Senior Clothing Designer in Bury St Edmunds

The Senior Clothing Designer plays a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction and commercial success of exclusive and licensed outdoor clothing and accessories across mens, womens and kids categories. This role designs innovative, technical and commercially driven product ranges that align with brand DNA, market trends, and customer expectations, while ensuring products meet cost targets and performance requirements. Operating with a high level of autonomy, the Senior Designer partners closely with Buying, Product Development, and other cross-functional teams to deliver best‑in‑class outdoor apparel collections.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the design of exclusive and licence brands outdoor clothing and accessories to include men's, women's and kids.
• Working with the Head of Exclusive brand ensuring product ranges are relevant and are positioned clearly within each Outdoor brand.
• Often working autonomously, giving trend and design direction for each brand.
• Working across the buying teams and product development team to design and develop relevant commercial, technical designs.
• Taking design responsibility for each allocated range/brand, in order to grow the apparel category.
• Responsible for the design of product which achieves target cost and brand positioning.
• Understanding of garment technology including performance fabrics, fit and function.
• Managing and developing the Junior designer, ensuring objectives are managed and contribute to the development of that role.
• To be continually aware of market trends and competitor product within the outdoor market place and beyond.
• Ensure designs are ‘fit for purpose’ using knowledge and experience of designing outdoor/technical product.
• Working within the critical path and striving to improve lead times where possible.
• Flexibility working across different brands – whilst maintaining brand DNA.
• Working on a number of outdoor technical brands and instrumental in the development of each brand.
• Visit stores and other retail on a regular basis to understand the customer and store environment.
• Show a strong understanding of clothing on the high street/online and how outdoor trends have transcended outside of traditional outdoor fascia’s.
• Work in partnership with the graphic designer and the development team to develop ‘best in class’.
• Work on detailed tech packs, in order to hand over to the developer to enable factories to produce accurate prototypes and costings.
• Work with the development team on proto’s, ensuring your designs are successfully interpreted into product.
• Knowledge/experience of PLM and 3D design is an advantage.
• Present designs and trends to the B&M team on a seasonal basis, ensuring designs fulfil the brand and commercial direction.
• Lead design meetings.
• Lead in colour direction, ensuring ranges are specific in colour direction.
• Working with the web and content team to ensure each brand is positioned correctly and collections are understood for marketing purposes.
• Factory and supplier visits when necessary, including the Far East.
• Attend trade shows and other relevant seminars/conferences.

Skills/Experience/Knowledge needed:

• Must have experience in technical/outdoor/sports clothing design.
• Fully experienced in Illustrator.
• Fully literate in Microsoft Office: PowerPoint, Word, Excel.
• Must be able to work in a fast paced, changing and often challenging environment.
• Able to work quickly and effectively whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Highly organised and methodical.
• Creative thinker and problem solver.
• Ability to clearly articulate ideas and explain design decisions to line manager and development team.
• Calm under pressure, allowing for multi-tasking across numerous brands at any one time.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Self motivated. Using any down-time wisely and planning time carefully.