Fashion Designer

We have a great role for a talented fashion designer to join a leading Lifestyle Brand The position covers Men’s, Women’s, multi-product and some accessories.

Job Purpose

• Working across multiple product categories the Designer is responsible for designing premium quality products on time and in line with the agreed strategy for each product, ensuring maximised profit margins and adhering to the brand and quality standards throughout.
• The Designer is responsible for delivering compelling, consumer-led products and ranges, driving product aesthetics to the highest level while retaining commercial viability and required performance attributes. Working to exceed the brand and quality expectations of our client’s customers is the key focus of your role

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Creative Direction, Design and Innovation:
• Support on delivering the seasonal creative and colour direction across the product range, in line with consumer expectations and seasonal business plan
• Support on creating and presenting mood and design boards for each season showcasing colour, fabrics, trims and new technologies
• Responsible for conceptualizing and delivering market leading performance products from the briefs, utilising our brand five pillars of protective, lightweight, packable, easy-care and versatile, as appropriate and relevant to the range, category, style and end use
• Deliver designs and explore potential opportunities that are underpinned by our consumer research data and direction
• Research and present upcoming market trends, technologies, fabrics, colour and trim to identify opportunities relevant to the Client’s product direction
• Inspire creativity within the team and explore new concepts that expand on the brand defining products and technologies
• Research and propose appropriate materials, trims and technologies for your allocated styles and their end use
• Think innovatively at all stages of the creative, design and development process
• Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of sustainable or low-impact ideas, sharing information to support the product sustainability roadmap

Design and Style Responsibilities:

• Provide product information through clear and detailed CAD drawings and specifications so prototypes and BOMs can be created in a timely and accurate manner, ensuring all CAD’s for artworks, components, prints and trims are clear and detailed with measurements and positioning
• Ensure new products, fabric and trim recommendations are proposed within cost parameters and developed to target cost and reach or exceed expected margins, whilst being fit for purpose and product end use
• Propose and select fabric, trims and components ensuring all development costs are pre-approved within budget and product timeline
• Support Garment Technologist to engineer products that meet product target costs, ensuring that more creative and price conscious solutions are found, while maintaining product aesthetics and quality
• Ensure all CAD’s, Tech packs, fabric and trims are handed over on time and accurate to adhere to critical path deadlines
• Maintaining accurate Tech packs ensuring that design CAD’s are updated and aligned with information in the BOM and latest prototyp
• Work closely and have weekly reviews with the Garment Technologists to ensure products are on track and any updates, changes and approvals are actioned within the calendar deadlines and are clearly and quickly communicated to the relevant teams
• Work closely and have weekly reviews with the Fabric Technologist and Trim Coordinator to ensure products are on track and any updates or changes are conducted within the calendar deadlines
• Responsible for providing full colour CAD’s and the timely handover and approval of all colour work and lab dips with the Fabric Technologist
• Ensure assigned products are delivered according to the seasonal calendar and highlight any instances where this is at risk
• Actively participate in proto reviews and fit meetings with the Garment Technologist, ensuring that products, quality, standards and performance expectations are met
• Support the Garment Technologist to ensure the assigned product segment’s ‘visual language’ is consistent for branding, fit and construction
• Alongside the Garment Technologist, review and risk assess your products, ensuring fit for purpose and in line with the brand and quality expectations

General

• Present concepts, design inspiration and details, fabric and trim information in a clear, concise and professional manner at all stages of the process from seasonal kick-off through to design reviews, proto reviews, range reviews and range launches to the wider business teams such as Marketing and Retail

• Ensure at all times that visual overviews, style and colour information and range grid information for your allocated styles is clearly and accurately updated

• Ensure a clear understanding and knowledge of the brand standards, including logo and branding treatments and rules; and expected performance and construction standards

• Ensure understanding and knowledge of style, colour, fabric and trim MOQ’s to avoid surcharges and delivery issues throughout the process

• Ensure understanding and adherence to all critical path deadlines and impact and involvement of key stakeholders

• Build strong and synergistic relationships with cross functional partners and key stakeholders; Technical, Merchandising, Production, CSR, Marketing, Retail

• Create open channels of communication with other parts of the business on product queries

• Actively increase knowledge, awareness and understanding of the product end use and the activities and environments which it will be used in through own experience and building strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business and industry

• Support with end of season assessment and reviews to remain commercial and to make recommendations for future seasons

• Ability and willingness to travel within UK, Europe and Asia

• Actively participate in proto reviews and fit meetings with the Garment Technologist, ensuring that product quality, standards and performance expectations are met

• Support the Garment Technologist to ensure the assigned product segment’s ‘visual language’ is consistent for branding, fit and construction

• Alongside the Garment Technologist, review and risk assess your products, ensuring fit for purpose and in line with the brand and quality expectations

Technical Skills & Qualifications required

• Educated to degree level or similar in Apparel or Product Design

• Highly competent with Adobe Creative Suite and highly skilled with powerpoint

• Strong understanding of Microsoft Office

• • Previous experience in technical apparel or sportswear is essential for this role