Experience
Freelance Bag & Accessories Designer;
2018 - Present
Working with various smaller design lead fashion brands on sampling and production solutions, as well as designing on seasonal collections.
Orla Kiely;
2017 - 2018
Bag & Accessories designer in charge of all core ranges - Leather goods, Matt laminated, textured vinyl , packaways, travel, nappy bags & QVC Working with print designers for seasonal themes. Designing new styles to build into the ranges. Amending styles to allow them to be more practical and useful for the customer. Organising development for carry over styles for pre fall 18 and Autumn Winter 18 collections. Create seasonal boards of key shapes, materials/hardware, new techniques, etc. Sourcing new fabrics, hardware. Work with production team to ensure quality standards are met. Communication with factories on samples and production development. Prepare tech-packs and all details for factories.
Cath Kidston;
2014 -2017
Bag & accessories designer for entire design process for bag and accessories, small accessories, wallets, bathroom, with one day designing for the kids department. Designing from the initial print mood-boards, research key shapes, hand sketches, hardware specs, Technical spec sheets in illustrator, 1:1 scale specs, amendments sheets on samples and comment for final SMS. Daily communication and trips to the Far-East for sample & production development as well as meeting new suppliers. Inspiration trips throughout Europe and Tokyo as well as seasonal visits to Premier Vision to source new leather, fabrics and hardware. Providing insights with seasonal presentations to buying teams for key shapes, materials/hardware, new techniques, etc. Ensuring that product is consistent with range, trends and business strategy. Prepare tech-packs and all details for factories. Work with QA team to ensure quality standards are met. Responsible for updating tech-packs for handoff for production.
At Cath Kidston Bags and Accessories is 50% of the 100 million pound business. My area grew to 65% whilst I was there, including hugely increasing the success of their travel and leather goods.
Freelance Sample Maker
2014
Sample making leather goods as part of a London factory for various clients which include Toast and YMC. Pattern cutting, costing, Skiving/Splitting, Flatbed/Cylinder arm sewing machines, Problem solving, Liaising with designers to achieve the desired styles and communicating with machinist for production.
Freelance designer for Mimi Berry;
2014
Designing and making initial bag sample for Mimi Berry.
Ally Capellino;
2013-2014
Assistant designer for mens and womens bag & accessories ranges. Research, mood boards, key trend shapes, hand sketching, designing, pattern cutting, prototyping new styles, illustrator spec sheets and amendments specs. Regular communication and visits to UK & European factories. Seasonal visits to Premier Vision to source new leather, fabrics and hardware. Pattern cutting and sample making new seasonal styles. Visiting London factories on design and development stages. Repairing bags and accessories for customer orders. Helping wholesale, production, retail and design to achieve a smooth running of the studio.
Marc by Marc Jacobs;
2012-2013
Assisting on the Women's handbag team on various stages of the development process; hand sketching, corrections, material placement, colour-ups & renderings using photoshop, bespoke hardware specs using illustrator, scaling styles for suppliers. Organising samples and archiving hardware. Meetings with new leather suppliers.