Leather Goods Designer in City of Westminster

We are seeking an exceptionally creative, operationally rigorous Leather Goods Designer to join our team. You will bridge creative vision with impeccable technical execution, taking absolute ownership of the design cycle from initial research through to factory‑ready specifications.

Responsibilities

• Creative Conception & Brand Alignment
• Visionary Research: Conduct deep, highly immersive design research across contemporary art, architecture, vintage archives, libraries, and historical references to form rich seasonal concepts.
• Elevated Design: Translate creative direction into highly original leather goods and bespoke hardware concepts that balance artistic innovation with the DNA of DeMellier. Continually propose daring yet elegant shapes, proportions, and detailing that push the boundaries of luxury accessories.
• Material & Chromatic Expression: Master the dialogue between colour, texture, and leather grain. Execute flawless digital colour‑ups and material animations, referencing established hardware and material matrix sheets to guarantee absolute aesthetic harmony.
• Technical Precision & Prototyping
• Atelier Mock‑Up Mastery: Transform abstract 2D concepts into beautiful 3D physical realities through hand‑sketched explorations and rapid prototyping. Construct highly refined trials and mock‑ups to intuitively interrogate proportion, volume, and line, possessing the exacting self‑critical eye to perfect and balance silhouettes prior to artistic review.
• Technical Expression: Author immaculate technical specifications and comprehensive proto comments using Adobe Illustrator, translating complex construction ideas into clear technical drawings and preserving creative intent.
• Artisanal Dialogue: Work collaboratively alongside product developers and factory partners to solve structural, hardware, and material challenges, refining technical details without compromising the initial creative soul of the piece.
• Atelier & Asset Curation
• Meeting Presentation: Take full accountability for organising design reviews and presentations. Ensure the creative environment and layout tables strictly reflect the active agenda, maintaining a highly curated, focused workspace.
• Sample Preservation: Enforce a protective protocol for all physical assets, personally overseeing the immaculate packing and handling of samples.
• Proactive Digital Infrastructure: Maintain a highly logical, pristine server environment and lead organising shared digital folders, seasonal mood boards, briefings, and overviews.
• Workflow & Communication Discipline
• Structured Project Ownership: Independently drive and own the administrative workflows across the Design function, ensuring long‑term design milestones are completed within agreed schedules.
• Fluid Communication Loops: Maintain seamless internal communication pathways, ensuring leadership and cross‑functional partners are aligned and systematically looped into correspondence.

Qualifications

• Experience: 2‑3 years of experience in a full‑time role designing leather goods or premium accessories within an internationally recognised, design‑led luxury fashion house.
• Languages: Fluency in English required; additional Spanish and/or Italian an advantage.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accessories Design or an equivalent field.
• Technical Software Expertise: Expert‑level mastery of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop; proficiency with AI, Rhino, CAD, or 3D rendering software is a plus.
• Mindset & Pace: Calm, adaptable, and solutions‑focused, with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced luxury retail environment.
• Proactive Approach: Take pride in delivering high‑quality work and have a keen eye for detail.
• Workspace Discipline: Naturally organised, structured, and accountable for maintaining clean, inspiring shared creative spaces.