Fabric Developer

The role of Fabric Developer will be working closely with the design, product development and production teams with responsibility for the sourcing, development and technical sign-off of fabric, trims and packaging for seasonal unisex collections.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 3-4 years of experience in the development of raw materials within contemporary or luxury fashion working with local and European suppliers on a wide range of fabric and trims.  

The design team’s ways of working and collection structures are non-traditional and so we are looking for flexible thinkers and people who can source and problem solve and will be inspired to work in a conscious contemporary luxury brand.

Seeking alternative solutions if the traditional route doesn’t satisfy. The desire to do things better will require innovators with a passion for sustainability but with a realistic view as to what is possible.

Main Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the design team to develop fabric, trims and sustainable packaging from sampling to production handover.
• Maintain an updated, relevant ecosystem of dead stock and new fabric suppliers.
• Maintain a detailed critical path for fabric, trim and packaging development to align with and deliver to key milestone dates of the collection critical path.
• Manage and communicate all closure and holiday dates for all suppliers, factories, and third party testing houses.
• Agree seasonal testing and performance standards requirements by style and finished product combination with the technical team, suppliers, production team and the factories.
• Manage RM sampling and testing compliance budget.
• Create PO’s and create and update the Excel budget tracker.
• Agree seasonal testing by criticality with product development and production.
• Follow up with suppliers and factories to ensure leftover inventory is current and up to date.
• Manage the lab dip process and maintain supplier despatch log to ensure timely despatch and sign-off from Design.
• Order RM's for sampling, based on design requirements.
• Chase PO delivery confirmations from suppliers to allow timely arrival at factories in compliance with the critical path (CP).
• Check and validate fabric, trim and packaging technical specifications given by Design.
• Create, agree, manage and maintain a fabric, trim and packaging code process with suppliers and share with design and team members.
• Communicate technical specifications to fabric, trim and packaging suppliers and place proto and sample orders.
• Chase fabric, trim and packaging suppliers to achieve agreed delivery dates to the factories.
• Manage testing process with the testing labs.
• Manage approval and fabric, trim and packaging sign-off process with third party testing houses, Design, PD, Production, Suppliers, and Factories.
• Confirm costs, minimums, lead time and price breakdowns with suppliers.
• Ensure all PO Invoices are received and are correct and processed for approval by Line Manager.

Essential Skills

• Fabric Developer with a minimum of 3-4 years of experience in luxury fashion working with local and European suppliers.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Self-starter with a tenacious, assertive and determined attitude.
• Ability to follow instructions and to take initiative.
• Ability to plan, multi-task and work under pressure.
• Good negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Naturally analytical and numerical.
• Excellent Excel skills and previous experience of an internal computer system such as Zedonk or SAP is a plus.
• A sustainability and circularity champion.