with emotional storytelling and innovations like virtual try-ons, as well as the impact of emerging trends, especially Korean beauty products. Janine and Virginie also discuss her leadership journey, the importance of strong team relationships, and how yoga is a a super power to boost personal and career development. To find out more about careers like Virginie's, visit jobs@zalando.de

March 31, 202618 min

Everything You Need to Know about Leadership Recruitment

Max Thompson, Head of Executive Recruiting at Zalando, joins Janine to lift the lid on how global organisations find and hire new leaders. Max opens up about how Zalando approaches executive hiring; from shaping the roles, understanding the values and mindset required, and then searching internally and externally for exactly the right candidate. The conversation highlights the importance of cultural fit, and diversity, and inclusion to help ensure leadership reflects a broad range of perspectives and Max also explains the vital role of internal mobility, why identifying and developing talent from within is key. Max’s “Pieces of Me” are deeply personal and he opens up about difficult times and moving past them. He reflects on the importance of authenticity, self-awareness, and choosing purpose over ego when navigating our careers. To find out more about careers like Max's visit jobs.zalando.de

March 17, 202619 min

The Influencer Playbook in Fashion Marketing

Paul O’Neill, Head of Creator Programs at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore how influencer collaborations, storytelling, and data come together to shape modern fashion marketing. Paul explains how Zalando works with hundreds of creators across global campaigns, creating content in different styles and voices to inspire customers fashion and beauty choices. The conversation also looks at how Zalando is building a stronger creator community through special events that creators develop new skills. Paul touches on the importance of balancing bold ideas with pragmatic solutions and his“Pieces of Me” represent a focus creativity, career choices and a thirst for adventure. To find out more about careers like Paul’s visit jobs.zalando.de

March 3, 202616 min

Is Live Streaming the Future of Fashion?

Kayla Parker, Creator Manager at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore the innovative and fast-evolving world of creator live-streams in fashion and lifestyle e-commerce. Kayla shares how live streaming is a marketing space full of opportunity, and she unpacks successful formats, important metrics and data, and new ways to engage audiences. From finding the right creators with strong storytelling skills, to navigating the technical realities of live production, she explains why preparation, on-the-spot decision making, and team collaboration are key to success. While live-streaming is all about experimentation, teamwork, and the excitement of building something new, Kayla’s three Pieces of Me reflect the power of cultural connection; from literature, to fashion to French Toast Casserole. For more information on jobs like Kayla’s go to jobs.zalando.de

February 17, 202618 min

Flowers, Fashion and Friendship; Inside Zalando’s Partner Communication Engine

Katja Schmökel, Team Lead in Partner Communication at Zalando, joins Janine Matos to explore what it takes to help Zalando’s partners thrive in a fast-moving but highly regulated industry. Katja explains how partner communication sits at the heart of the fashion and lifestyle ecosystem; ensuring brands and retailers can navigate the Zalando platform and understand the often complex regulations involved. The conversation also explains that while AI is beginning to reshape communication strategies, Katja’s people-first outlook is what give purpose to her career. Katja’s “Pieces of Me” reflect that outlook. They include keepsakes from the Christmas party and a bunch of flowers that have an important and enduring message about how team culture really works. To find out more about careers like Katja’s go to jobs.zalando.de