Senior Designer

Aspinal of London are looking for a Senior Designer to lead the leather goods and accessories category, including bag styles, hardware, leather sourcing, and seasonal colour development, as well as soft accessories, hard accessories, jewellery, new categories as planned and agreed, belts, hats etc. You will take leadership of designing and developing new styles and collections within this category. The role involves close day-to-day design collaboration directly with the Chairman and the Product & Supply Director.

You will drive design and work with our head of product development through to the manufacturing stage, contributing where you can to sourcing and manufacturing at which point responsibility will be handed over to the wider team. This is an amazing opportunity to join a small team based in West Sussex. We have a Designer Manager who is currently on maternity leave. This role will lead the team in her absence and work together upon her return. This role will require attendance in the office at least 4 days per week (one of those days must be Friday).

Accountable for:

• Supporting the creation of seasonal concept and colour
• Creation of new ideas and raw materials
• Creation of designs and CADs to enable ideas to be delivered as a physical prototype
• Reviewing range plan and ensuring that all options are required to margin
• Creating Design Packs and specs for new ideas as briefed in pipeline
• Supporting Product Development in critique, construction and problem solving
• Managing the Design critical path ensuring that all key dates are delivered

Creative themes and Concepts:

• Support and deliver the seasonal story theme as provided by Chairman and Creative team.
• Colour, trend and product research.
• Be able to present a focused overview of relevant trend information from online, catwalks, social media, street trends etc.
• Ensuring the creative theme is issued to key Stakeholders and collated on electronic format.
• Manage the creation of the concept boards for theme, colour, and product.
• Constantly evolve method of craftsmanship on all Aspinal of London product to ensure AOL is a leader in all areas of craftsmanship construction and raw materials.
• Question and review all continuity concepts for Aspinal of London heritage products and deliver new ideas and concepts.

Design Function:

• Present and receive direction at the pipeline meetings for new designs, ensuring price point and raw materials are considered.
• Approve all Design Teams CADs and design packs.
• Research and understand new raw materials in the marketplace ensuring new leathers and hardware are researched.
• Research all new trends in the marketplace and present ideas relevant to the brand.
• Work closely with the Chairman on scarf designs and handover to PD to action.
• Visit the Flagship store monthly to understand customer need and gain retail feedback.

Raw Materials:

• Support the Product Director in researching new raw materials, colours, treatments and hardware.
• Support the Product Development Team in the development of new hardware and ensure it is fit for purpose.
• Ensure wearer trials are actioned and reviewed of any new raw material.

Product Creation:

• Initiate a smooth handover of the technical drawings to PD, ensuring all information is accurate and design is clearly explained.
• Cover off all new areas in hard and soft accessories – Hats, Support of Jewellery and hard gifts, Scarves, belts, hats, socks, Hard keyrings, Homeware.
• Produce high quality, accurate design specifications and technical information on Adobe Ai, including to Scale CADs for 1st prototypes, 2nd prototypes and confirmed styles.
• Have prior experience and knowledge of the technical aspects and construction of product.
• Knowledgeable on all aspects of leather, fabric and metalware.
• Lead the Design to PD Handover meetings on all non-product actions, ensuring all action points are passed over to PD to action.
• Work through with the supplier and the PD manager in amending design where necessary and problem-solving, offering solutions to make the bag fit for purpose and meeting the brand DNA.
• Work with the PD Manager on reviewing and critiquing new development samples.
• Working product into cost, suggesting alternatives in construction, raw materials and supply base.
• Deliver knowledge on construction and methods of manufacture.

Chairman Creative Meeting, Friday:

• Ensure that the seasonal collection styles that are selected from pipeline and are developed in time for the season drop.
• Support and develop Design ideas in all areas.
• Support on design off all collab and special projects.
• Manage the meeting notes out to all stakeholders.
• Managing all samples that are in the design remit and ensure they don’t leave the building.

Prototype Management:

• Support the PD team in ensuring that Teams calls are completed to review new designs with the supply base.
• Manage any new samples handed from PD, ensuring they are organised and able to be located.
• Check all prototypes for construction with the PD team, ensuring design intended is delivered and costs are presented from PD.

Range Building:

• Support the Product Director in the building of the collection according to the business needs.
• Review and analyse sales information to ensure that collection developed meets the business needs.
• Support in the creation of seasonal boards for delivery of the collection to key stakeholders.
• Ensure that pipeline products are ready, according to the business timeline, to be dropped into the seasonal collection.

Competencies:

• Confident using Excel, Design packages.
• 3D design capabilities and hand sketching.
• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Able to conduct supplier meetings.
• Personal time management and prioritisation.
• Creative and commercial eye.
• Demonstrate in-depth market knowledge of the current competitive and inspirational marketplace.
• Strong communication skills with Aspinal team departments as well as suppliers.
• Attention to detail.
• Strong work ethic.
• Confidentiality.
• Excellent presentation skills both visual and verbal.
• An experienced Accessories Designer with a minimum of 5 years in role experience.
• Fashion or Accessories Design Qualification to Degree level.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the Aspinal of London handwriting, brand DNA and our core/target customer.
• Highly knowledgeable in colour, leather/ fabric direction and innovation.