Soft Accessories Designer

Part time freelance contract starting at 2 days per week, with potential to increase days following a successful review after the probation period of 6 months. 

Job Title: Soft Accessories Designer 

Company: Fable England 

Location: London 

Industry: Fashion, Lifestyle and Gift 

About Us: 

Fable England is a young lifestyle brand inspired by nature, positivity and kindness; offering whimsical, well-made products that bring joy to our customers. Our collections blend British charm with contemporary design, focusing on fashion accessories, jewellery, and gifts. 

We are looking for an experienced Soft Accessories Designer to join our design team to elevate our accessories product offering, aligning the success of this category with our handbags and jewellery. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Collaborate with the design team to ensure brand consistency and commercial alignment. 
• Lead trend and market research for soft accessories delivering a high awareness of current trends in fashion, textiles, print & embroidery. 
• Thorough knowledge and appreciation for traditional print, embroidery, knit and weave techniques. 
• Develop customer and market focussed product collections each season in line with company strategy and brand identity, (scarves, hats, gloves, gifting etc). 
• Report on new sustainable processes and materials to maintain the brands’ environmental promise and objectives. 
• Support print & embroidery designers as required; managing strike off’s, colour-ups and preparation of technical specs for mills and manufacturers. 
• Assist in the product development process, liaising with the design team, product development manager and manufacturers to ensure comments and modifications are communicated and met on time, according to the critical path. 
• Create and manage technical specifications, take notes and modify technical sketches on illustrator, sharing files and communicating design updates and modifications with the design and development team. 
• Source new materials, collate and manage existing swatch cards for the team to access a comprehensive collection of design assets at any time. 
• Manage and update line sheets, liaising with Product Development Manager and Merchandiser to ensure all data is aligned. 
• Responsible for all seasonal samples, ensuring they are organised and immaculate, ready for press and photoshoots. 

Requirements: 

• Minimum five years previous design experience in soft accessories  
• A flair for accessories design 
• Experienced in designing and developing a range of products through all stages 
• Strong commercial understanding and experience in traditional print, knit and weave techniques  
• Excellent drawing and painting skills 
• Strong understanding of brand; the ability to see trends through the lens of the brand  
• Excellent design and communication skills, with the ability to positively collaborate with a highly productive and fast pace of our design and development team  
• Experienced in communicating clear instructions for proto creation and alteration 
• Experienced in developing fabric qualities, woven methods, embroidery and embellishment techniques to fit a brief and innovate existing products 
• Passionate about fashion with a strong interest in and keen eye for current and upcoming trends  
• Research trends, new materials, trims and colour palettes and design new products incorporating your original ideas  
• Report on commercial trends and competitor analysis  
• Identify opportunities for new non-core product ranges to enhance the current range  
• Confident in presenting your research and designs formally and informally 
• Produce detailed specs with technical drawings for new products and developments  
• Work closely with the merchandiser & development team to ensure production details meet the brands quality requirements  
• Work closely with suppliers and manufacturers  
• A practical knowledge and experience of production methods in the far east  
• Produce high-quality work to targets and tight deadlines  
• Able to work without supervision, prioritising and managing own workload  
• Excellent attention to detail 
• Adobe and Illustrator skills necessary. 

How to Apply: 

Please submit your CV and/or include a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you’re the perfect fit for this role. We can’t wait to hear from you!