At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creative development of innovative womenswear products for Craghoppers.
- Company: Join a dynamic brand known for high-performance outdoor clothing.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, profit share bonuses, and generous annual leave.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusivity and community support.
- Why this job: Shape the future of fashion while working in a creative and supportive environment.
- Qualifications: 7+ years in design with strong skills in outerwear and team collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Overview
We are seeking a highly creative and commercially minded Head of Womenswear to lead the development of innovative, high‑performance product for the Craghoppers brand.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with the buying and product teams to ensure products meet strategic direction and price targets.
- Create concepts, fashion sketch ideas, shape silhouettes, and explore fabric and trim choices that push the collection forward.
- Research trends, references, and cultural shifts to keep the collection directional, relevant, and commercially aware ensuring product aligns with the brand’s strategy.
- Excellent understanding of the market, key trends and our competitors offering.
- Create working designs to establish handwriting for each season ensuring performance and function is considered.
- Work closely with relevant areas of the business to identify and meet customer requirements.
- Work within Branding guidelines ensuring product is synonymous with Craghoppers identity yet maintains a creative and directional flair.
• Colour & Pattern
- Trend‑led commercial seasonal colour palettes are created that are relevant to our market.
- Your knowledge of colour trends is always fresh and you keep the team updated on your research.
- Responsible for buying colour standards & creating palettes in PLM.
- Generate print and graphic direction and artwork where required.
• Design Development
- Drive the creative process from research through to final design: mood boards, sketches, colour stories, silhouettes, CADs, and refinement for all categories across womenswear (outerwear, midlayers, jersey, legwear and accessories).
- Work alongside a skilled technical and product development team who will evolve your ideas into fully functional product using CLO 3D design software.
- Work in CLO 3D to ensure designs are coloured up ready for development.
- Create and maintain seasonal range plans in illustrator and PLM.
- Work with Buying team to select and develop new fabrics where appropriate.
- Communicate clearly with Buying and Product Development to ensure changes are clear through development cycle.
• Strategy
- Bring clarity and inspiration to presentations, communicating your vision with confidence.
- Ensure strategy reviews are prepared to a high standard.
- Collaborate with menswear designer ensuring men's and women’s products are consistent across the ranges.
- Collections are presented confidently at internal and external meetings.
- Corporate calendar deadlines are adhered to.
- Mentor design assistants, contributing to a strong creative culture.
• Branding and Accessories
- New artwork is designed and developed in line with the brand’s plans and themes.
- Handwriting is kept consistent.
Qualifications
- Design qualification to degree level.
- Brand awareness and product relevance.
- 7+ years experience relevant experience in Design at a Senior level for a branded company designing across multiple category areas with significant outerwear experience.
- Experience range planning, with sales analysis and managing SKU count.
- Technical spec building, strong graphic skills, technical knowledge of clothing, people management, presentation skills.
- A refined fashion handwriting and strong eye for shape, proportion and detail.
- Strong sketching, illustration and CAD abilities.
- Confident, collaborative, and comfortable working with product developers and technical specialists.
- Portfolio demonstrating contemporary fashion design with strong outerwear pieces.
- Computer literate, full understanding of Adobe Illustrator, In Design, CAD software and Excel, Centric PLM or relevant alternative, CLO 3D Design.
Benefits
- Profit Share Bonus: Enjoy a discretionary bonus based on the company's success.
- Future‑Proof Pension: Secure your retirement with our comprehensive pension plan.
- Annual Leave: 25 days starting annual leave entitlement.
- Loyalty Rewards: Earn an extra day off for every 3 years of service, up to 2 additional days.
- Buy More Leave: Buy up to an additional 3 days of annual leave every year.
- Continual development: Comprehensive training and development, including bitesize learning, apprenticeship courses and ongoing opportunities to grow your career.
- Exclusive Discounts: Get special discounts across all our brands.
