Senior Designer

The Senior Ready-to-Wear Designer will be working closely with the Creative Director to develop initial research and build seasonal unisex collections. As a versatile designer, you must be able to work across a spectrum of femininities and masculinities, creating commercial products that cater for all gender identities demonstrating sensitivity for shape, form and style whilst leading fabric and textile developments.

The successful designer will have a minimum of 5 years of design experience in contemporary or luxury fashion balancing creativity with commerciality to support the growth of the brand. Experience in capturing streetwear and sportswear influences with a luxury hand whilst developing a refined relaxed everyday aesthetic to create an elevated accessible collection.

At this contemporary luxury brand, the design team’s ways of working and collection structures are non-traditional requiring flexible thinkers and people who can problem solve and are inspired to work in a conscious brand.

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

Main Responsibilities

• Passion for research, looking at a wide variety of source materials in line with the creative director’s brief including the more challenging routes, printed source materials in contemporary and vintage magazines and books and sourcing vintage items. Good use of a library card is a plus!
• Travel for research including vintage shopping and fabric and trim sourcing at Premiere Vision and Linea Pelle.
• Prepare and present relevant research on shapes, colours, fabrics, trims and prints.
• Sketching of ideas and styles selected by the Creative Director.
• Product design in line with the collection plan, pricing architecture and sales objectives.
• Help coordinate the design team and allocate work appropriately to ensure deadlines and design quality is maintained, working closely with development to ensure the timely execution of calendar milestones.
• Work closely with the Design Assistant to oversee the preparation of tech packs in Illustrator and supervise workload and priorities.
• Launch styles with factories ensuring that all product information is clear and accurately communicated.
• Review design concepts, presentation boards for meetings, inspirational concepts, raw materials, drapes, mock-ups and colours with the team.
• Travel to the factories to make sure garments are accurately executed in line with the collection plan.
• Participate in fittings both in-house and at the factories.
• Work closely with the Raw Materials Coordinator to ensure all fabric and trims meet creative and commercial objectives and are fit for purpose.
• Partner with production to ensure continuity from inception to product and a smooth handover process.
• Participate in the coordination of photoshoots for look books and press.

Essential Skills

• Degree in Fashion Design or equivalent design experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of contemporary or luxury design experience for a design house or brand.
• Exceptional research capability looking at a wide range of sources including vintage. Good use of a library card is a plus!
• Experience working closely with a Creative Director to interpret the seasonal research, adhering to the collection plan and margin requirements.
• A strong eye for colour and shape and a feel for fabric, colour, print and trim.
• Good basic knowledge of pattern, drape and garment construction.
• Intermediate to advanced hand sketching ability.
• Proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator.
• A unifying love of design, fashion and creativity.
• A desire to do things better and innovate.
• Hands-on with a positive attitude, great energy and a high-performing supportive team player who is excellent at what they do.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, able to express ideas clearly and confidently across the business.
• Exceptional organization skills.
• Ability to prioritise and meet the design and development calendar milestones.
• Self-motivated and persistent in achieving objectives and finding solutions.