Design Manager

Crew Clothing Company; Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Crew Clothing Company in Kingston-upon-Thames is seeking a Womenswear Design Manager to lead the womenswear design team and support design across multiple categories. You will drive creative direction, develop seasonal ranges, oversee trend research, fabric sourcing, and collaborate with technical, sourcing and external partners to deliver cohesive collections.

The role requires strong leadership, excellent illustration and presentation skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Experience within a designer management role in the fashion industry.
• Excellent illustration and presentation skills.
• Ability to interpret brand strategies and market trends.

Responsibilities

• Manage the womenswear design team, including performance management and workflow.
• Maintain awareness of seasonal trends through market research and competitor analysis.
• Develop fabrics, trims and colour direction aligned to mood boards.
• Prepare range and presentation boards for range reviews and meetings.
• Collaborate with technical, sourcing and external partners to deliver collections.
• Communicate with overseas offices and internal teams to meet calendars.

Skills

Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Excel

Team leadership

Communication

Tools

Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Excel

Job description

DescriptionWomenswear Design Manager Full Time (4 days in office, 1 day from home) Kingston-on-Thames

At Crew Clothing, we believe clothes are about so much morethan “just clothes”. Designed with the spirit of the south coast in everystitch, our crossed oars are a mark of timeless British style. These areclothes for life’s best moments. We believe in collaboration, kindness andcreativity, in celebrating our successes and championing our customer at everystep of the way. From ’93 to now, people have been at the heart of everythingwe do. It’s in our name – Crew.

Purpose of the role:

We are looking for a Womenswear Design manager to come andjoin the team and be responsible for managing the womenswear designteam, as well as supporting design across multiple categories.

Key Responsibilities:

People Management

• Management of the womenswear design team, including performance management and workflow.

Trend& Market Research

• Maintain awareness of seasonal trendsthrough market shopping, trend research and stay current withcompetition. Gain knowledge of multi-market product ranges.
• Create presentation material fortrend, colour and must-have product in your categories.
• Shop trend in retail markets seekingnew merchandise ideas, as needed.
• Create presentation boards

Colourand Fabric Research & Development

• Develop and update seasonal colouredrange boards, maintaining awareness of market colour direction and internalbrand colour stories.
• Research market -identifying specificfabrics, yarns, jersey for the season, work with sourcing team and suppliers tosource each fabric to meet the specific pricing needs of knitwear andjersey.
• Select each style’s fabric, trims,materials and colours that fit into the mood board direction and create style plans.
• Work with team to develop standards to maintain and grow the internal material library.

ProductDevelopment & Development Packages

• Design for womenswear specifiedcategories within the design department.
• Prepare range and presentation boardsfor range reviews and buyer/product meetings. Create presentation materials forproduct range sign -off meetings. Work with the design team to keep up to date.
• Be prepared with proto samples, storebought samples, fabric swatches, sketches and tears during Development Meetings
• Create flat technical sketches andpacks for design development packages
• Create design development Packagewith components
• Manage and maintain all informationthrough to final approval.
• Manage seasonal range sheets
• Maintain records of range sheetsensure they are updated and correct for product range selection.
• Suggest colour direction for garmentsto properly balance the product and seasonal collections.
• Review and approve proto samples withtechnical team.

TeamCollaboration

• Work with technical team to ensuretech packages are accurate and complete; review with HOD and provide specificfeedback and collaborative direction when necessary.
• Adhere to the seasonal critical pathand action calendars. Work collaboratively with internal and externalsupplier, teams, buyers and technical dept.
• Updating all VRP’s and cads for thedesign team and own departments. Elevate calendar issues and provide resolutionin order to maintain calendar dates.
• Approve fabric samples, lab dips andother development materials sent from factories. Work collaboratively withinternal material management teams to provide feedback and clear and concisedirection in order to execute approvals properly.
• Communicate on a daily basis withoverseas offices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Experience within a designer management rolewithin the fashion industry.
• Excellent illustrator skills,proficiency in PC operation, Excel, Adobe Photoshop software
• Ability to impact and influencedesign team to gain buy-in for product that will influence the Crew customer.Ideally, experience of working in a global matrix environment.
• Knowledge of how product is sourced,developed and marketed
• Exceptional communication andpresentation skills and ability to understand how to adapt presentation forrelevant audiences.
• Ability to understand brandstrategies and to work in a collaborative environment.
• Strong design and conceptual skills
• Strong colour sense / print sense
• Ability to quickly understand thetarget customer
• Ability to quickly analysedata/situations and draw relevant conclusions to have positive effects onbusiness in a complex environment
• Detail-oriented with excellent timemanagement and organizational skills
• Ability to multi-task, problem solve,and think outside the box in a fast-paced environment