Senior Designer - Womenswear Tailoring

The Retail Partnership Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Retail Partnership Ltd is seeking an experienced Senior Tailoring Designer to lead contemporary tailoring across a diverse client base. You will interpret trends and craft commercially viable products with a strong design handwriting.

Key focus includes hands-on development from concept to final product, mentoring a Junior Designer, and collaborating with teams and customers to grow the tailoring category.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in fashion design with a strong tailoring focus.
• Excellent technical understanding of tailoring, garment construction and fit.
• Ability to translate emerging trends into commercially viable product.

Responsibilities

• Design contemporary tailoring ranges across multiple key accounts.
• Research seasonal trends and translate into relevant product.
• Balance fashion direction with price points and commercial considerations.
• Work hands-on from concept through final product development.
• Demonstrate understanding of fabrics, construction, fit, and garment development in tailoring.
• Collaborate with internal teams, customers and suppliers to develop ranges.

Skills

Tailoring expertise

Fashion design

Commercial awareness

Mentoring junior designer

Trend interpretation

Job description

We are working with an established fashion business to recruit an experienced Senior Tailoring Designer to join their team. This is an exciting opportunity for a fashion-forward, commercial and contemporary Designer who has a strong understanding of tailoring but brings a modern, relevant approach to the category.

We are specifically looking for someone with a strong and distinctive design handwriting who understands soft, contemporary tailoring. You will be working across a varied portfolio of high-profile fashion and retail accounts you will need to understand how to interpret emerging trends and translate them into commercially relevant product for different customer profiles.

Main Responsibilities Will Include:

• Designing contemporary, fashion-forward tailoring ranges across multiple key customer accounts.
• Researching and interpreting seasonal trends, translating these into relevant and commercially viable product.
• Creating product that balances strong fashion direction with customer requirements, price points and commercial considerations.
• Working hands-on throughout the full design and development process, from initial concept through to final product.
• Demonstrating a strong understanding of fabrics, construction, fit and garment development within tailoring.
• Working closely with internal teams, customers and suppliers to develop ranges and respond to briefs.
• Adapting design direction and product handwriting to suit the needs of different customers and market levels.
• Presenting ranges, concepts and new product ideas confidently to customers.
• Identifying opportunities to evolve and grow the tailoring category.
• Managing and mentoring a Junior Designer, providing creative direction and supporting their development.
• Keeping up to date with emerging trends, competitor activity and wider market developments.

Person Specification:

• Previous experience within fashion design, with significant experience in tailoring.
• Previous experience working within a fashion supplier and/or retail environment.
• A strong fashion eye with a contemporary, trend-led and commercial approach.
• Experience designing soft, modern tailoring rather than purely traditional or classic tailoring.
• Excellent technical understanding of tailoring, including garment construction, fit and development.
• Strong fabric knowledge and an understanding of how fabric choice influences silhouette, construction and commerciality.
• A hands-on designer who is comfortable getting into the detail and being involved throughout the development process.
• Confident, collaborative and commercially aware, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and with customers.