Job Details
SENIOR DESIGNER - 12-18 MONTH MATERNITY COVER
Réalisation is seeking an outstanding Senior Designer candidate to join the team for 12-18month contract as a maternity cover. Based in London, you will report directly to the Design Director. You must possess both a highly creative talent for design, as well as an astute commercial understanding of our market.
Roles and Responsibilities
As Senior Designer, you will work collaboratively with the Design Development and Production Managers to oversee the entire product design process, including all-important technical decisions and production requirements before the final approval from either or both the Creative and Design Directors.
* You and the team will execute product concept briefs from the Co-founders/Design & Creative Directors and bring them to life, along with proactively leading concept development in line with the Réalisation aesthetic
* You will ensure that the product team delivers on the product development required across all categories to meet sale objectives and launch timelines
* Collaborating with both the internal team and freelancers, you will be responsible to research, refine, and execute innovative product and textile print designs, that you will present to the co-founders for. final approval
* You will be responsible for developing detailed product range plans, and monthly product drop schedules, consisting of new prints on existing styles, along with new shapes and products to present to the Design Director. Taking into consideration historical best and worst sellers
* You will ensure the delivery of commercially viable, high quality products/collections that will deliver profit margins in line with sales budgets and market opportunities
* You will be able to create and present creative mood boards of product research, as required and requested
* You will maintain a strong awareness of the market and the competition
* Supporting the brand creatively, ensuring that the company's creative vision is clearly executed by the team in the products being delivered
* You will assist in sourcing trims and new fabrications; such as lace, buttons etc
* You will explore new, innovative and speciality technologies including materials, construction techniques, and product features to elevate the current product offering and drive continuous product performance and improvement
* You will be responsible for print research and development - start to finish. Cataloguing ideas, outsourcing of print designs/ print development. This includes vintage prints, design libraries, briefs from the co-founders and/or ideas from the internal team. You will coordinate the print designs, creating simple prints in house or working with freelancers – check scale, produce tech packs with pantone colours to hand over to the factories and approve strike offs
* You will participate in fittings of new samples; conducted by the Development/Production Managers
Skills & Experience
* 6+ years of fashion design experience working with luxury brands
* Be able to work well both independently and in a highly collaborative team
* Highly creative, with excellent commercial awareness with the ability to recognise future trends.
* Must be specialised in womenswear, with a focus on silk but with knowledge of cross-product categories
* Experience with print and textile development, including both conceptualising and creating artworks
* In-depth knowledge of the manufacturing process and raw materials to develop samples and ranges effectively and to cost
* Be comfortable making strategic and commercial decisions
* Have a wide network of suppliers (preferably China based), manufacturers and freelance contacts
* The confidence and ability to make decisions under pressure.
* Excellent communication skills to provide clear direction and leadership on creative concepts visually and verbally.
* The ability to manage multiple projects from concept to launch and adaptable to shifting priorities.
* Work with technical design to create mockups and prototypes to explore, resolve, or prove new concepts or construction techniques
Full time role - 4 days based in Central London office, 1 day remote working
Salary competitive and dependant on experience
Please send cover letter, CV and portfolio to