- Perks at Your Fingertips: Access a variety of benefits through our company website.
- Family Support: Benefit from enhanced Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave after 2 years of service.
- Celebrate You: Take advantage of birthday hours to celebrate your special day.
- Wellness Walks: Join company walks to stay active and connect with colleagues.
- Inspiring Workspace: Work in a state‑of‑the‑art head office environment.
- Volunteer Day: Enjoy a paid day off to give back to your community.
- Hassle‑Free Parking: Free, secure on‑site parking for all employees.
- Delicious Dining: Enjoy meals at our subsidised canteen, featuring Starbucks coffee.
- Cycle to Work: Save on travel with our cycle‑to‑work scheme.
- Fitness Perks: Access discounted gym memberships at various locations, along with access to our on‑site fitness suite and wellbeing room.
- Convenient Facilities: Freshen up with our on‑site shower facilities, complete with hairdryers and straighteners.
- Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion: At Regatta Group, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace.
We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Should you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we are happy to support you.
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Womenswear in Urmston
✨Get Down to the Fashion Events
Dive headfirst into local fashion shows, trade fairs, and networking events. These are golden opportunities to meet industry pros and showcase your passion for the industry in person. Plus, it gives you the chance to chat about potential roles at places like Regatta Group!
✨Join Fashion-Focused Communities
Become a part of online fashion communities on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Participate in discussions and share your insights on trends or your personal style journey. It’s a great way to get noticed by brands looking to fill positions, including Regatta Group.
✨Craft a Rock-Solid Portfolio
Since you're aiming for a full-time gig, your portfolio should reflect not just your best work but also your personality. Whether it’s lookbooks, design sketches, or styling projects, make sure it screams 'you' and includes a bit about why you’d be a perfect fit for Regatta Group.
✨Leverage Your University Connections
If you’re fresh out of university, don’t underestimate your career services. They often have partnerships with fashion companies for internships and entry-level roles. Use this to your advantage and connect with them to find any openings at Regatta Group!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Womenswear in Urmston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Style:In the fashion-apparel industry, your personal style and understanding of current trends are crucial. Make sure your CV and cover letter reflect your unique fashion sense – use visuals if you can and highlight any fashion-related experiences or projects that show off your flair!
Highlight Relevant Experience:When you're applying for a full-time role, be sure to focus on any past roles or internships in fashion that’ve honed your skills. Whether that's working in retail, fashion design, or marketing, quantify your achievements and show how they relate to the role at Regatta Group.
Include a Strong Portfolio:An impressive portfolio is key in fashion! Make sure to include a link to your online portfolio in your CV, showcasing your best work, be it designs, campaigns, or styling projects. This is your chance to let your creativity shine and demonstrate your abilities to Regatta Group!
Craft a Standout Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to weave in your passion for fashion and the specific reasons you want to work at Regatta Group. Share your vision of how you'd contribute to their brand and why you're excited about their work. Tailoring this will make you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Regatta Group
✨Showcase Your Style Portfolio
For a role in the fashion-apparel industry, having a well-curated portfolio is essential. Ensure you include your best work that reflects your style and creativity, whether it's sketches, lookbooks, or completed designs. Be ready to discuss your design process and the inspirations behind your pieces!
✨Know the Latest Trends and Brands
Being well-versed in current fashion trends and influential brands can give you a leg up in the interview. Get familiar with what’s trending in the market and know your competitors. This shows your passion for the industry and helps you connect your work experience to current fashion trajectories.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaboration Skills
In a full-time fashion role, collaboration is key, whether you’re working with designers, marketers, or suppliers. Be prepared to share experiences where you successfully worked as part of a team or navigated challenges with colleagues. This will highlight your ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
✨Dress the Part
This might sound obvious, but in fashion, how you present yourself is part of your brand. Wear something that represents your personal style while still aligning with the company’s aesthetic. It’s a great way to show you understand the industry's essence and can embody the brand’s image!
