In an age where scale often masquerades as success, one woman is helping retail businesses stop chasing growth and start building smarter. Meet Yevgeniya A. Yushkova, or simply YAY —fashion executive turned transformation architect—who is reshaping how consumer brands think about private labels, merchandising, and end-to-end operations.
From launching 19 multimillion-dollar private label brands to leading cross-functional teams in some of retail’s most demanding arenas, Yushkova saw a repeating pattern: brands expanding quickly while quietly bleeding margin. That insight gave birth to Yushkova Design Inc (dba YAY Designs)—a boutique consulting firm rewriting the rules of profitable retail.
Why Creative Vision Alone Isn’t Enough
For many retailers, growth is deceptive. “You can grow the top line and still watch your margins evaporate,” says Yushkova, who now leads a powerhouse team of consultants with more than 79 years of combined experience across design, merchandising, sourcing, and supply chain.
Most businesses operate in silos—creative teams push new ideas while operations scramble to catch up. But speed without structure creates fragility. “You can’t scale chaos,” she emphasizes. “We help our clients slow down just long enough to fix what’s broken, then build systems that support sustainable, profitable growth.”
Yushkova Design does this by embedding directly within client organizations, mapping out real-world inefficiencies, and designing custom solutions that unlock margin, improve collaboration, and reduce costly bottlenecks.
The Hidden Profit Leaks Inside Your Merchandising Strategy
What makes YAY Designs so unique isn’t just its consulting chops—it’s their ability to connect the dots between creative ambition and operational excellence. “Private label isn’t just about cost savings,” Yushkova explains. “Done right, it’s your biggest lever for profit and brand loyalty.”
Too often, retailers launch private labels without a real plan—no data-informed assortment strategy, no alignment across teams, and no scalable infrastructure to support growth. The result? Flat sales, excess inventory, and confused customers.
Her firm helps brands go back to the blueprint: defining strategy, pricing, supply chain, and brand identity from the ground up. With her team’s help, clients routinely cut lead times by 40–75% and boost margins by 20–30%.
Case Study: From Stalled Growth to Margin Machine
In a recent engagement, a fast-scaling retail client had rolled out multiple private label lines but couldn’t understand why performance lagged. Design and merchandising weren’t aligned with sourcing, and the rigid supply chain couldn’t pivot to meet demand.
After a full diagnostic, YAY Designs rebuilt the business from the inside: creating flexible processes, optimizing assortments and supply chain, defined and implemented systems and introduced continues improvement methodology with in the cross function teams. Within months, the client reduced delays, chased bestsellers more effectively, and grew category margins by over 25%—with no added headcount.
“These are the wins people don’t talk about publicly,” says Yushkova. “But they’re the ones that protect your business in any market.”
Lean Meets Luxury: The Philosophy Behind the Firm
Yushkova is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt–certified, but her approach is anything but rigid. “Lean isn’t about doing more with less,” she says. “It’s about doing the right things, better.” Her framework combines data-backed analysis with flexible, creative thinking—giving brands the structure they need without stifling innovation.
Unlike large consulting firms that push generic playbooks, YAY Designs offers highly customized engagements tailored to each client’s goals and organizational DNA. The firm’s phased-in approach ensures adoption at every level—starting with diagnostic discovery, then building a roadmap that actually gets implemented.
“We don’t just advise. We execute, side by side with your team.”
Turning Roadblocks Into Results
The most common roadblocks YAY sees? Silos. Firefighting. A lack of visibility. “Teams are stretched. Leaders know something’s off, but they don’t have the time or bandwidth to fix it,” she says. “That’s where we step in—not to overhaul everything, but to redesign the core structure so the business works better.”
For emerging brands, the firm helps define target audiences, refine product offers, and build demand-driven go-to-market strategies. For legacy companies, they optimize inventory flow, restructure supply chains, and empower merchandising teams to own profitability.
“We’re not here to make you dependent on consultants. We’re here to make you stronger.”
LA-Born Vision, Global Impact
Though her firm works with brands across the U.S. and internationally, Yushkova’s roots and style are distinctly LA—blending innovation, design-forward thinking, and entrepreneurial grit. She successfully launched and scaled a self-funded fashion brand globally before founding her consultancy. Her women’s convertible clothing brand what’s the only U.S. brand invited to take park in Philippine Fashion Week for multiple seasons in a row.
Recognition hasn’t been in short supply. She’s won awards for rapid PLM system implementations, scaled influencer-led apparel brands, and remains one of the most sought-after voices in private label development.
What’s Next: Empowering the Next Generation of Retail Leaders
YAY isn’t stopping at consulting. Her firm is expanding to offer strategic toolkits, leadership training, and invite-only executive roundtables to equip decision-makers with frameworks they can apply right away.
“Retail doesn’t need more fluff—it needs structure, clarity, and execution,” she says. “Our mission is to create a new standard of excellence in the industry, one brand at a time.”
Want to Join the Next Retail Roundtable?
If Yushkova’s insights resonate with you, you’re invited to apply for a spot in her upcoming Executive Roundtable—a monthly recurring event where retail leaders unpack the hidden challenges in their operations and explore real-world strategies for scale.
🔗 RSVP NOW
Seats are limited. All participants receive a complimentary business assessment and access to proven tools that have helped dozens of brands boost margins, streamline operations, and future-proof growth.
Power Quotes from Yevgeniya Yushkova
- “You don’t need more product—you need smarter, data-driven assortments.”
- “A weak assortment doesn’t just lose sales—it damages your brand’s credibility.”
- “Inventory isn’t an asset if it’s not moving. It’s a liability.”
- “Strong margins come from strong decisions—starting with what, how much, and when you buy.”
- “Most leaders aren’t failing to grow—they’re failing to scale efficiently.”
Connect with Yushkova Design Inc
🌐 www.yushkovadesign.com
If you’re serious about building a profitable, scalable retail brand—this is your call to action.