How Etam is Building a Resilient, Business-Aligned Data Strategy

At the inaugural Sifflet Data Breakfast in Paris, we had the pleasure of welcoming Sophie Gallay, Head of Data at Etam Group. What she shared was more than a presentation. It was a thoughtful, transparent account of how a century-old fashion brand is actively reshaping its data strategy to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s ambitions.

Sophie’s message was clear: data isn’t just a tool, it’s a strategic enabler—and in retail, it’s quickly becoming a prerequisite for resilience.

Navigating an Evolving Retail Landscape

The fashion industry is in flux. Customer behaviors are evolving. Market conditions are less predictable. And like many retailers, Etam is being asked to do more with less. Against this backdrop, the role of data has shifted.

Using data is no longer a competitive advantage. It’s the foundation. The real differentiator now lies in how effectively it’s aligned with the business, and how quickly it can drive outcomes.

From Experimentation to Execution

Etam’s data journey started later than some, but that has instilled a certain discipline in their approach. With fewer resources for trial and error, the data team is focused on delivering measurable impact. Every initiative must connect to a clear business objective and contribute to company-wide priorities.

That mindset is the backbone of Etam’s 2025 data strategy.

A 2025 Strategy Rooted in Business Impact

Etam’s roadmap for the year ahead is pragmatic, focused, and designed to deliver value across time horizons. Sophie Gallay and her team are executing against five clear pillars.

1. Start from business objectives
Every project starts with a simple question: how does this help us reach our OKRs? That alignment ensures stronger sponsorship and real traction across departments.

2. Prioritize what’s core and unique
Build when the use case is tightly linked to Etam’s model. Buy when the need is standard or time-sensitive. And explore when the opportunity aligns with internal momentum.

3. Deliver ROI on multiple horizons
Short-term: operational efficiency and monetization.
Mid-term: AI and ML-driven improvements.
Long-term: insight generation, governance, and team enablement.

4. Apply product thinking to data
The team is moving away from isolated POCs. Instead, they’re building MVPs with defined users, documented standards, and real production readiness from day one.

5. Embed governance as a foundation, not a blocker
With the support of Sifflet, Etam is strengthening data observability, enabling better monitoring, faster troubleshooting, and early involvement of business teams.

The Role of Sifflet: Bringing Visibility and Confidence

Sifflet plays a foundational role in Etam’s new data operating model. By providing a modern, automated observability platform, Sifflet helps the team ensure data reliability, track lineage, and detect issues before they impact the business.

For Sophie and her team, this kind of transparency isn’t just a technical advantage. It’s what allows them to move forward with speed and confidence, even in a complex and fast-changing environment.

"Why Data Observability is a Pillar of Our 2025 Strategy" “Sifflet plays a key role in our ability to scale a reliable and business-aligned data strategy. With greater observability across our data landscape, we can detect issues early, build trust with our stakeholders, and focus our efforts where they matter most.”

Sophie Gallay

A Strategy Built to Last

Sophie Gallay’s presentation reminded us that a strong data strategy doesn’t have to start with perfection. It starts with alignment, purpose, and a focus on what really matters.

Etam isn’t building data capabilities for the sake of innovation. They are doing it to serve their business today, and to set themselves up for the future they want to shape.

We’re proud to support them on this journey.

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