Experience

99K Limited

• United Kingdom
• Retail Apparel and Fashion
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior denim designer

  • Sep 2021 - Present

  Aug 2021 to Present 99K, (Manchester based denim supplier) - 2 days @office in Manchester / 1 day remotely London @home. • Consulting with a small team of designer to produce denim product for online brands and labels (within the boohoo group) • Liaising with the factories in the far-east for washing and laundry requirements for customer and in-house brand (KYO) to be launched in ASOS (2022) Aug 2021 to Present 99K, (Manchester based denim supplier) - 2 days @office in Manchester / 1 day remotely London @home. • Consulting with a small team of designer to produce denim product for online brands and labels (within the boohoo group) • Liaising with the factories in the far-east for washing and laundry requirements for customer and in-house brand (KYO) to be launched in ASOS (2022)



CREATIVE DESIGN INDUSTRIES LIMITED

• Apparel & Fashion
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Head Denim Designer

  • Apr 2014 - Aug 2020

  Senior Head Denim Designer/multi-product, Creative Design Industries (part of Indochine). Design, Research & Manage directional ranges for the UK High Street. I’m personally responsible for all denim product at CDI including jeans collections and solo denim fashion items, the seasonal collection is sold into the following retailers as well as developing direct tech packs. These are Mint Velvet brand, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Wallis, Miss S, Apricot, Next, Peacocks, Matalan /Falmer, Debenhams and their house brands (Red Herring, Jasper Conran, John Rocha, Principles, and NINE by Savannah Miller) and in Europe C&A, Pieces, OVS, Mango (She, Kids, Violeta), Springfield, Cortefiel, Hema, and Landmark group – Dubai (Lee cooper, Iconic and Splash). I work on • Seasonal Denim Range planning including fabric sourcing at Denim PV and Kingpins Amsterdam. • Continuous updating, directional denim washes and fabric development with key Denim mills. • Product development trips to overseas factories covering multiply denim–product, jeans (skinnies/crop, wide leg/boyfriends) all- in one/ bolier suits, jackets, shirt dresses & pinnies, shirts, kimono’s, shorts & skirts. • Strong presentation skills and selling commercial ideas to a wide customer base/profile. • Overseeing all sample development ensuring deadlines are met for customer range builds and sign-off dates. • Strong buyer and designer relations – liaising via e-mail with regular customer meetings, face to face contact and presentations – selling design ideas and trend direction covering blogs & catwalks. • Clear understanding of individual customer critical path and sound awareness of ordered product. • Mentoring junior team members and supporting designers to achieve their goals. Show less



Dewhirst

• United Kingdom
• Retail Apparel and Fashion
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Senior "Indigo Brand" denim designer

  • Dec 2009 - Mar 2014

  Senior Indigo Brand Designer – Dewhirst Ladieswear, Camden/London • Personally, responsible for managing work deadlines and producing a range of design/buying samples for M&S retailer “Indigo brand” department, with design focus on key washed casual woven bottoms, fashion items including chino’s, denim boyfriend, skinny jeans and super stretchy jeggings.• Wide knowledge of denim and woven fabric with regular visits to TEXworld & Denim PV.• Extensive knowledge of technical denim washes and casualwear product.• Excellent creative and commercial skills working with buyers, developing fashion trends, fabric and washes, delivering a strong brand focus in line with retailer expectations.• Manage two designers and directed a small team including a product developer (brand focus and identity of trims), fabric techs and sourcing, while liaising with sales brand manager and design director regarding brand/product focus which requires excellent planning and negotiating skills Show less



View2 Publication

• United States

• Trend Prediction / freelance designer

  • Mar 2006 - Mar 2010

  Trend Prediction/Freelance Designer - View2 Publication. 2Som Studio, Amsterdam Responsible for producing an 8-page trend spread consisting of a twice-yearly trend feature for the Youth wear market – for the Denim, Casual & Street sectors. Each trend covers key colour direction, theme/mood, fabric ideas, graphics/print and embellishments, seasonal garment silhouettes, close-up details, inspirational photographs and catwalk pictures. Trend Prediction/Freelance Designer - View2 Publication. 2Som Studio, Amsterdam Responsible for producing an 8-page trend spread consisting of a twice-yearly trend feature for the Youth wear market – for the Denim, Casual & Street sectors. Each trend covers key colour direction, theme/mood, fabric ideas, graphics/print and embellishments, seasonal garment silhouettes, close-up details, inspirational photographs and catwalk pictures.



Poeticgem

• United Kingdom
• Retail Apparel and Fashion
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Older Girlswear Designer

  • Feb 2008 - Oct 2009

  Older Girlswear Designer – Poeticgem, Watford• Responsible for driving development and design of older Girls/Tween & Ladies fashion.• Developing mini ranges with focus on “must have” key fashion pieces, producing buyer’s packs for key accounts Sainsbury’s TU, George Asda and Tesco.• Extensive trend forecasting based on strong commercial awareness, analyzing colour, shape and key details to keep the product innovative, exciting, fresh but still commercial.• Sourcing and development of denim, woven and jersey fabrics.• Compile detailed spec packs for factories, based in Bangladesh, China & India.• Managing two designers. Show less



Smith and brooks Ltd

• Senior Girlswear Designer

  • Dec 1998 - Feb 2008

  -Feb 2008 Senior Girlswear Designer - Smith & Brooks, London Responsible for the design of mainly denim key pieces with coordinated fashion tees, sweats & dresses. Manufactured in China working closely with the sampling team.• Develop artwork/graphics - fashion themes.• Catwalk selection/styling for seasonal marketing/advertising.• Sourcing new innovative fabrics/techniques to embellish product. • Experienced in managing a team of 8 designers plus work experience when required.• Directing and conveying design briefs to the team to unsure high-quality trend lead designs • Presenting the in-house range to UK & European customers & sales team • Working with accounts including BHS, M&S, Debenhams, Mothercare, Mattel, Woolworths Asda, La Redoute and various German and Italian independents for branded licensed clothing. Show less