Nicole M. Christie serves as featured buyer for H&M on "Fashion Star," NBC's latest reality competition series that will search for the next great brand.

A former graduate of Columbia University in New York City, Christie was one of the first 50 employees hired to start the U.S. sales organization for H&M. She began her 11-year career at the company as a manager for the first U.S. store that opened on Fifth Avenue in 2000.

In 2001 Christie was promoted to buyer for the Young Fashion Division where she worked with H&M's in-house design team in Sweden to shape the collection for the U.S. and Canada. During the next eight years she focused on increasing the sales and profitability of this division and also spearheaded the launch of the new H&M denim brand for the U.S.

In 2009, Christie was tapped to become communications manager for North America, where she is currently using her knowledge of the H&M company and culture as well as her buying and sales experience to manage the development and implementation of communication strategy, while also acting as the H&M company spokesperson for the U.S.